Newman, Lesléa 1955-

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Newman, Lesléa 1955-

PERSONAL:

Born November 5, 1955, in New York, NY; daughter of Edward and Florence Newman; married Mary Vazquez. Education: University of Vermont, B.S., 1977; Naropa Institute, certificate in poetics, 1980. Religion: Jewish. Hobbies and other interests: Bowling, crossword puzzles, collage-making.

ADDRESSES:

Office—Write from the Heart, P.O. Box 815, Northampton, MA 01061; University of Southern Maine, P.O. Box 9300, Portland, ME 04104-9300. Agent—Elizabeth Harding, Curtis Brown, Ltd., 10 Astor Pl., New York, NY 10003. E-mail—[email protected].

CAREER:

Worked as a reader for Mademoiselle and Redbook magazines, New York, NY, 1982; Valley Advocate, Hatfield, MA, journalist and book reviewer, 1983-87; Mount Holyoke College, South Hadley, MA, director and teacher of writing at summer program, 1986-88; University of Southern Maine, Portland, ME, currently member of Stonecoast M.F.A. in Creative Writing program. Founder and director, Write from the Heart: Writing Workshops for Women, Northampton, MA, beginning 1986; poet laureate of Northampton, MA, 2008-10. Lectures and conducts writing workshops at colleges and universities, including Amherst College, Smith College, Swarthmore College, Trinity College, Bryn Mawr College, University of Judaism, University of Oregon, Harvard University, and Yale University.

MEMBER:

Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators, Author's Guild, Authors League of America, Poets and Writers, Feminist Writers Guild, Publishing Triangle, Academy of American Poets.

AWARDS, HONORS:

Massachusetts Artists Foundation Poetry Fellowship, 1989; Best Narrative Film award, Ann Arbor Film Festival, 1990, for A Letter to Harvey Milk; fiction award, Highlights for Children, 1992; James Baldwin Award for Cultural Achievement, Greater Boston Area Lesbian/Gay Political Alliance, 1993; Silver Award, Parents' Choice Foundation, 1994, for Fat Chance; Community Services Award, Massachusetts Lesbian and Gay Political Caucus, 1995; Gemini Award for Best Short Drama, Canadian Academy of Film and Television, 1995, for Spoken Word: A Letter to Harvey Milk; Books for the Teen Age selection, New York Public Library, 1996, for A Loving Testimony: Remembering Loved Ones Lost to AIDS; National Endowment for the Arts Poetry Fellowship, 1997; Pushcart Prize nomination, 1998, 2000, and 2003; first-place winner in humor category, Vice Versa Awards for Excellence in Gay and Lesbian Press, 1999, for "Cher Heaven"; Money for Women/Barbara Deming Memorial Fund grant, 2000; Americus Review Poetry Contest winner, 2000, for "The Politics of Buddy"; Muse Medallion and Certificate of Excellence, both Cat Writers Association, both 2004, for The Best Cat in the World; Oppenheim Toy Portfolio Best Book, Gold Seal Award, 2005, for A Fire Engine for Ruthie; Henry Bergh Honor Book, American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, and Kiriyama Prize Notable Book, both 2005, both for Hachiko Waits; Emphasis on Reading Alabama's Children's Choice Book Award Program, 2005-06, for Hachiko Waits; Continuing the Legacy of Stonewall Award, University of Massachusetts Stonewall Center, 2006; Illinois Rebecca Caudill Young Readers Book Award, 2007, for Hachiko Waits.

WRITINGS:

FOR YOUNG READERS

Heather Has Two Mommies, illustrated by Diana Souza, In Other Words/Inland, 1989, 2nd edition, Alyson Wonderland (Los Angeles, CA), 2000.

Gloria Goes to Gay Pride, Alyson Books (Los Angeles, CA), 1991.

Belinda's Bouquet, Alyson Books (Los Angeles, CA), 1991.

Saturday Is Pattyday, illustrated by Annette Hegel, New Victoria Publishers (Norwich, VT), 1993.

Fat Chance (for young adults), Putnam (New York, NY), 1994.

Too Far Away to Touch, illustrated by Catherine Stock, Clarion Books (New York, NY), 1996.

Remember That, illustrated by Karen Ritz, Clarion Books (New York, NY), 1996.

Matzo Ball Moon, illustrated by Elaine Greenstein, Clarion Books (New York, NY), 1998.

Cats, Cats, Cats!, illustrated by Erika Oller, Simon & Schuster (New York, NY), 2001.

Dogs, Dogs, Dogs!, illustrated by Erika Oller, Simon & Schuster (New York, NY), 2002.

Runaway Dreidel!, illustrated by Kyrsten Brooker, Holt (New York, NY), 2002.

Felicia's Favorite Story, illustrated by Alaiyo Bradshaw, Two Lives Publishing (Ridley Park, PA), 2003.

