A night to remember.

We celebrated Jewish stories and the power of the written word last night at the presentation of the 73rd National Jewish Book Awards. I was so proud to be among this year's esteemed winners, and to feel so much love for Two New Years. To say I was inspired by my fellow authors would be an understatement.

Thank you Jewish Book Council for inviting me to take part in such a special event, and for all you do to nurture, protect, and amplify Jewish voices in publishing.

May words of light continue to shine, clear and bright, through dark and uncertain times.

Putting the stickers on makes this dream feel real.

Thank you to Jewish Book Council and the Association of Jewish Libraries for making these past two months so unforgettable. Since the announcements of the National Jewish Book Awards and the Sydney Taylor Book Awards in January, I've had the privilege of sharing Two New Years with so many new readers. It's been truly gratifying to experience all the love and warmth for a book that celebrates the beauty of mixed identities, while recognizing the many things that unite us all.

To Lynn Scurfield, Naomi Kirsten, the entire team at Chronicle Books, Feather Flores and Emily Mitchell - my partners in bringing this book to life - it's an honor to share this dual recognition with you. Let's keep the party going all year long!

I'm honored to be the first guest on The Joys of Booking, the deliciously fun new blog and community-building project launched by fellow kidlit authors Audrey Perrott and Gennie Gorback! Each month, they spotlight a food-inspired picture book and interview the author while sharing their own themed recipes. My thanks to Audrey and Gennie for digging into Two New Years! Check out the interview and their wonderful website here. 

As part of the Books That Changed My Life festival organized by Jewish Book Council, I'll be doing a storytime in the lobby of the JCC Manhattan next Tuesday, February 20. Looking forward to reading Two New Years to any kids and parents who can attend! 

I had the pleasure of speaking to Pancouver editor Charlie Smith for an interview that is now live on the digital outlet for Vancouver arts and culture. Charlie's questions were quite insightful, and led to a wonderful discussion about the parallels between Rosh Hashanah and Lunar New Year. I hope you enjoy it!

I recently had a chance to make a Meet-the-Author Recording for TeachingBooks, in which I discussed my motivation for writing Two New Years. Here's the audio for that, as well as a clip of me pronouncing my name. (Spoiler alert: the pronunciation is easy enough, but there's one name-related challenge that might surprise you.)

Next week, on February 14, I'll have the privilege of visiting beautiful British Columbia, Canada to share Two New Years with students at the Vancouver Talmud Torah School. It's all part of the Jewish Community Center of Greater Vancouver's annual Jewish Book Festival. While I'm there, I'll also get to tour the city's fantastic bookstores. I can't wait!

Thank you to author/librarian/blogger Travis Jonker for interviewing Lynn Scurfield and me on the venerable blog, 100 Scope Notes! The interview is part of the Association of Jewish Libraries' annual Sydney Taylor Book Award Blog Tour. We were proud to talk about Two New Years as the kickoff to a weeklong celebration of this year's Sydney Taylor-winning creators. Read our interview here, and be sure to check the schedule for all the other amazing interviews to come this week!  

This year, Lunar New Year starts on February 10. To get everyone ready to welcome the Year of the Dragon, Books of Wonder is hosting an author panel . . . and I'm so excited to join the fun!

On Sunday, February 4, I'll be chatting about Two New Years alongside Junghwa Park (Wish Soup), Shinyeon Moon (LaoLao's Dumplings), and Aram Kim (Tomorrow is New Year's Day). Find more event details, including order links, here.

​Come by and get an early start to your New Year celebrations!

Proud to share that Two New Years has been named a 2024 ALSC Notable Children's Book! Check out the full list here. A wonderful piece of news to cap a most wonderful week!

Thank you so much to the committee, and congratulations to all the amazing titles that were selected!

Grateful. Blessed. Overwhelmed.

Two New Years is the winner of this year's Sydney Taylor Book Award in the Picture Book category! Read more about the awards here, and watch a replay of the ALA Youth Media Award announcements here.

