The Book of Life

LISTEN TO THE PODCAST      🕮    What's new in Jewish books for older kids and teens? Follow me around the 2008 Book Expo America conference to listen in on publishers and authors talking about their new and forthcoming titles! This series includes four episodes: In Part 1 we heard about Jewish pictures books. Part 3 will be about adult books, and Part 4 will be about books (for all ages) relating to the Holocaust. Again, thanks to all the publishers who graciously agreed to be interviewed on the spot! By the way, many of these books have not yet been published, so you may not be able to find the individual titles online. I've provided links to the publishers so you can keep an eye on until the books become available! Part 2, Jewish Books for Kids & Teens: Jewish Kidlit Blogger Barbara Bietz Annick Press The Apprentice's Masterpiece, A Story of Medieval Spain by Melanie Little Roaring Brook Press Penina Levine Is a Potato Pancake by Rebecca O'Connell Kar-Ben Publ

LISTEN TO THE PODCAST     🕮    What's new in Jewish picture books? Follow me around the 2008 Book Expo America conference to listen in on publishers and authors talking about their new and forthcoming titles! I gathered so much audio that I'll be posting it over four episodes. Part 2 will be books for children and teens, Part 3 will be adult books, and Part 4 will be books (for all ages) relating to the Holocaust. Part 1, Jewish Picture Books: Tricycle Press The Yankee at the Seder by Elka Weber Marshall Cavendish Cakes and Miracles by Barbara Diamond Goldin The Hanukkah Mice by Steven Kroll The Rabbi and the 29 Witches by Marilyn Hirsh Tanglewood Press The Miracle Jar by Audrey Penn Sleeping Bear Press A is for Abraham by Richard Michelson Kar-Ben Publishing Jodie's Hanukkah Dig by Anna Levine Harvest of Light by Allison Ofanansky Engineer Ari and the Rosh Hashanah Ride by Deborah Bodin Cohen Sammy Spider's First Day at School by Sylvia Rouss Sarah Laughs

I am pleased to let you know about a Teleseminar on Jewish humor being taught by past Book of Life guest Rabbi Moshe Waldoks. Reb Moshe is the co-editor the The Big Book of Jewish Humor , and he was featured on our Purim episode in March, 2006. He was a hoot, and now he'll be sharing his secrets for two hours, live, on Thursday, June 12, 2008. The program is called Beyond "Laughter Through Tears": A Short History of Jewish Humor. You can participate by phone or through your computer. It'll be held twice that day, once at 1pm eastern, and again at 9pm eastern. Space is limited and registration is $20. I hope you all don't think that I'm doing a commercial here. Reb Moshe emailed me about this event and asked me to spread the word, and I obliged because it sounds really cool and because I like to support the use of technology and social media in Jewish education. And because, having interviewed him, I know he'll be a great speaker on this subject! Get more

The scene: Book Expo America in the sprawling Los Angeles Convention Center ME: Hi, I'm Heidi Estrin from the Sydney Taylor Book Award Committee and The Book of Life podcast. Do you have any new Judaic titles I should know about? FRIENDLY PUBLISHING PERSON: Oh yes, let me show you this exciting book on our fall list... ME: Do you mind if I record you for my podcast while you tell me about the book? FRIENDLY PUBLISHING PERSON: Record ME???? NOW??? Wait, maybe I can get my colleague over here to do it.... ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ It's remarkable how much fear can be inspired by a tiny little handheld microphone, especially one with cute Mickey Mouse ears. But seriously, I really want to thank the many brave souls who spoke to me about their wonderful new books at BEA, and to reassure them that I will be editing the audio before I post it. Everyone sounded great in the first place, and I'll polish it up so we'll all sound even better, not to worry