Pigs, Pigs, Pigs!, illustrated by Erika Oller, Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers (New York, NY), 2003.

The Best Cat in the World, illustrated by Ronald Himler, Eerdmans Books for Young Readers (Grand Rapids, MI), 2004.

The Boy Who Cried Fabulous, illustrated by Peter Ferguson, Tricycle Press (Berkeley, CA), 2004.

A Fire Engine for Ruthie, illustrated by Cyd Moore, Clarion Books (New York, NY), 2004.

Hachiko Waits, illustrated by Machiyo Kodaira, Holt (New York, NY), 2004.

Where Is Bear?, illustrated by Valeri Gorbachev, Gulliver Books/Harcourt (Orlando, FL), 2004.

The Eight Nights of Chanukah, illustrated by Elvira Savadier, H.N. Abrams (New York, NY), 2005.

Jailbait, Delacorte Press (New York, NY), 2005.

Daddy's Song, illustrated by Karen Ritz, Holt (New York, NY), 2007.

Skunk's Spring Surprise, illustrated by Valeri Gorbachev, Harcourt (San Diego, CA), 2007.

FOR ADULTS

Just Looking for My Shoes (poetry), Back Door Press, 1980.

Good Enough to Eat (novel), Firebrand Books, 1986.

Love Me Like You Mean It (poetry), HerBooks (Santa Cruz, CA), 1987.

A Letter to Harvey Milk (short stories), Firebrand Books, 1988, reprinted, University of Wisconsin Press (Madison, WI), 2004.

(Editor) Bubba Meisehs by Shayneh Maidelehs: An Anthology of Poetry by Jewish Granddaughters about Our Grandmothers, HerBooks (Santa Cruz, CA), 1989.

Secrets (short stories), New Victoria Publishers (Norwich, VT), 1990.

Sweet Dark Places (poetry), HerBooks (Santa Cruz, CA), 1991.

SomeBody to Love: A Guide to Loving the Body You Have, Third Side Press (Chicago, IL), 1991.

In Every Laugh a Tear (novel), New Victoria Publishers (Norwich, VT), 1992.

(Editor) Eating Our Hearts Out: Women and Food, Crossing Press (Freedom, CA), 1993.

Writing from the Heart: Inspiration and Exercises for Women Who Want to Write, Crossing Press (Freedom, CA), 1993, revised and expanded edition published as Write from the Heart: Inspiration and Exercises for Women Who Want to Write, Ten Speed Press (Berkeley, CA), 2003.

Every Woman's Dream (essays and short fiction), New Victoria Publishers (Norwich, VT), 1994.

(Editor) A Loving Testimony: Remembering Loved Ones Lost to AIDS, Crossing Press (Freedom, CA), 1995.

Spoken Word: A Letter to Harvey Milk (television script; adapted from A Letter to Harvey Milk), Sleeping Giants Productions, 1995.

(Editor) The Femme Mystique, Alyson Publications (Boston, MA), 1995.

(Editor) My Lover Is a Woman: Contemporary Lesbian Love Poems, Ballantine Books (New York, NY), 1996.

Out of the Closet and Nothing to Wear, Alyson Books (Los Angeles, CA), 1997.

(Editor) Pillow Talk: Lesbian Stories between the Covers, Alyson Books (Los Angeles, CA), 1998.

Still Life with Buddy, Pride Publications (Radwor, OH), 1998.

The Little Butch Book, illustrated by Yohah Ralph, New Victoria Publishers (Norwich, VT), 1998.

Girls Will Be Girls (short fiction), Alyson Books (Los Angeles, CA), 1999.

(Editor) Pillow Talk II: More Lesbian Stories between the Covers, Alyson Books (Los Angeles, CA), 2000.

Signs of Love (poetry), Windstorm Creative, 2000.

Just Like a Woman (short stories), Fluid Words (Los Angeles, CA), 2001.

She Loves Me, She Loves Me Not (short stories), Alyson Books (Los Angeles, CA), 2002.

(Editor) Bedroom Eyes: Stories of Lesbians in the Boudoir, Alyson Books (Los Angeles, CA), 2002.

Contributor to anthologies, including Lesbian Love Stories, edited by Irene Zahava, 1989. Contributor to magazines, including Backbone, Common Lives, Conditions, Heresies, Sinister Wisdom, Writer, Advocate, Art & Understanding, Lilith Magazine, and Sojourner.

SIDELIGHTS:

Lesléa Newman is an author, poet, and teacher of creative writing who is strongly motivated by her Jewish heritage and feminist philosophy. Among her works for young readers are the picture books Remember That, Cats, Cats, Cats!, and the groundbreaking Heather Has Two Mommies, the last a controversial book first published in 1989 that answered a growing need for literature about young children raised by same-sex couples. In addition to books for young children, Newman has authored a novel for young teens about the "thinner is better" philosophy promoted by modern culture; she has addressed similar women-focused issues through numerous essays, poetry, short stories, and works of adult nonfiction.

