I’m Heidi Rabinowitz and I am so happy to be Jewish. The beautiful and varied customs, the focus on deep thought and learning, and the historical connections going back over the centuries, all bring me joy. That’s why I’ve dedicated my career to synagogue librarianship and why I’ve been podcasting about Jewish children’s literature for over a decade. That is also why I created the Jewish Joy series. In fact, the 20th anniversary of The Book of Life Podcast will take place in December 2025 – stay tuned, I’m making celebratory plans!
What?
I’m thrilled to share this Jewish Joy series for Multicultural Kid Blogs with you. I’ll be bringing you Q&A’s from diverse intersectional Jewish authors, showcasing the variegated tapestry of Jewish life and books. In each interview, I’ll link back to the author’s appearance on The Book of Life Podcast for you to hear their voice and learn more about them.
Why?
In these turbulent times with antisemitism at record highs, Jewish Joy is crucial. As poet Toi Derricotte says, joy is an act of resistance. Joyful books invite everyone in, so that Jewish stories can, in the words of Dr. Rudine Sims Bishop, become windows as well as mirrors, bringing hope, demystifying the Jewish experience, and building empathy and understanding.
Who?
In the last Jewish Joy post in this series, you met Jewish Japanese fantasy author Emi Watanabe Cohen. Today, I’m thrilled to introduce you to Lesléa Newman, author of approximately 70 books for children and adults. She is the author of the groundbreaking picture book Heather Has Two Mommies. Lesléa has appeared on The Book of Life podcast numerous times, most recently in 2024 to talk about her picture book about welcoming a new baby, Joyful Song: A Naming Story.
Lesléa’s writing is delicate and lyrical. She has written all kinds of books, from board books for babies to poetry for adults. She frequently draws on her Jewish heritage and her lesbian identity for inspiration, and she’s won both Jewish and LGBTQ+ book awards. I’m pleased to bring you this exclusive interview for Multicultural Kid Blogs, and if you’d like to hear more from Lesléa in her own voice, please click on the podcast link below.
Q&A with Lesléa Newman
THE BOOK OF LIFE: Lesléa, please describe your own Jewish identity, along with any other aspects of your identity that you’d like to share.
LESLEA NEWMAN: I am proud to be a Jew and grateful that my parents and grandparents instilled in me a strong sense of Jewish identity and pride. Both my grandmothers were immigrants from “The Old Country” and they had a huge influence on my life. (Sadly, both my grandfathers, one of whom I was named for, died before I was born.) My grandmothers called me “bubbeleh,” “mameleh,” and “shayneh maideleh” with great affection. They taught me to always remember where I came
from. They were survivors of pogroms, yet both were capable of tremendous joy. At every wedding and Bar Mitzvah, my grandmother, despite being the oldest person in the room, was always the last one out on the dance floor. (Note: no one in my extended family had a Bat Mitzvah; I had one when I was 47, long after my grandmother had died). In addition to being a Jew, I am a proud member of the LGBTQ+ community, happily married to the woman of my dreams for thirty-six years—double chai!—and counting. And I am a poet, a cat mom, a daily crossword puzzle doer, and more. Like all of us, I contain multitudes!
TBOL: Why is it important to you to include Jewish representation in your writing?
LN: I write from the Jewish experience about the human experience. It’s important for me to create books with Jewish content so that Jewish children can see themselves in picture books and know that they have a place in the world. This is especially important to me because I did not have that experience. As a child, I read many books that featured children celebrating Christmas and Easter. I never saw a book that featured a little Jewish girl with dark curly hair making matzo ball soup with her beloved Bubbe on Friday nights. I remember the very first time I saw a Jewish children’s book. One day when I was 29 years old, browsing in an independent bookstore called
Beyond Words, The Carp in the Bathtub practically jumped into my hands. As soon as I began to read it, tears of recognition and joy sprung to my eyes. But I don’t only write for Jewish children. It is also important—I’d actually say crucial—that children who are not Jewish read books with Jewish content and learn about our rich culture. I’d go further to say that it is important for readers of any age to read books that are both about their own experience and books with stories outside their experience, as this fosters understanding about the great diverse world we live in and develops empathy.