I'm still processing this incredible news, and all the emotions that go along with it. From receiving "the call" from the award committee to watching the announcements live online with my family this morning, it's been a nonstop whirlwind of activity . . . in the best way! And I'm so thankful for all the notes of congratulations that have been pouring in.

A special thank you to the members of the award committee and the Association of Jewish Libraries for this prestigious honor. This book of my heart truly embodies Jewish joy, and I am so thrilled to see it recognized on the national stage.

But first and foremost, my deepest thanks and appreciation to everyone who worked so hard to bring Two New Years to life: Lynn Scurfield for making this book an absolute vision; Naomi Kirsten and the entire Chronicle Kids team for their dedication and expert guidance; Feather Flores for acquiring it in the first place, and her passionate championing of the manuscript from the start; and Emily Mitchell for being there every step of the way.

Congratulations as well to so many friends who won well-deserved accolades today, and to the equally deserving creators who may not have received a call, but whose work is changing lives nonetheless.

Thank you, thank you. Let the celebration continue! 

I had a wonderful time reading Two New Years and Year of the Cat to a great group of kids yesterday! Thank you to everyone who joined us, and to The Curious Reader for hosting such a lovely Lunar New Year storytime!

Local friends! With Lunar New Year fast approaching, I'm getting an early start to the celebrations by doing a storytime for Two New Years on January 14, at The Curious Reader, a fantastic children's bookstore in Glen Rock, New Jersey (store details here). I'd love to see you there, and kiddos especially welcome! 

Jewish stories are vital, perhaps now more than ever. That's why I feel privileged to participate in the Jewish Book Council's 2023 Writers' Conference on Sunday, November 12. The virtual event gives Jewish writers access to invaluable insights about the publishing industry through a series of panels and workshops. I'll be speaking about writing Jewish books for kids on the Children's Author Panel, along with fellow author Jane Breskin Zalben and moderator Heidi Rabinowitz. More info, including a registration link, can be found here.

​I hope our conversation can provide inspiration and strength to those who need it!

It's a second starred review for Two New Years!

Many thanks to Publisher's Weekly, who described our book as "a thoughtfully crafted picture book" and raved about Lynn Scurfield's "luminous ink illustrations" which created "a visual melding of experiences." We couldn't agree more!

​Read the full review here. 

Behold the gorgeous cover for A Taste of Home, illustrated by the incredible Sibu T.P.! This tribute to cultural neighborhoods of New York City's Lower East Side, and the foods that remind their residents of home, will arrive on August 20, 2024, courtesy of Roaring Brook Press/Macmillan. That's about 11 months away . . . plenty of time to stir up your appetite for this visual and cultural feast! 

Proofs for If Lin Can are here! This is just a tiny glimpse of the phenomenal illustrations by Huỳnh Kim Liên and Phùng Nguyên Quang. The book will be published by Charlesbridge on April 16, 2024. Can't wait to show off more as we get closer!

Another excellent interview about Two New Years, this time over at the Geeks OUT blog! Thank you Michele Kirichanskaya for the thoughtful questions. Here the conversation between Michele, Lynn Scurfield and me here. 

Lynn Scurfield and I had a wonderful time talking about Two New Years with Sara Holly Ackerman on the Picture Book Builders blog! You can read the interview and enter the giveaway here. Thank you so much to Sara for the excellent questions, and for making our book one of her first purchases in her new role as a school librarian!

Behold the Lincredibly gorgeous cover for If Lin Can, illustrated by Huỳnh Kim Liên and Phùng Nguyên Quang! Many thanks to We Need Diverse Books for hosting the reveal on their blog today. I can't wait for you to see more of Liên and Quang's art for this book. It's truly breathtaking!

The book arrives on April 16, 2024 from Charlesbridge Publishing. See the post for more info, including pre-order links!

Today, I was proud to learn that Two New Years was selected for the Association of Jewish Libraries Holiday Highlights list as a best Jewish holiday children's book for Fall 2023. Our book is one of nine titles chosen for their high quality and authentic representation of the Jewish holidays, including Rosh Hashanah. It's truly an honor to be included on this list, alongside so many wonderful stories!

The full list can be found here. Wishing everyone a wonderful 2023 holiday season!