Deciding to become a writer after earning her bachelor's degree in education at the University of Vermont, Newman spent several years working in New York City before moving north to the college town of Northampton, Massachusetts. Active in that area's vibrant gay community, she soon realized that there was a need for books to help lesbian couples who chose to become parents deal with questions common to all children, especially the universal question: "Where did I come from?" Responding to this need, Newman wrote several books for both lesbian parents and the offspring of such nontraditional families that portray their unique circumstances in a sensitive and informed manner.

Heather Has Two Mommies answers a little girl's questions about where she came from and why she has no "Daddy." While the adult characters attempt to address her concerns in a loving and sympathetic manner, Robert Burke took issue with Newman's approach, noting in the Bloomsbury Review that "on the one hand, they hope to console her with an explanation of her uniqueness. On the other hand, they also seem to be trying to convince Heather that she is just the same as everyone else." A reviewer for the Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books was more laudatory, describing the book as "a positive, if idealized, portrait of a loving lesbian family," and commending it for "preach[ing] … a respect for all kinds of families." As Heather's teacher informs the kindergarten class in Heather Has Two Mommies: "The most important thing about a family is that all the people in it love each other."

Unfortunately, children of lesbian or gay parents are not immune to the pain of separation or divorce, as Newman shows in Saturday Is Pattyday. Called "reassuring" by Booklist contributor Hazel Rochman, the story depicts the changing relationship between young Frankie and his mom Patty after Patty moves away from home. A more permanent loss is dealt with by Newman in Too Far Away to Touch, as Uncle Leonard attempts to find a way to let his young niece know that he is dying of AIDS in a text that Horn Book contributor Maeve Visser Knoth called "effective" and "understated." Reviewing Too Far Away to Touch for Booklist, Carolyn Phelan added that Newman's tale "has a universality that will touch readers of any age" who have experienced the death of someone close to them.

Other Newman works also seek to provide comfort and explanation to children being raised in alternative family settings. Felicia's Favorite Story features another young girl with two mommies, with the added element being that she is adopted. At bedtime, Felicia loves nothing more than to hear the story of how she came to live with Mama Linda and Mama Vanessa. Mama Linda explains how she and Vanessa wanted someone to share their love and become part of their family. But they did not adopt just anybody: not a giraffe, not a mouse, nor any of a variety of other silly but unlikely creatures. As part of the game, Felicia pretends to think hard to arrive at the correct answer: they wanted to adopt a baby: her. With this book, "Newman sensitively explains why mothers put their children up for adoption," noted a Publishers Weekly contributor. School Library Journal reviewer Marge Loch-Wouters called the story a "comforting book for children in alternative families" and a "pleasant tale for all children who rejoice in sharing their own life story."

While Newman's first two picture books caused a good measure of controversy due to their focus on homosexuality and alternative families, other works have been geared to a more mainstream readership. The celebration of the Jewish holiday of Passover is the focus of Matzo Ball Moon, as Eleanor's grandmother Bubbe makes her yearly holiday visit to help fix the holiday feast. Calling the book "a warm story of intergenerational sharing of holiday preparations within a loving family," Booklist contributor Ellen Mandel noted Newman's inclusion of explanations of Passover rituals and traditional foods. A Publishers Weekly reviewer had special praise for the character of Bubbe; she "says the unexpected, she is also credible and has some chutzpah." The relationship between Bubbe and her granddaughter is also the focus of Remember That. Taking place over several years, readers watch as the weekly Friday night Sabbath ritual they perform together is altered when the aging Bubbe is moved to a nursing home. Including an introduction to Shabbos and translations of some of Bubbe's Yiddish expressions, Newman's book "leaves readers with a warm, happy feeling," according to Susan Scheps in School Library Journal. Hazel Rochman also had praise for the sentimental story, noting in her Booklist review that "Bubbe's story will help children cope with the changes age brings to those they love."

Runaway Dreidel! also tells its story in a holiday theme. As the Chanukah season begins, a dreidel escapes from a young boy and careens into the street, out into the country, across the ocean, and finally into space, where it shines and twinkles like a new star. The "tale holds storytelling appeal in both text and humorous illustrations," commented Ilene Abramson in School Library Journal.

Cats, Cats, Cats! shows the frustrating relationship between cat owners and their beloved, but unfortunately nocturnal, felines. In swinging rhyme, Newman tells the story of Mrs. Brown, whose house full of cats does not deter her from adding even more cats. "As soon as she begins to snore," Newman writes, "The fun begins with cats galore." In a starred Publishers Weekly review, a critic praised Cats, Cats, Cats! as "a real find for cat fanciers and their furry companions."

