Author Karen Rostoker-Gruber is also a ventriloquist. Maria (pictured here) and Frog are always surprising the kids — and her.

Karen Rostoker-Gruber is not only one of the funniest people I’ve ever met, she’s also one of the nicest. Karen has been publishing award-winning children’s books since 2003. It’s been my special pleasure to team up with her to form the Book Meshuggenahs, which you’ll find more about in the interview below along with some perfect picks for Hanukkah, including her Maddie the Mitzvah Clown and Farmer Kobi’s Hanukkah Match. Welcome, Karen!

What was your inspiration for Maddie the Mitzvah Clown?

My editor, Dena Neusner, at Apples and Honey Press, asked me to write about Bikur Cholim, the mitzvah of visiting the sick. The only thing that I knew about that was that there were some mitzvah clowns visiting hospitals and old age homes. I did a lot of research and called a few mitzvah clowns. When the research was done, I had to think of a problem that the main character had to overcome. What if a shy mouse wanted to become a mitzvah clown? How would that work? And what would the mouse have to go through--emotionally--in order for her to be able to become the mitzvah clown that she wanted to be.

In addition to my vision, Ann Koffsky, the art director on the project, had a brilliant idea! The book starts out in black and white, then, as Maddie gains confidence, color begins to appear. The very last page is full-on color.

Maddie the Mitzvah Clown by Karen Rostoker-Gruber. Illustrated by Christine Grove. (Apples & Honey Press/Behrman House)

When and how did you learn it was chosen by PJ Library? How did you feel when you got the news?

The PJ Library, at that time, was just beginning to give author incentive awards, and I just missed that deadline. But, when my editors (Dena Neusner and Ann Koffsky) told me that it got on to the PJ list, I was very excited! 21,000 children received that book in July of 2017 in the US and Canada.

With PJ Library putting books in the hands of children all over the country and Israel, do you ever hear from surprising places?

The most surprising place of all, was when my younger cousin in Canada told me that she got a PJ Library copy. We had no idea!

What have been your most magical places to present?

The most magical place that I've ever presented was at a school in Guleph, Ontario, Canada. They made a HUGE book for me to do my power point presentation on for their "Cuddle Up and Read" program. Notice the size of the people near the BIG book.

A school in Guleph, Ontario, Canada made a HUGE book for Karen to do her presentation on for their "Cuddle Up and Read" program.

The BIG book was so large that it came in someone's truck.

They also had students, dressed up like my characters in my books, Bandit and Bandit's Surprise, announce me!

And, if that wasn't enough, they had teachers act out my book, "Ferret Fun." When I saw the BIG book, the decorations, the teachers and students dressed up as my characters, all of the sudden, I got a bit freaked out. For the first time, in a long time, I had stage fright. Good thing I had Maria, my puppet, to talk to.

With Hanukkah coming, let’s talk about Farmer Kobi’s Hanukkah Match, which has made many Best Of lists and was recently chosen by Parents magazine as one of the best holiday books. What inspired that story? What gave you and your co-author, Rabbi Ron Isaacs, the idea to collaborate and how did you work together?

Actually, Farmer Kobi's Hanukkah Match was originally written as a sequel for my book, Rooster Can't Cock-a-Doodle-Doo. It was called Farmer Ted's Dinner Date, back in 2005. But, my editor at Dial Books had left. And, even though that book sold 250,000 copies (Wowsa!), they didn't like my sequel. So, I put it away for a while. Then, for some reason, in and around 2014, I took it out again. I went to see Ron Isaacs and I asked him to look over some of my stories to see if there were any that had Jewish values, as that was what Behrman House was looking for. Ron Isaacs told me that there were Jewish values in Farmer Ted's Dinner Date: Compassion for Animals and Welcoming Guests. So, I went home, rewrote the story to take place during Hanukkah, and set the story on a moshav (because I have cousins that live on the Nahalal Moshav in Israel).

