PUBLICATION DAY

    I am very happy that my board book Peek-A-Boo Passover will be out in the world, published, on February 1. It received a nice review in Kirkus too!

In a variation of the popular peekaboo game, a White toddler peeps out from behind his fingers and notes all of the items on the dinner table. There are candles, matzah, an egg on the seder plate, parsley, and Elijah’s cup. There’s also a pillow for reclining, a bowl of matzah ball soup, and the Haggadah (a liturgical book that recounts the story of the biblical Exodus). The illustrations provide only a glimpse of each item at first; children must turn the pages to discover what each object is. After all is revealed, the boy and his family—a mother, father, and grandfather—offer up a spirited rendition of “Had Gadya” (“One Little Goat”), a playful, cumulative song traditionally sung at the conclusion of the seder. At the end, readers are invited to identify objects on their own tables. With just one line of text per page and colorful, digital illustrations throughout, this board book can serve as a fun introduction to an important Jewish festival, ideally facilitated by adults who can fill in additional details. The male characters wear kippot, and the mother serves the soup. A delightful element of the visual narrative is the family cat who mimics the boy’s facial expressions.

Festive fun for the preschool set that serves up good educational fare, too. (Board book. 2-4)

THANK YOU, P.G. WODEHOUSE

      Thank you, P.G. Wodehouse, for providing me a delightful escape in this time of the pandemic and other woes. I refer to my reading of the novel, Leave It To Psmith, found in a book I inherited from my late uncle, Nothing But Wodehouse. I have always been a Wodehouse fan, but had not read this particular novel before. Of course, anything with a character named Freddie Threepwood is bound to be enjoyable! This book is edited by Ogden Nash, who also provides an introduction. 

     Here is his wonderful introduction:

The work of P.G. Wodehouse needs no introduction.

                                                                    O. N.

      

       Ha!

WRITING INFO

  

   Every month or so I receive an email, usually from a friend of a friend, wanting to introduce me to someone they know who is interested in writing books for children. And that's great. I am always happy to provide information about writing and the children's book industry. 

     What's not so great? Nine times out of ten the people who contact me aren't really interested in children's books or the children's book industry. They just want me to tell them how to get a manuscript they wrote, sometimes as long as thirty years ago, published. Whatever information I provide about children's books is secondary to their desire.

    Just as you would in any profession, you have to study, learn and practice. Children books are unique in that format and word count matters. The principles of writing, characterization, plotting, voice take time to master. As in any art form, the market evolves and changes. In children's book there are wonderful classics and brilliant new material and new voices. It's important to read widely and to keep aware of events in the publishing industry too. It's difficult and competitive. To quote from the baseball movie, "A League of Their Own" -

     "It's supposed to be hard. If it wasn't hard everyone would do it. The hard is what makes it great." 

     Am I often frustrated by how hard it is? Of course. The bar is set very high, because so many talented people work in this industry. 

     So please contact me if you are serious about writing or having your manuscript critiqued. But I have no secret formulas, no ins, no recipe, to tell you how to be published except for one. Work hard, learn, present your best work.