I met Barbara Bietz, who lives in Oak Park, Ca., at the Association for Jewish Libraries in 2019 where this year’s Sydney Taylor Book Award winners were honored (and I was thrilled to get a Notable for Irving Berlin, the Immigrant Boy Who Made America Sing). Barbara is the winner of the Sydney Taylor Book Award Notable for the terrific The Sundown Kid- A Southwestern Shabbat (illustrated by John Kanzler, August House, 2017), a PJ Library selection and an AJL pick for its Love Your Neighbor list.
Our paths, to my delight, kept crossing, with Barbara hosting me on her wonderful blog, Jewish Books for Kids, then joining me as one of the Book Meshuggenahs, a group of Jewish women writers creating books with Jewish characters and themes. And now I’m delighted to welcome Barbara with her terrific new Sweet Tamales for Purim, another PJ Library selection, also illustrated by Kanzler, coming out in February from August House.
So sit back, enjoy, and be rewarded, at the end, by Barbara’s amazing hamentaschen recipe that didn’t make the book, but did, happily, make The Kids Are All Write! Welcome, Barbara!
What was your inspiration for Sweet Tamales for Purim? I was born in California and went to college in Arizona. So many Jewish stories take place in New York and other eastern cities where many Jews settled. I was longing for Jewish stories that reflected my “hometown.” I came upon Harriet and Fred Rochlin’s book, Pioneer Jews, and it cracked my world open. I began researching Jewish history, specifically in California and Arizona, and was filled with inspiration.
Please tell us about your book journey. How long did it take from idea to sold manuscript? Were there a lot of changes along the way and, if so, what were the most significant?
It is so hard for me to establish defined timelines for book journeys. If we include the years of research that informed Sweet Tamales it would be decades! The writing, editing, and rewriting probably a couple of years. I am not a fast writer, I belabor each word. I was very lucky with Sweet Tamales. I submitted it in manuscript form to PJ Library. After some revisions, they accepted it. August House, the publisher of my previous book, The Sundown Kid, was interested in publishing Sweet Tamales, which made the whole process really lovely.
In your Author’s Note, you say this fictional book was inspired by a real 1886 event when the Hebrew Ladies Benevolent Society of Tucson, Arizona put on a Purim Ball for the community. How did you find out about the event? How much research was involved in getting the details right?
Sweet Tamales is a work of fiction, but as I mentioned earlier, many years of research came before I was ready to write the story. Many details were pulled from photos and other resource materials. For example, I found old photos of Tucson, Arizona including one of a goat with a cart, another with a shady fig tree – these details are included in the story. Also, the illustrator, John Kanzler, was very meticulous in his research for the illustrations of the setting.
A Purim Association Fancy Dress Ball put on by the Hebrew Benevolent Society in the 1880s.
In your acknowledgements, you thank Chris Barash, an author and educator who is also the chair of the PJ Library Book Selection Committee. Can you tell us about the role Chris played in the creation of Sweet Tamales for Purim? Will this be a PJ Library book? When did you get the news? How do you feel about it?
Chris Barash let me know that PJ Library had accepted Sweet Tamales. As fate would have it, I was attending TENT at the Yiddish Book Center, sponsored by PJ Library. I was able to meet Chris in person and she delivered the good news. It was a very exciting moment. I should mention that before they accepted the manuscript PJ Library requested revisions. The revisions improved the story greatly and I was very appreciative of the feedback. Chris is such a tremendous supporter of authors. I am very grateful to her, and to PJ Library. I am honored to be connected to PJ Library.
Were the illustrations by John Kanzler why you envisioned or did they surprise you? Do you have a favorite spread?
The folks are August House publishing are terrific. They view book creation as a collaborative effort. I was able to see John’s work every step of the way and my input was welcomed. It was a truly magical experience. My favorite spread is near the end. Rebecca and Luis are on their way to the Purim party with Kitzel, the goat, carrying tamales. The colors are lovely and truly evoke the desert at dusk. Also, I just adore Kitzel.
