Welcome to the June Jewish Book Carnival, A Feast of Literary Links

Check out the wide variety of offerings in this month’s Jewish Book Carnival, a collection of links to blog posts and articles about the Jewish literary world. As hostess, I’ll include a few extras, pointing you to posts I loved by Jewish authors and a few tributes to the late Maurice Sendak. Continue reading

Rachel Simon Artfully Weaves Religious Themes into Novel

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May 31, 2011

Religion in a novel can be a turn-off or a gift to the reader depending on the writer’s approach. Author Rachel Simon, in her latest book, practically delivers a primer on how to artfully and provocatively incorporate religion into fiction.

Religion is a natural presence in The Story of Beautiful Girl, a novel about an intellectually disabled woman and her boyfriend, who is deaf. They meet in a state institution. Simon, the author of six books, shows faith’s presence – the good as well as the … Continue reading

Spiders, Frogs, Oh, My: Author Sylvia Rouss Tries to Engage, Comfort Children

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April 11, 2011

Children’s books by Sylvia Rouss lately have fascinated my toddler and me. As Passover approaches, we are reading Sammy Spider’s First Passover. And Sammy Spider’s First Haggadah will take center stage at our first night seder. The Littlest Frog, which pokes fun at the Pharaoh as frogs jump on him, has become a new favorite.

So how did Rouss, a Jewish preschool teacher from Los Angeles, get her start as a Jewish children’s author? … Continue reading

Welcome to the March Jewish Book Carnival, a Feast of Literary Posts

o roller coaster rides. No cotton candy. But as host of this month’s Jewish Book Carnival, I’m happy to bring you a wide range of posts about the Jewish literary world and Jewish writing in general. You’ll find whimsy, poignancy, deep thought about writing about faith, book reviews and even a bit of travelogue about the Jerusalem International Book Fair. Continue reading