The Book of Life

Jewish Children's Literature Podcast "THE BOOK OF LIFE" Celebrates 20th Anniversary Special Retrospective Episode Launches on Hanukkah CONTACT:  The Book of Life Podcast  Heidi Rabinowitz  (561) 206-2473  bookoflifepodcast@gmail.com RELEASE DATE:  November 18, 2025 Boca Raton, FL — “The Book of Life: A Podcast About Jewish Kidlit (Mostly)” will post a special retrospective episode on the first night of Hanukkah, December 14, 2025, featuring voices from every year of the show’s run, 2005 to 2025. Creator and host Heidi Rabinowitz, a synagogue librarian, has been interviewing authors of Jewish children’s books and other creatives for twenty years. The word “podcast” was coined in 2004, and The Book of Life was created just one year later. The first episode aired on December 21, 2005. The mission of “The Book of Life” is to promote Jewish children’s literature to readers of all backgrounds, to serve as a validating mirror for Jewish listeners and an illuminating...

LISTEN TO THE PODCAST     |    READ THE TRANSCRIPT     🕮    Continuing the celebration of my 20th year of podcasting, I've got another archival episode for you from 2006, about Jewish Book Month. In the early days of The Book of Life I usually had multiple guests in each episode, and this one includes 4: Folklorist Howard Schwartz, talking about his picture book Before You Were Born, which had just won the Koret Award Carolyn Starman Hessel, longtime director of the Jewish Book Council, whose nickname was "the Jewish Oprah" Esme Raji Codell, author of one of my favorites middle-grade novels Vive La Paris and David Levithan, author of the 2004 young adult novel Wide Awake, which was reissued as Wide Awake Now in 2024 because its message about politics and protest is more relevant than ever. I’m celebrating Jewish Book Month by participating in the Jewish Book Council’s “ Share Your Shelf, Share Your Story ” project. I will post a photo on so...

LISTEN TO THE PODCAST     |    READ THE TRANSCRIPT     |    BUY THE BOOK     🕮      Back in July 2025 I did a brief interview with Jean Meltzer, so she could tell you about Jewish Joy Con, an exciting event coming to Fort Lauderdale, Florida in March 2026. But I promised you a longer interview later - and here it is! Jean talks about her writing, her Jewish Joy Book Club and subscription box, more about the con, and about her newest book, The Eight Heartbreaks of Hanukkah .  LEARN MORE: Jean Meltzer’s website , Instagram , and Facebook Jewish Women Talk About Romance Books group on Facebook The Jewish Joy Box Jewish Joy Con (March 13-15, 2026 in Ft. Lauderdale, FL) Jean’s own books: o The Matzah Ball o Mr. Perfect on Paper o Kissing Kosher o Magical Meet Cute o The Eight Heartbreaks of Hanukkah Jean’s recommended reading suggestions: o Blood Bond by Helen Hardt o Never Planned on You by Lindsey Hammerhof o Bat...

Multicultural Kid Blogs is a website with a mission to inspire and support families, caregivers, educators, and community members raising the next generation of global citizens. On occasion, I write posts for them, including my Jewish Joy series of interviews with diverse Jewish authors.  I was very pleased that Multicultural Kid Blogs interviewed me about The Book of Life and its 20 year anniversary! Please read the interview here , and leave a comment to show them that you appreciate their inclusion of Jewish content! 

LISTEN TO THE PODCAST     |    READ THE TRANSCRIPT     🕮    Continuing the celebration of my 20th year of podcasting, I've got a 2013 archival episode for you with author Laurel Snyder, who at that time was best known for her iconoclastic picture book, Baxter The Pig Who Wanted to Be Kosher. Amazingly, Laurel says that The Book of Life podcast actually impacted her writing! In a 2017 blog article she credited our first podcast conversation as a turning point in her career. She said “Heidi asked me, reasonably, what made my book Jewish, and I found I didn’t have an answer for her…. She could not possibly have known, when she asked me that question a decade ago, what journey she was sending me on. The power of the right question is a mighty thing.” Laurel has gone on to win the 2014 Sydney Taylor Book Award gold medal for her Exodus picture book The Longest Night , and a 2024 bronze for a middle grade fantasy, The Witch of Woodland. This...