You have Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in education. How has that helped in your writing?
I think my education gives me a certain confidence to take on challenges. More practically, the research skills I used in graduate school have helped me along the way. I also believe there are many paths to education, especially now. I am a big believer in education for education’s sake, even if it is not in pursuit of a degree. The very first writing class I took was from Alexis O’Neill, author of The Recess Queen. The class was part of an adult education program, open to all. Alexis is the best teacher I have ever known. She became my mentor, and now a very dear friend. I would not be a published writer without her.
You are deeply involved in the Jewish book community. You’ve been the chair of the Sydney Taylor Book Award Committee, you created and run the website Jewish Books for Kids and you are one of the Book Meshuggenahs with me. What has drawn you to the world of writing and sharing about Jewish books for kids? Why do you work so hard on your own books and supporting others?
Oh, my – this is everything to me! The creative life is best when it’s shared with others. Connecting with other writers (and illustrators), librarians, editors, teachers, parents, and readers is the greatest gift of all. Sometimes I pinch myself when I think about the incredible people in my world. (Like you!) I love learning about creative people and their journeys through my blog interviews. It’s such an inspiration! Most recently, I have become the Assistant Regional Advisor for the Cen-Cal chapter of SCBWI. I am very excited for the adventures ahead!
In your bio on your website, barbarabietz.com, you say you have two naughty (but nice) dogs. What are their names, what are some of the naughty and nice things they do and can we see pictures?
I have two little rescue dogs named Fancy Pants and Ida. They are a little shy and barkity but make up for it with lots of snuggles and general cuteness. I am a dog person and can’t imagine my life without them!
You’re also the author of The Sundown Kid and Like a Maccabee. Can you tell us what inspired those?
The Sundown Kid was inspired by my research about Jewish families in the Southwest who gave up everything to start over with virtually nothing. Many of these families established Jewish communities in small towns that are still vibrant today. The Sundown Kid is my way of honoring them. Like a Maccabee was inspired by my own kids and their Jewish education. It’s about a boy who is facing a big soccer game and also dealing with the changes at home when his grandfather moves in. My goal was to show young readers what I wanted to impart to my own kids – that being Jewish is as important on the soccer field, at school, wherever you are - as it in in your home or at Hebrew school.
Do you have any books, projects or goals to share with us for 2020 and beyond?
I am currently working on a middle grade novel, a picture book re-telling o f a Jewish folktale, and a nonfiction biography picture book.
Thank you, Barbara, for spending time with us on THE KIDS ARE ALL WRITE.
Thank you so much, Nancy. It’s truly a pleasure!
And since I’m now hungry for hamentashen, do you, by any chance, have a favorite recipe to share?
Here is the recipe that almost made it into the book:
*Caution: Baking and cooking activities should be supervised by an adult.
Rebecca’s Hamentashen
4 eggs
1 ¼ cup of butter, softened
1 cup sugar
2 teaspoon vanilla
3 teaspoon baking powder (Not baking soda!)
5 cups flour
Fruit jam or preserves
Combine flour and baking powder. Combine eggs, butter, sugar, and vanilla. Once thoroughly mixed, add flour and baking powder mixture to the egg mixture. Knead dough until all the lumps are gone. Use a rolling pin to flatten the dough. You do not have to use the whole batch at one time. You can divide the dough in sections, especially if you are working with a friend! Once the dough is rolled out to ¼ inch or less, use a round cookie cutter to make circle shapes.
Drop in a bit of fruit filling and pinch three corners to make a triangle shape.
Place on greased cookie sheet and bake for 15 minutes at 350 degrees.
You can catch up with Barbara on her blog:
On Twitter: @barbarabietz
On Facebook: Barbara Foster Bietz
On Instagram: @barbarabietz
On Pinterest: @barbarabietz