TBOL: About being Jewish: what is hard, and what brings you joy?
LN: Let’s start with joy. Celebrating the holidays, cooking and sharing Jewish food, reading books by Jewish authors, writing poetry and children’s books with Jewish content, being a part of the Jewish community, attending a Bar Mitzvah, Bat Mitzvah or Jewish wedding, attending Jewish cultural events such as Jewish film festivals, plays, poetry readings, just hanging out noshing and schmoozing with Jewish friends—there is so much joy to share. Even the sad events, such as saying Kaddish for my parents and grandmothers brings me joy, albeit a different kind of joy. And then there are the hard parts of being Jewish, which can basically be summed up in one word: antisemitism. It is hard and heartbreaking and baffling and frightening to be hated just for being who we are.
TBOL: What do you want the world to know about Jewish people?
LN: Just get to know us. You’ll see how wonderful we are! We are a richly varied group of people who live all over the world, share a rich heritage and culture, and believe passionately in Tikkun Olam (repairing the world).
TBOL: Please tell us about any Jewish books you’ve written.
LN: I’ve published 15 Jewish picture books with 5 more forthcoming in the next two years, plus several novels, short stories and poetry collections for adults. So I’ll just say a few words about some recent books and a few that are forthcoming.
For adults:
I Carry My Mother and I Wish My Father – this is a pair of memoirs-in-verse which explores a Jewish daughter’s journey as she cares for, buries, and mourns each of her parents in turn. I Carry My Mother received a Golden Crown Literary Society (“Goldie”) Award and I Wish My Father received a Massachusetts Book Award Honor.
For children (recent):
Joyful Song: A Naming Story, illustrated by Susan Gal takes place on the day that Zachary and his two moms celebrate the naming ceremony of their newest family member. (Sydney Taylor Silver Medal winner)
Gittel’s Journey: An Ellis Island Story, illustrated by Amy June Bates is based on my family history and tells of young Gittel who travels across the ocean to America by herself in search of a better life. (National Jewish Book Award winner)
Welcoming Elijah: A Passover Tale with a Tale, illustrated by Susan Gal. As a boy and his family host a Passover Seder, a homeless kitten roams about outside. When it’s time to open the door for Elijah, something magical happens that changes both their lives forever. (winner of Sydney Taylor Award and National Jewish Book Award).
For children (forthcoming):
Something Sweet: A Sitting Shiva Story, illustrated by Sarita Rich, to be published by Charlesbridge in Spring 2026. Lizzie’s best friend Joshua is grieving the loss of his grandpa. When Lizzie and her mother pay a shiva call to Joshua and his family, Lizzie learns about Jewish mourning rituals and how to be a good friend during a time of sorrow.
Song of the Dead Sea Scrolls, illustrated by Vesper Stamper, to be published by Enchanted Lion in Fall 2026. The story of how the Dead Sea Scrolls were discovered, told in the poetic voice of the scrolls themselves.
TBOL: What other Jewish books are you excited about, and why?
LN: Oh, there are so many new and newish exciting Jewish children’s books to choose from! I am always especially excited to read the work of writers whom I know personally and am in community with. I also get very excited and inspired by books that have a social justice bent to them. Some books that I have recently read and loved are:
- Call Me Gebyanesh by Arlene Rosenfeld Schenker and Gabyanesh Addisu, illustrated by Chiara Fedele (picture book)
- The Redhead of Auschwitz by Nechama Birnbaum (young adult novel)
- Next Year in the White House: Barack Obama’s First Presidential Seder by Richard Michelson, illustrated by E.B. Lewis (picture book)
- Red and Green and Blue and White by Lee Wind, illustrated by Paul O. Zelinksy (picture book)
TBOL: You’ve contributed so many wonderful books to the world! Thanks for sharing your own story, Lesléa!
Heidi Rabinowitz
Latest posts by Heidi Rabinowitz (see all)
- Jewish Joy with Rachelle Burk - August 24, 2026
- Jewish Joy with Adam Gidwitz - July 13, 2026
- Jewish Joy with A.R. Vishny - June 15, 2026
Thank you, Heidi, for this wonderful interview. I am a huge fan of Lesléa’s work and inspired by her passion.
Her books are so lovely!