Lynne Azarchi and Harlene Galen are the co-authors of Countering Antisemitism & Hate: A How-To Guide for Youth (8-18), Family, & Educators . Thanks to both of them for answering a few questions from The Book of Life! BUY THE BOOK HERE Lynne and Harlene, what is the book about and what inspired you to write it? In late 2021, Lynne conducted a listening session for the Greater Princeton Jewish community under the auspices of her local Federation’s Jewish Community Relations Council (JCRC). What we heard was that while antisemitic incidents were increasing, Jewish youth were suffering shame and trauma and that parents and educators did not know what to do. But after more than 21 years as Executive Director of the Kidsbridge Youth Center in suburban Trenton, NJ, Lynne knew what to do! And with 16 years as a Kidsbridge Board member and Chair of the Kidsbridge Education Committee, Harlene also knew what to do! For two decades at Kidsbridge, we have provided students of all faiths wit...

LISTEN TO THE PODCAST     |    READ THE TRANSCRIPT     🕮    If you're a regular listener, you know I always ask guests for tikkun olam suggestions about ways to repair the world. Well, that's what this entire episode is about. I've got a pair of Jewish activist picture books for you: One Small Spark: A Tikkun Olam Story by Ruth Spiro, and More Than Enough: Inspired by Maimonides Golden Ladder of Giving by Richard Michelson, a story about tzedakah. These are both gorgeous picture books that convey their important messages without being preachy - absolutely worth sharing with the kids in your life to help turn them into mensches. And a real-world act of tikkun olam AND tzedakah: listener Susan Schwartz Twiggs has become a Book of Life supporter on Patreon . Thanks, Susan! LEARN MORE: Richard Michelson’s author website and art gallery website Ruth Spiro’s website Borrow or Buy More Than Enough Borrow or Buy One Small Spark Read-alike s...

LISTEN TO THE PODCAST     |    READ THE TRANSCRIPT     |    BUY THE BOOK       🕮    To continue with the themes of golems and fighting for justice that we explored in our most recent episode about Kyle Lukoff's A World Worth Saving, AND in honor of my 20th year of podcasting on The Book of Life, I'm bringing you an episode from the archives. It's an interview about the middle grade historical fantasy Sweep: The Story of a Girl and Her Monster by Jonathan Auxier which originally aired in May, 2019, and it's also about golems, and fighting for justice. Since 2019, Author Jonathan Auxier has become a podcaster too. He and Matt Bird cohost A Good Story Well Told, a show about the craft of storytelling.  LEARN MORE: Jonathan Auxier’s website Borrow or Buy Sweep A Good Story Well Told - Jonathan’s podcast Original show notes with links to books and games mentioned in the interview Follow-up episode with Jonathan: S...

LISTEN TO THE PODCAST     |    READ THE TRANSCRIPT     🕮     A World Worth Saving by Kyle Lukoff is a queer Jewish fantasy adventure in which a trans boy and an unusual golem must save the world by Yom Kippur! I interviewed Kyle about this new middle grade novel, as well as his seasonally appropriate picture book, I'm Sorry You Got Mad , a wonderful reflection on the art of apology. Shana Tova! LEARN MORE: Kyle Lukoff’s website Borrow or Buy A World Worth Saving Borrow or Buy I’m Sorry You Got Mad Kyle’s recommended queer Jewish reading: When the Angels Left the Old Country by Sacha Lamb ( interview on The Book of Life in January 2023 ) Throwing Sheyd , a podcast about Jewish demonology that Kyle used for research Bonus content at The Book of Life Podcast Substack newsletter CREDITS: Produced by Feldman Children's Library at Congregation B'nai Israel Co-sponsored by the Association of Jewish Libraries Sister podcast: Nice Jewish Boo...

