A Guest Post from "What a Way to Start a New Year!" Author Jacqueline Jules

Beginning the New Year in a new city isn't easy, and it definitely isn't starting out very well for Dina and her family! But when they're welcomed by warm and generous hosts in their new community it becomes a very happy New Year for all!


In today's guest blog post, author Jacqueline Jules tells us a little bit about the inspiration for her new Rosh Hashanah book, What a Way to Start a New Year!:

"I grew up in a small town in southern Virginia. There was only one synagogue in the surrounding area with a community of around 100 families. New faces didn’t walk through the door without being noticed, especially by my father. He made a point of introducing himself and making sure any newcomers had plans for holiday dinner. When Daddy brought new friends home unexpectedly, Momma would smile and set an extra place. My mom was an excellent cook, known for her homemade apple pies and tender brisket. We made many wonderful new friends at our holiday table.

As a child, watching my parents observe the mitzvah of hachnasat orchim—welcoming guests—I never imagined that I would one day move to a new community at the High Holidays myself. My first Rosh Hashanah as a newlywed was spent with generous hosts in Pittsburgh who realized a young couple would prefer brisket and honey cake in a warm home, rather than a motel efficiency. In my adult life, I have moved several times to new cities. Each time, visiting a synagogue, where I heard familiar tunes and prayers, helped me to adjust to new surroundings.  

In What a Way to Start a New Year, Dina and Harry fear that moving will ruin their Rosh Hashanah holiday. They want to go back to Greenville. “In Greenville we had friends,” Dina says. “In Greenville we didn’t get lost on the way to the grocery store.” But their plans are ruined by car troubles and the family returns to packing boxes and leftover pizza. “No brisket? No honey cake?” the kids complain. “What a way to start a new year!” Happily, Dad suggests that the family attends services at a nearby synagogue, where new friends welcome them just as my parents welcomed newcomers many years ago." 

 

For a sneak peak at What a Way to Start a New Year! check out the book trailer!

 

Q & A with Jacqueline Jules

 

What was your favorite book when you were a child?

 

My favorite book was The Borrowers by Mary Norton. I adored the idea of little people under the floorboards swiping all the things I could never find. I still think there must be little people in my house, borrowing all the items I can't locate when I need them.

 

What's your favorite line from a book?

 

"Maybe, if you aren't unhappy sometimes, you don't know how to be happy." - from A Wrinkle in Time by Madeline L'Engle

 

Why did you want to become an author?

 

I became an author because I love to play with words. Words give us the means to communicate with others. We speak them, we write them, and we read them. My love of words began with my love of reading. As a child, I sat for hours - sometimes in the crook of an apple tree, sometimes in an easy chair - lost in absorbing mysteries, fantasies, biographies, and realistic or historical fiction. I didn't have much preference, and still don't for a particular genre. I am just an enthusiastic fan of a good story with compelling characters.

 

Do you have any advice for future authors?

 

Remember that it takes a very long time to become skilled at any art form. Malcolm Gladwell in his book Outliers says it takes about 10,000 hours of practice to excel at something. I totally agree. I've been practicing my craft for over 30 years, and it still takes many revisions before I get a story right. Writing is hard work. You need to have the patience and persistence to write and re-write.

 

How do you hope your book will impact the Jewish life of a child?

 

I hope children will empathize with the difficulties of feeling comfortable in a new place. I hope it will motivate them to reach out to newcomers.

 

What are some fun facts about you?

 

I love the color purple. My bedroom, my winter coat, and too many of my clothes and earring are purple. I also love puppets and have a huge collection of them. I love to sing for fun, especially at story time.

 

Anything else you would like to share with readers?

 

READ! READ! READ! Nothing expends your world and your mind like reading.

 

 

Jacqueline Jules is an award-winning author and poet. Her many children's books include The Hardest Word (National Jewish Book Award finalist), Sydney Taylor Honor Award Winners Sarah Laughs and Benjamin and the Silver Goblet, the Ziz adventure series, and Once Upon a Shabbos. She lives in Northern Virginia with her husband and enjoys walking, reading, singing, and attending the theater. To learn more about her, please visit www.jacquelinejules.com.

 

 

Meet Author Tamar Fox (and get a sneak peek at her new book)!

As the end of summer approaches, it's time to welcome children home from camp and celebrate the last weeks before school together. As Tamar Fox shows us in her new book No Baths at Camp, coming home from summer camp can sometimes get a little tricky!

For a sneak peek at Max's troubles in No Baths at Camp, see the book trailer!


With that in mind, here are five tips for welcoming your child home from summer camp:

1. Remember, hopefully camp was a great and your child will be missing camp activities.

2. Your child will be missing his or her camp friends. If you're able, set up opportunities for them to meet up in person (if they live nearby) or on Skype.

3. Camp often provides lots of opportunities for children to sing together. Encourage your child to teach you one of their camp songs.

4. You child learned some new skills, perhaps a new swim stroke or how to play tennis. Create opportunities to practice these new skills.

5. Remember that Jewish summer camp is about creating Jewish memories - make time during the year to create as many Jewish memories with your family as you can.


A Q&A with author Tamar Fox!

What was your favorite book when you were a child?

The Bungling Ballerinas by Ellen Shire

Who are your top three favorite authors or illustrators?

Marjorie Priceman, MM Kaye, Marc Simont

Why did you want to become an author?

I love to tell stories, and to find out what stories live in other people's brains!

What are you most excited about promoting in your new book?

I'm excited to talk about all the fun things kids can do at camp, and outside with their friends, and all the fun ways that families can celebrate Shabbat together.

How do you hope your book will impact the Jewish life of a child?

I hope families will get excited about the ways that they can celebrate Shabbat, and the kids will get excited about the camping possibilities in their future.

What are you working on now?

Another children's book, this one about Purim. And an adult book about moving.

What are some fun facts about you?

I love polka dots and baking and reading out loud. I can name all 53 countries in Africa and stand on my head.

Find No Baths at Camp on the Kar-Ben website. Audio eBook available for your favorite device wherever eBooks are sold.

Happy 20th Birthday, Sammy!



Sammy Spider and the Shapiro family have been teaching children about Jewish holidays and values for 20 years!

 

 

 

 

Throw a birthday party for your favorite spider (or a Sammy-themed birthday for your child)! Then, spend the whole year celebrating with Sammy-related activities!

 

 

 Check out the Kar-Ben website for fun birthday printables like invitations, party hats, coloring pages and a pin-the-legs-on-Sammy game!

 

 

 

 

 

You can also find activities, recipes, and crafts for every month and many holidays! Make your own afikomen cover for Passover, a Sammy Spider grogger for Purim, or try Mrs. Shapiro's challah and blintz recipes!

 

 

 

 

 

Hear from author Sylvia A. Rouss and illustrator Katherine Janus Kahn about the creation of Sammy Spider in this video from Kar-Ben eBook partner Open Road Media!

 



 

 

In celebration of Sammy's birthday, Kar-Ben introduces the 19th and 20th books in the Sammy Spider series!

 

Sammy Spider's First Book of Jewish Holidays is a book of Jewish holidays for very young children, with one simple holiday fact per page and illustrated with iconic Sammy Spider art.

 

Sammy Spider's First Yom Kippur is a story about saying "I'm sorry." When Josh breaks the rules and plays ball indoors, he finds himself apologizing not only to his parents, but to Sammy Spider as well.

Prevent the "Summer Slide" with Reading Comprehension!

"Summer slide" is used to refer to the skills or knowledge that students lose when they're not in school during the summer months. The summer slide can be particularly problematic for young readers, as they need to practice their reading and comprehension skills consistently to maintain them.

One of the easiest ways to help combat the summer slide is to set aside a few minutes each day to read with your child, whether they're reading to you or you to them. Asking a few reading comprehension questions will help make sure your child is understanding the reading.

Help prevent the summer slide with these reading comprehension questions for The Cats on Ben Yehuda Street:

1. Why did Mr. Modiano never come inside for tea when Mrs. Spiegal invited him?

2. What does Mrs. Spiegal do with the fish Mr. Modiano brings her? Does Mr. Modiano know? What makes you think that?

3. What does Mrs. Spiegal like about Ketzie?

4. Where do Ketzie and Gatito always wait for Mrs. Spiegal?

5. How does Mrs. Spiegal feel when she can't find Ketzie?

6. Why does Mr. Modiano adopt Gatito?

7. How did Mr. Modiano's feelings about cats change from the beginning of the story to the end of the story? How do you know?

You can find The Cats on Ben Yehuda Street on the Kar-Ben website, along with other fun summer titles!

A Simple and Delicious Summery Shabbat Treat!

July means berry season, and what better way to use this tasty summer produce than by making a sweet treat for Shabbat?

No-Bake Berry Cheesecake

1 lb. cream cheese
1/3 cup sugar
2 Tbsp. lemon juice
8 oz. whipped topping
1 graham cracker crust
blueberries, strawberry halves

Beat cream cheese, sugar, and lemon juice until well blended. Stir in two cups of the whipped topping. Refridgerate for several hours. Before serving spread remaining topping over the cake and decorate with fresh berries!

Enjoy this recipe? Kar-Ben's "My Very Own Jewish Calendar" is filled with fun facts, recipes, activities, and more!

Looking for Fun Summer Activities? Kar-Ben has a Few Ideas!

If you're stuck on ideas for what to do with the beautiful weather and extra time that summer offers, take some inspiration from the characters in these books!

Tikkun Olam Ted

 

Ted spends his days working to make the world a better, kinder place by doing good deeds. Taking a lesson from Ted means participating in summer activities that are both fun and helpful!

1. Spend some quality time with your pets, or volunteer at an animal shelter. Animals appreciate the attention and the chance to get outside, and make great friends for a summer afternoon. Taking care of animals also helps children practice responsibility.

2. Use recycled materials to create unique new art projects. Keep some of those useful scraps out of the trash and use them for art projects instead of buying brand-new materials. Reusing what we can is as valuable to the environment as recycling.

3. Work in the garden - if you don't have one, help out a neighbor or volunteer at a community garden. Gardening is a great productive way to spend time outside, and watching the plants they care for grow is a great way for children to see the results of their hard work.

Thank You, Trees!

Children and adults celebrate Tu B'Shevat in this book, but you don't have to wait until January to try some of the activities they enjoy!

4. Go on a picnic. It can be as simple as taking lunch out into the backyard, or you and your child can plan an outing, complete with baskets and blankets.

5. Have an outdoors sing-a-long or dance with your friends. Children may be familiar with the same songs from school or family, and outside is a perfect place to be loud, dance out some extra energy, and celebrate.

No Baths at Camp

"There are no baths at camp!" says Max when his mother starts filling the tub. But as he recounts his week's activities, he realizes that there were many fun ways he got clean at summer camp. Whether it's at camp or at home, Max and his friends have some great ideas about how to enjoy their summer!

6. Stage an outdoor play. It can be a play, or try finding a reader's theater script for one of your favorite books! Reading a script will also help your child practice their literacy skills during summer break.

7. Build a fire and make s'mores. A campfire is also a fun time to tell stories and spend time relaxing after a long summer day.

8. Have a water balloon fight. Want to cool off, but can't make it to the pool? Have a water balloon fight instead!

9. Go for a nature hike. Find a park nearby - even the neighborhood park you go to all the time can provide interesting new things to observe, if you look hard enough. Try out a state park for even more adventure.

To learn more or to purchase Tikkun Olam Ted, Thank You, Trees! or No Baths at Camp, visit the Kar-Ben website!

Summertime Fun with Picnic at Camp Shalom!

In today's guest blog post, author Jacqueline Jules tells us a little bit about her book Picnic at Camp Shalom.

 

Summer camp is an opportunity to make new friends in a busy environment of swimming, boating, and creative activities. It’s also a place where Jewish children can leave behind the isolation they sometimes feel at home. Many Jewish children go to schools where they are a distinct minority. Summer camp can be a place of community and acceptance they do not experience elsewhere.

In Picnic at Camp Shalom, Carly meets Sara—a girl who shares her love of music and her fashion taste. On the first day of camp, they are surprised to see that they are both wearing the same blue bathing suit with white stars. “Twins!” They giggle. At night in their cabin, they talk by flashlight way past “lights out.” But trouble brews when Carly learns that they are far more alike than Sara realizes. They both have endured teasing at home for a last name that appears strange to children with short, plain names like “Jones” or “Walker.” Sara misunderstands Carly’s delight over finding out her new camp friend’s last name is “Frankfurter! Like the hotdog.” When Carly finally reveals her own last name, they discover that they are the perfect pair for Camp Shalom’s Sunday picnic.

 

Click below for a sneak preview of this story of summer camp friendship.

Buy the book here, and visit www.jacquelinejules.com to learn more about the author.