Here are some Nahal moshav photos taken by my cousin. The illustrator needed them in order to illustrate the book and make sure that it didn't look like a farm over here in the US:

Farmer Kobi’s Hanukkah Match by Karen Rostoker-Gruber and Rabbi Ron Isaacs. Illustrated by CB Decker (Apples & Honey Press/Behrman House)

I had also changed the animals. In Rooster Can't Cock-a-Doodle-Doo, Farmer Ted had Rooster, cows, sheep, pigs, and chickens, but since they don't have pigs on moshavs in Israel, Farmer Kobi had Donkey, goats, geese, and sheep. I had Ron write "A Note for Families" about the two Jewish values that he told me he could include, and we sent it off to Behrman House. (There's also a whole lot of Hebrew sprinkled into the book--on the barns, around his bedroom, in the kitchen, and on Ruthie's license plate.)

Rooster Can’t Cock-A-Doodle-Doo by Karen Rostoker-Gruber. Illustrated by Paul Ratz de Tagyos (Dial Books)

At that time Behrman House was launching Apples and Honey Press! Who knew! They launched with three books their first season: Farmer Kobi's Hanukkah Match, a book by David Adler called, Hanukkah Cookies with Sprinkles, and Kayla and Kugel by Ann Koffsky. Here we are at Book Expo! I'm the one in the middle!

Authors David Adler, Karen Rostoker-Gruber and author/illustrator/editor Ann Koffsky at Book Expo.

While the animals who help Farmer Kobi prepare meet a woman he likes are at the humorous center of this book, it struck me that this book, subtly, is about much more. Farmer Kobi insists on including his beloved animals, even when his date objects. To me that also represented a single parent making sure his children are included. It also represented someone being honestly and fully himself and making sure any new person in his life is supportive of him as he is. Was that conscious or unconscious?

This whole concept was conscious. I had named Farmer Kobi's date Polly Ester (for polyester) on purpose. It was the joke of the book--especially when I have the sheep say, "Her name was Polly Ester. She was a faaake." I don't know if anyone "got that," some did, but I knew it was there. 🤗 Overall, the story is about family; and Farmer Kobi's animals are family. When Polly Ester rejects the animals, the animals know that she isn't the right match for Farmer Kobi. But, when Ruthie comes along, the animals know right away that she is the perfect match because of the "family" that she has in her truck. I'm not going to spoil the surprise.

You’ve written about a wide variety of subjects, including a book that was chosen by Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library. Can you tell us about that experience?

As I look back, I noticed that I write about animals because of their puns And animals puns are fun! I usually sit with a dictionary for days to get the perfect pun that doesn't feel forced. I write out the dialog first and find a perfect pun for it later. The dialog can't feel forced or it ruins everything. In one of my books, Ferret Fun in the Sun, there is a snake. I had tons of fun with those puns, but my favorite line is this: "A two-for-one sssuper sssupper ssspecial."

Ferret Fun in the Sun by Karen Rostoker-Gruber. Illustrated by Paul Rátz de Tagyos (Two Lions)

As for the Dolly Parton's Imagination Library, I had no idea what it meant to be on that list two years in a row. In 2007 the Dollywood Foundation bought 73,579 copies and in 2008 it bought 88,996 copies for their program. I also found out that children received my book in a beautiful basket. It was truly amazing!

I’m proud to share that you and I are among the founders of the Book Meshuggenahs, a group of Jewish women writing books with Jewish themes. Can you tell us what made you want to start this group?

When you posted the idea, I thought it was a great one! Jewish women writing Jewish books, as we are a marginalized group. I came up with the name "The Book Meshuggenahs" because I love the word meshuggenahs! Who doesn't! I knew that I could make your great idea a reality because I'm really good at putting things together, organizing, and getting people involved.

How would you describe the mission? How do you feel about how it’s evolved?

I think getting Jewish-themed books into the hands of Jewish children and other children is a great idea--especially in this day and age of diversification. It's even better when those books are written by women, who are also a marginalized group. The Book Meshuggenahs group is evolving into something larger than you, Amy Losak, and I had envisioned. Collectively, we have a total of 57 Jewish-themed picture books and 6 more coming out in 2020--one book for every week--essentially. We even have a bookstore now that has on-hand all of our books--Interabang Books!