LISTEN TO THE PODCAST     |    READ THE TRANSCRIPT     🕮    In honor of my 20th year of podcasting on The Book of Life, I'm bringing you an episode from the archives. This episode is called Summer Coolness, and it was released in June 2007. The episode featured a now-defunct website called ReaderGirlz, and the website Nextbook that morphed into Tablet Magazine in 2009. There were also many mentions of MySpace. I interviewed Melissa Schorr, author of Goy Crazy, who, according to her website, seems to have mostly moved on from kidlit to journalism. I must say, her most recent book from 2017, Shame Nation: Choosing Kindness and Compassion in an Age of Cruelty and Trolling, looks extremely on point. And the episode featured the band Sababa, which happily is still in existence, and in fact, they've recently released their fourth album called When We Rise.  It's funny to think how much has changed and how much is still the same, including ...

LISTEN TO THE PODCAST     |    READ THE TRANSCRIPT     |    LISTEN TO THE FIVE BOOKS     🕮    The Five Books is a new literary Jewish podcast hosted by Tali Rosenblatt Cohen, in partnership with the Jewish Book Council. I'm very happy to welcome another show to our little corner of the book world, so I invited Tali to do a mutual interview. We interviewed each other, and the episode will appear on both our podcast feeds. Go to the Substack post for this episode for links to other podcast swaps I've done over the years! LEARN MORE: The Five Books Podcast website   Highlights of past episodes: o Yale Strom on The Book of Life o Gayle Forman on The Five Books   Recommended podcasts: o Heidi: Nice Jewish Books , Recognizably Jewish , Fuse 8 and Kate o Tali: Identity/Crisis , Call Me Back , The New Yorker Fiction Podcast , How to Fail   RECOMMENDED TITLES: Book #1: Favorite Picture Books The House on the R...

LISTEN TO THE PODCAST     |    READ THE TRANSCRIPT     | VISIT JEWISH JOY CON     🕮      Jean Meltzer, the Queen of Jewish Romance and founder of Jewish Joy LLC, has an announcement. I will be bringing you a full episode with Jean this fall, but I didn't want to wait to let you know about her newest project. Here's 5 minutes with Jean, so we can learn all about Jewish Joy Con! LEARN MORE: Jean Meltzer’s website Jewish Joy LLC (the Jewish Joy Book Club and the Jewish Joy Box) Jewish Joy Con , March 13-15, 2026 in Ft. Lauderdale, FL  CREDITS: Produced by Feldman Children's Library at Congregation B'nai Israel Co-sponsored by the Association of Jewish Libraries Sister podcast: Nice Jewish Books Theme Music: The Freilachmakers Klezmer String Band Newsletter: bookoflifepodcast.substack.com Facebook Discussion Group: Jewish Kidlit Mavens Facebook Page: Facebook.com/bookoflifepodcast Instagram: @bookoflifepodcast Support th...

LISTEN TO THE PODCAST     |    READ THE TRANSCRIPT     |    BUY THE BOOK     🕮    As a follow up to my recent interview with Adam Gidwitz about Max in the Land of Lies, and in honor of my 20th year of podcasting on The Book of Life, I'm bringing you an episode from the archives, from January 2017. I met Adam Gidwitz at an author "speed dating" event at the American Library Association conference, where he was promoting his middle grade fantasy The Inquisitor's Tale, which later went on to win a Sydney Taylor Book Award, a Newbery Honor, and a lot of other awards.  If you enjoy this blast from the past, please check out other past episodes of The Book of Life from any time in the last 2 decades. Go to Bookoflifepodcast.com and Click on Archive in the sidebar, or just go to the episode list on your podcast player and keep on scrolling down, down, down. LEARN MORE:  Adam Gidwitz's website Adam Gidwitz's Jul...

LISTEN TO THE PODCAST     |    READ THE TRANSCRIPT     |    BUY THE BOOK     🕮    Last July, Adam Gidwitz was on the podcast talking about his middle grade Holocaust historical fantasy novel, Max in the House of Spies, and he told us it was part of a duology. Well, now the second book is out, and I think it's even more powerful than the first one. Max in the Land of Lies continues Max's page-turning, hair raising adventures... AND continues the profound exploration of prejudice that we found in Book 1. Adam offers the best explanation I've ever encountered for how the Holocaust could happen. The parallels with today's world are frightening, AND illuminating. To put it simply, this is a book that I think *everyone* needs to read right now.  LEARN MORE: Buy or borrow Max in the House of Spies (Book 1) Buy or borrow Max in the Land of Lies (Book 2) Adam Gidwitz’s website Tikkun Olam suggestions: Eve...