Newman is also the author of several other jaunty, read-aloud storybooks for young people. Retaining the energy of her exuberant counting book about cats, Dogs, Dogs, Dogs! is a "canine counting exercise featuring a pack of extremely exuberant dogs of every size, shape, and shade," according to a Kirkus Reviews contributor. At first, there is only one dog, walking through the city alone. As the narrative progresses, more dogs gradually appear, until the boisterous group of ten energetic canines becomes almost too large for the pages to hold them. The pack gradually disperses as the dogs head back across town toward home, until only the original dog is left. Jody McCoy, writing in School Library Journal, described the book as a "splendid celebration of dogs and joyful read-aloud text."

Pigs, Pigs, Pigs! is the story of a town's preparations for a visit by a traveling group of performing pigs. The townspeople busily prepare a lavish feast for their honored guests, and many of the story's rhymes correspond with the tasty treats that are being cooked for the pigs' enjoyment. The story continues after the feast, describing in verse the spectacular song-and-dance act the grateful pigs perform for their dazzled hosts. Even after the pigs' departure, the town cannot rest, because they will soon welcome another group of happy visitors: sheep. Andrea Tarr, writing in School Library Journal, remarked that this "rollicking romp will be a storytime delight or a terrific laptime treat." Booklist contributor Kathleen Odean observed that "this animal frolic has a fast pace" that makes it suitable for storytelling time.

Newman sounds a more somber but hopeful note with two books that deal with issues surrounding pets and death. In The Best Cat in the World a young boy named Victor is nearly inconsolable after the death of his beloved pet, Charlie. For years, the old orange cat had curled up beside him on a special pillow every night, and now he is gone. The family buries Charlie in the back yard and plants a vibrant orange rosebush above his grave, but Victor still feels the void of his loss. A few weeks later, the veterinarian calls and tells Victor that he has a little tortoiseshell kitten who really needs a home. Victor cautiously agrees to adopt the new cat, named Shelley, but he soon realizes the new kitten will not act like Charlie. Over time, however, Victor learns to appreciate the new cat's unique personality and characteristics. When he asks Shelley a favorite question that he used to ask Charlie—"Who's the greatest cat in the world?"—the new feline's acceptance into Victor's life is complete. A Publishers Weekly reviewer called the book a "fitting read for any youngster facing the loss of a pet," while a Kirkus Reviews contributor called it a "sweet story about grief and acceptance."

Hachiko Waits tells a story of devotion from the opposite perspective, offering a fictionalized version of the true tale of a faithful dog and his dedication to his deceased master. Every day, Professor Ueno, an instructor at Tokyo Imperial University, traveled to the train station at Shibuya with Hachi, his beloved Akita. In the afternoon, Hachi would be unfailingly waiting for the professor's return at the station at 3:00 p.m. When Professor Ueno unexpectedly dies at work one day, Hachi's routine does not change; every day he arrives on time, looking for his master. The dog is well known to many, and a boy named Yasuo befriends the animal, ensuring that he is fed and cared for. Hachi's routine continues for ten years, until the animal's own death. Yasuo is saddened by the loss, but the station master reassures him with consoling tales of the long-awaited reunion of Hachi and Professor Ueno. Hachi becomes so well known throughout Japan that the honorific "ko" is appended to his name. A Publishers Weekly contributor noted that the story of dog and master "holds enduring fascination for animal lovers."

In conjunction with several books she has authored for adults that focus on body image, Newman published the young adult novel Fat Chance in 1994. Written in the form of a diary, the novel is a realistic look at the effect of an eating disorder on a young girl. It follows thirteen-year-old, five-foot-four Judi, whose obsession about weight prompts her to idolize fellow student Nancy, the thinnest and most popular girl in the entire eighth grade. Discovering Nancy's trick, Judi begins the binge-purge cycle of the bulimic, and goes out of her way to keep it a secret from friends and family. A desire to fit in and be popular fuels her resolve, and the compliments that come her way as her weight begins to drop and she sheds her baggy clothes provide more encouragement. Praising Newman for her ability to create a teen voice that rings true, Booklist contributor Stephanie Zvirin added that Fat Chance "will sound achingly familiar to girls struggling with self-image." Noting that the novel goes "further than the average ‘problem’ novel," a Publishers Weekly contributor praised Newman for focusing on "the importance of professional help" in her "compelling, thought-provoking narrative."

Jailbait, which is set in the early 1970s, also addresses issues surrounding teen body image, self-esteem, and the unwise decisions that can be made in service to these powerful personal forces. Fifteen-year-old Andi Kaplan is a tenth-grade girl. Overweight and unpopular, Andi is unhappy with her life on Long Island. