The Whole Megillah- Mid-Week Field Notes–January 26, 2022Some very quick things: I’ve been highly distracted by an auto-immune skin disease, that despite various treatments, continues to spread as a rash and create erosive legions. Each day is a new nightmare. Overnight it has affected my eyes, fingers, … Continue reading →Barbara Krasner
- 2022 Sydney Taylor Book Awards AnnouncedThis morning the Association of Jewish Libraries issued a press release announcing the winners of the annual Sydney Taylor Book Awards. Congratulations to all the gold medal, silver medal, and notable books and their authors. 2022 Sydney Taylor Book, Manuscript, … Continue reading →Barbara Krasner
- #52snapshots 2022 | Week 3, What You Don’t See about MeWeek 3’s #52snapshots prompt is about what others don’t know or can’t see about you. My first draft was about all missing organs: tonsils, two parathyroid glands, female parts, and gall bladder. But as I was writing about the gall … Continue reading →Barbara Krasner
- 2021 National Jewish Book Awards AnnouncedToday the Jewish Book Council announced winners and finalists of its National Jewish Book Awards. For the entire press release and list, click here. Mazel tov to all winners and finalists! Children’s Picture Book Winner: Dear Mr. Dickens Nancy Churnin, illustrated … Continue reading →Barbara Krasner
- Mid-Week Field Notes–January 19, 2022Some very quick things: The first issue of The Sepia Chronicles | Writing the Past went out on Sunday. If interested in subscribing to this or the writing family history and memoir newsletter, please either comment below or send an … Continue reading →Barbara Krasner
- #52snapshots 2022 | Week 2, I RememberSaturday night trips for books and records Week 2’s #52snapshots prompt is about “I Remember.” I made a list of things I remembered with a time limit of five minutes. The items revolved around trips with my father. I don’t … Continue reading →Barbara Krasner
- Mid-Week Field Notes–January 12, 2022Some very quick things: I’ve been accepted into the Kenyon Review writing session for teachers and adjuncts later this month. I’m thrilled to be writing with other educators under the auspices of a literary journal I revere. The Sepia Chronicles … Continue reading →Barbara Krasner
- Author’s Notebook | The Book Bible by Susan ShapiroShapiro, Susan. The Book Bible: How to Sell Your Manuscript–No Matter What Genre–Without Going Broke or Insane. New York: Skyhorse, February 2022. Last winter I read Susan Shapiro‘s The Byline Bible and gained inspiration to write about why my grandmother, … Continue reading →Barbara Krasner
- #52snapshots 2022 | Week 1, My NameInstead of marking #52snapshots as a 2021 done deal, I decided for 2022 I would follow Sonja Livingston’s 52 prompts exactly as laid out in Fifty-Two Snapshots: A Memoir Starter Kit. By the end of the year, I should have … Continue reading →Barbara Krasner
- Mid-Week Field Notes–January 5, 2022Some very quick things: I have decided on a different #52snapshot journey for 2022. I will write to a different prompt from Sonja Livingston‘s Fifty-Two Snapshots: A Memoir Starter Kit each Friday and blog about the process and insights. I … Continue reading →Barbara Krasner
- Mid-Week Field Notes–January 26, 2022
Monthly Archives: May 2010
Ideas Can Come from Anywhere–Even Jane Yolen
The first-ever Highlights Foundation workshop for writers of Jewish-themed children’s books took place at the founders’ home in Boyds Mills, PA from May 23-25. Throughout the following weeks, I’ll be sharing some highlights (no pun intended) of what the speakers … Continue reading
Tagged Andrea Brown Literary Agency, Calkins Creek Books, Carolyn Yoder, Debra Hess, Devorah Leah Rosenfeld, East/West Agency, Francoise Bui, Hachai Publishing, Highlights for Children, Highlights Foundation, Highlights Foundation Worksop, Jane Yolen, Jewish Book World, Lisa Silverman, Mary Kole, Penninah Schram, Rubin Pfeffer
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Author’s Notebook | Rich Michelson
Each month, The Whole Megillah features an interview with an author of Jewish-themed children’s books. For May 2010’s Author’s Notebook debut, we reached out to award-winning author Rich Michelson of Massachusetts. The Whole Megillah (TWM): When did you first realize … Continue reading
Jewish American Heritage Month and the Sydney Taylor Book Award
On May 7, Kathe Pinchuck, Outgoing Chair of the Sydney Taylor Book Award Committee posted in the AJL Blog, People of the Books, a list of Sydney Taylor Book Awards winners, celebrating Jewish American Heritage Month. I urge you to … Continue reading
Museum of Jewish Heritage | A Living Memorial to the Holocaust
It seemed fitting that I would head into New York City today to research the St. Louis on the 71st anniversary of its sailing. After spending a couple of hours at the Joint Distribution Committee archives midtown, I traveled to … Continue reading
Book Review: Emma’s Poem–The Voice of the Statue of Liberty
Emma’s Poem: The Voice of the Statue of Liberty (Houghton Mifflin, 2010) Written by Linda Glaser, illustrated by Claire A. Nivola I must confess: I’ve been researching Emma Lazarus for about ten years. Since the Statue of Liberty’s 100th anniversary … Continue reading
Posted in Book Reviews
Tagged Emma Lazarus, New Colossus, nineteenth century Jewish writers, Statue of Liberty
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This Month in Jewish History—The Tragic Voyage of the St. Louis
On May 13, 1939, more than 900 German Jewish refugees boarded the luxury liner MS St. Louis in Hamburg. They were filled with hope of a new homeland, rejected by Germany. Since Kristallnacht the previous November, and even before that, … Continue reading
Hello world!
Welcome to The Whole Megillah! This can be your resource for writing and marketing Jewish-themed content for young readers. Upcoming Highlights Foundation Workshop–Writing Jewish-themed Children’s Books From May 23-25, a group of writers will gather at the home of the … Continue reading
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The Whole Megillah 