LISTEN TO THE PODCAST     |    READ THE TRANSCRIPT     |    BUY THE BOOK     🕮    In celebration of Pride Month and The Book of Life’s 20th year of podcasting, I’m re-releasing an archival episode from June, 2021. It’s an interview with Adam Eli, a young activist and author of The New Queer Conscience, a manifesto about how the queer community can use k’lal yisrael as a model for solidarity.  If you enjoy this blast from the past, check out other past episodes of The Book of Life. Click on Archive in the sidebar at Bookoflifepodcast.com , or just go to the episode list on your podcast player and keep on scrolling down, down, down. LEARN MORE: Buy or borrow The New Queer Conscience Adam Eli on Instagram Adam Eli on I Weigh   Adam Eli in Tablet I’ve updated my list of Queer Jewish Kidlit , which has grown by 48 titles and 13 interviews since I first compiled it in 2022! CREDITS: Produced b...

LISTEN TO THE PODCAST     |    READ THE TRANSCRIPT     |    GET QUEER JEWISH KIDLIT BIBLIOGRAPHY     🕮   I don't normally interview an author about a single chapter of a book, but for my friend Lee Wind, I'm making an exception. He's written a fascinating nonfiction book, The Gender Binary Is a Big Lie: Infinite Identities Around the World , and Chapter 2 is about "The Six Genders of Classical Judaism." I just had to learn more. We also talked about his two new picture books (both featuring 2-dad families), Like That Eleanor: The Amazing Power of Being an Ally and Banana Menorah . In addition to writing great kids' books about gender, Judaism, and allyship, Lee is literally a champion against censorship. He received the 2025 Industry Champion Award from the Book Industry Study Group for his project called We Are Stronger Than Censorship . Lee tells us more in the interview.  For bonus content (Jewish k...

June is Pride Month ! In celebration, I am happy to provide this updated list of queer Jewish kidlit. This list includes a broad range of representation, from queer Jewish protagonists to minor characters. My original list was posted in 2022 . Since then I've identified 49 more titles to add to the list, and done 13 more interviews with authors whose books include queer content.   Please note that I have not read all of these books myself, so cannot vouch for their quality. On the other hand, some of these are books or authors I've podcasted about, and if so I'll provide a link. To keep up with diverse Jewish representation in kidlit, keep an eye on my constantly-growing Diverse Jewish Kidlit LibraryThing database . If you have any feedback about these titles, or any others to suggest, please leave a comment!    PICTURE BOOKS Havdalah Sky by Chris Barash Adopting Ahava by Jennifer Byrne  Rainbow Allies by Nancy Churnin The Rosh Hashanah Recipe by Laura Geh...

LISTEN TO THE PODCAST     |    READ THE TRANSCRIPT     🕮    I'm squeezing in this quick extra episode to share with you my personal response to the shooting at the Capitol Jewish Museum, with calls to action and a message of hope.  LEARN MORE: HIGH E Train Talks interviews Heidi about 20 years of The Book of Life Podcast LOW The Forward's reporting on the shooting of Yaron Lischinsky and Sarah Milgrim Time op ed by Jonathan Greenblatt of ADL CALLS TO ACTION Action: Watch "Cheering On Jewish Books" Action: Use Jewish Kidlit Action Checklist Action: Visit "Justice" page at BookOfLifePodcast.com Action: Ask your rep to support H.Res. 447   |  Find your Representative HERE Action: Watch Heidi's talk "How (and Why) to Call Congress" What actions are you taking to push back against antisemitism? I'd love to know. Leave a comment, write to bookoflifepodcast@gmail.com, or leave a voicemail at 561-206-2473.