Thank you, AJL!

The Association of Jewish Libraries Convention took place last week in Pasadena. Four days packed with wonderful sessions, friends, and fun. My experiences being the chair of the Sydney Taylor Book Award Committee have been rewarding beyond measure. Here's a taste of this year's convention through my eyes:


My name tag!

Sydney Taylor Book Award Winners - Susan Goldman Rubin and Rob Sharenow

SharingChanukah Lights with Debbie Feder and Aimee Lurie

Sharing a smile with the lovely Susan Goldman Rubin



Aimee Lurie, incoming chair of the STBA Committee and me!

For more photos and info visit the AJL Facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/#!/jewishlibraries

For Your Consideration - The Truth About Sydney Taylor Book Award Submissions

I am honored to serve on the Sydney Taylor Book Award Committee. It is a responsibility that I, and my fellow committee members do not take lightly. We are passionate about the books we read and the integrity of our evaluation process. We are fully aware that our voices will be heard and will make a difference in the books selected and purchased in homes, schools, and libraries.

Many authors and publishers may question if their books are appropriate for the Sydney Taylor Book Award and if is worthwhile to send their books for consideration. I’d like to offer some insight about our selection criteria as well as benefits authors and publishers should consider. We offer book awards for younger readers (picture books), older readers(chapter books and Middle grade), and teen readers (Young Adult).

The STBA mission statement is as follows:

The purpose of the Sydney Taylor Book Award is to encourage the publication of outstanding books of Jewish content for children and teens, books that exemplify the highest literary standards while authentically portraying the Jewish experience.

This is a Jewish book award, so if a book has no Jewish content, it is not going to be a contender. That does not mean book needs to be religious. Books that reflect Jewish values or offer well-developed Jewish characters are generally considered to be Jewish books. We do receive many books that do not fit the basic criteria of our award. Some of have outstanding literary merit, but no Jewish content. Other entries may have Jewish content, but were clearly written for an adult audience and STBA is a children's book award.

If your book seems to meet the criteria of the STBA, there are numerous benefits of submitting your book beyond the potential to receive an award. Each committee has a unique perspective. While a given book may not be chosen as an award winner or placed on a notable list, it does not mean the book is without value. In many cases a committee member falls in love with a book, and will “hand sell” the title to librarians, teacher, parents, and readers. Not every good Jewish book wins an award. But it could be a terrific book that meets the needs of a particular readership. If we are not introduced to a book, we can’t share it.

In the case of the STBA, members' reviews are compiled in a CD that is available for librarians as a selection tool. Many librarians wait for the CD to make their purchases. The opinions of the committee are well respected throughout the US and Canada. Many of us contribute our reviews to Jewish Book World and The Association of Jewish Libraries Newsletter, both widely read professional publications. Finally, at our annual convention, the committee presents many titles to a group of 100 plus librarians. We discuss our honest opinions about the books we have read over the course of the year. The audience takes copious notes about the books they want in their collections.

Submitting a book for an award is not just about winning a prize. It’s sharing your work with professionals and allowing your book every opportunity to make its way into the hands of readers.

More information about the Sydney Taylor Book Award can be found at
www.jewishlibraries.org/ajlweb/awards/stba/STBA_AbouttheAward.htm

Many thank to my fellow committee members who generously shared their thoughts with me so I could share them with you!

Sydney Taylor Book Award Acceptance Speeches - Richard Michelson and Raul Colon

The talented and inspirational Richard Michelson and Raul Colon accept the Sydney Taylor Book Award for their book, As Good as Anybody: Martin Luther King and Abraham Joshua Heschel's Amazing March Toward Freedom.

Sarah Lamstein - LETTER ON THE WIND

I am happy to welcome Sarah Lamstein to my blog! Sarah crafts heart- filled stories that are loved by children, parents, teachers, and librarians. Her newest picture book, LETTER ON THE WIND (Boyds Mills Press) just received a Sydney Taylor Honor Award for picture books.

