One Day, Two Books

Today is publication day for my two newest picture books! I'll let a couple of the reviews introduce these stories to you:

The Key from Spain, from Kar-Ben Publishing.  "Levy’s captivating picture book biography tells the story of Flory Jagoda, known today as the 'Keeper of the Flame' of Sephardic culture and music. . . . Levy’s writing and Wimmer’s mixed-media illustrations strike the perfect synergy, working together to celebrate music, heritage, and family histories. The writing is poetic and lyrical, effortlessly weaving centuries of history into the story while maintaining a strikingly intimate tone. Wimmer’s illustrations are nuanced, and readers will enjoy discovering new details upon each rereading of the book." (School Library Journal, starred review.)

Yiddish Saves the Day! from Apples & Honey Press. "Levy's story is built on the specific and delightful premise that Yiddish is a language with superpowers. . . The Yiddish once spoken broadly among Ashkenazic Jews, from secular to observant, and the cornerstone of an incredible body of literature, has faded from daily life. Readers can kvell that Yiddish Saves the Day brings this world back to life for readers too young to have known it was gone." (Jewish Book Council review.)

Did I set out to have two books of Jewish interest published on the same day by different publishers? I did not. We authors don't have that kind of control! But I'm delighted on this August 1st to bring stories of two different Jewish cultures--Sephardic and Ashkenazic--to young readers and their families.