How can people follow the Book Meshuggenahs?

We are on FB at Book Meshuggenahs, Twitter @TMeshuggenahs, Linkedin and Instagram @bookmeshugs! People can also contact us through our email at: TheBookMeshuggenahs@gmail.com

You are also a ventriloquist. Can you tell us about some of your special friends — Maria and Frog? How did you connect with them? How would you describe their personalities? You’ve shared that you sometimes don’t know what they’re going to say until they say it. Can you share sometimes when they’ve surprised you?

The thing about being a ventriloquist is that I really don't practice what either Frog or Maria will say at any given time, as each time is new and with a different audience. Sure, I know what I'm going to say to children and adults, but they interact with the audience. They are side-kicks, so it depends on what I say or what Ron says during performances. They are both 5 years old because I think that is the age that I'm most comfortable talking as. They are funny, silly, and interested in things. And, sometimes, like 5-year-olds, they say things to people that I can't believe they say; it just comes out. Recently, when I was taping with Frog for Sukkot, I asked if there was anything that he was sorry for. And, without me thinking about it, he told me about going into my scrapbooking papers and using them for his paper links to design the sukkah. I didn't practice that. It wasn't planned.

Maria is my go-to puppet for public schools. Frog now goes with me to JCCs, etc. Here's Maria.

Here is Frog talking what he was sorry: (We did that video "on the fly.")

For Yom Kippur they read from the book, "Sam and Charlie (and Sam, too)," by Leslie Kimmelman; For Sukkot they read from the book, "A Very Crowded Sukkah," by Leslie Kimmelman; And, for Simhat Torah, they read from the book, "Creation Colors," by Ann Koffsky!

You have some new books coming out in 2020 as well. Can you tell us about them?

I have a book coming out in October 2020 from Albert Whitman called, A Crowded Farmhouse Folktale. It's loosely based on the public domain folktale from Poland, It Could Always Be Worse. Farmer Earl and his wife Marge live in a teeny-tiny house. Farmer Earl can't take it any longer, so he goes off to see the wise woman in town. Find out what the wise woman suggests to Earl to make his home feel less crowded in this very silly, cumulative tale.

The other book, coming out in November of 2020 is from KarBen. It's a board book called Happy Birthday to the Trees. It's a Tu B’shvat board book.

Thanks, Karen, for hanging out with us on The Kids Are All Write!

Want to know more about Karen? She’s a multi-award-winning author of many picture books with hundreds of thousands of copies sold. Farmer Kobi's Hanukkah Match, was named a National Jewish Book Award Finalist and was awarded the 2016 Outstanding Children's Literature Award from the Church and Synagogue Library Association. Her books Bandit (Marshall Cavendish 2008), Bandit's Surprise (Marshall Cavendish 2010), and Ferret Fun(Marshall Cavendish 2011) all received starred reviews in School Library Journal; Rooster Can't Cock-a-Doodle-Doo (Dial 2004) and Bandit were both International Reading Association Children's Book Council Children's Choices Award recipients. Rooster Can't Cock-a-Doodle-Doo was a Dollywood Foundation selection two years in a row (in 2007 the Dollywood Foundation bought 73,579 copies and in 2008 it bought 88,996 copies). Karen's latest book, Maddie the Mitzvah Clown, published by Apples and Honey Press, a division of Behrman House, was named a PJ Library book selection in July of 2017 and went out to 21,000 4-year-olds in the US and Canada. Her latest book Happy Birthday to the Trees comes out from KarBen in 2020 and is also a PJ Library selection. She’s an active member of SCBWI, and she has twice co-chaired the Rutgers University Council on Children's Literature's One-on-One Conference.

You can visit her one her website at karenrostoker-gruber.com

On Facebook: Karen Rostoker-Gruber

On Twitter: @KarenRostokerGr

On Instagram: @RostokerGruber

Shmoozing with Karen Rostoker-Gruber about Mitzvahs, Matches and Meshuggenahs

Nancy Churnin