Congratulations on the Sydney Taylor Book Award! How did you hear the news?

I received a very tantalizing email from Rachel Kamin, the chair of the Sydney Taylor Award committee asking me to call her. I did and was thrilled to hear that Letter on the Wind was selected as an Honor book. I was glad I could directly hear her enthusiasm for the work of her committee and that I could convey my excitement to her. It was great!!

Tell me a little about the book.

Letter on the Wind, a Chanukah tale, is a story of faith and generosity, skepticism and innocence. When a Middle Eastern village suffers a drought and the olives hang withered on the trees, the villagers cannot make olive oil to light their menorahs. They are resigned to a year without Chanukah, but one man, the poorest in the village, won’t accept that possibility. He writes a letter to the Almighty, asking for help with the dilemma. Help arrives, but with it come complications.

This tale reminds readers of the first Chanukah and of Mattathias’ bravery in protecting his faith.

Why were you drawn to a Jewish theme?

My first Jewish-themed book, Annie’s Shabbat, was a paean to the Shabos of my childhood. My editor asked if I could write a story like Annie’s Shabbat, but about Chanukah. Chanukah wasn’t as rich for me as our weekly observance of the Sabbath, with is preparation, its feast, its shul, its Havdalah, its time of peace and family. I could have written a Chanukah story about going to Joel Feldman’s each year, where his mother served a delicious meal, his grandfather being a butcher and always supplying his family with the fattest and juiciest hotdogs to go with our latkes.

My editor suggested that instead I research Jewish folktales to find one for Chanukah. Dov Noy’s Folktales of Israel proved a valuable source. One of the stories, a Passover tale entitled “Letter to the Almighty” captivated me with its image of a poor, innocent man sending a letter to the Almighty on the wind. It was the poetry of that image that set me to writing Letter on the Wind.

How much research was required to write the book?

I wanted to set the tale in the Middle East – a place of olive groves – in, say, the sixteenth century. I researched Jewish communal living in that time and place, found little, and broadened my scope to just plain communal living. I also looked a bit into the horticulture of olive trees and the process of making olive oil. I believe the illustrator, Neil Waldman, researched, among other things, menorahs. But rather than from research, the setting of the tale came more from my intuition and imagination.

How did you become a children’s writer?

After my first child was born, I began to explore writing for children but spent most of my early mothering years writing poetry. When our family spent two summers in Nepal for my husband’s work, I was drawn to the folk literature of the country and worked with a Nepali writer to produce a collection of tales for American readers. That project, From the Mango Tree and Other Folktales from Nepal, set me on the path to writing for children.

What are you working on now?

Right now I’m working on old manuscript – something I’ve been clinging to for twenty years – a work of nonfiction for older readers. And in the back of my mind is a middle grade novel with a Jewish theme.

What are some fun facts about you?

I’m a puppeteer.
I love Motown.
I can play the Third Man Theme on my nose.

What is your favorite holiday?

My favorite holiday is Pesach because it involves a full table – filled with food and people gathered around it. I love the opportunity for discussion. I love the singing. But most of all, I love the long preparation – the quiet time in my kitchen preparing the ancient symbols – the roasted egg, the roasted shank bone, the horseradish, the charoseth. I feel like my mother, performing the same tasks as she. I feel like a part of a rich continuum.

To learn more about Sarah, please visit her web site at www.SarahLamstein.com

Sarah, thanks for taking the time to share your thoughts about writing books for children. Congratulations on your well deserved Sydney Taylor Honor Award!

Sydney Taylor Book Awards Announced!

Hi Friends,

I thought you might be interested to know that the Sydney Taylor Book Awards have been announced. You can check it out on YouTube:
http://www.youtube.com/user/SydneyTaylorAward

To see a full list of the awards, click here:

http://sydneytaylorbookaward.blogspot.com/


Mazel Tov to all the winners!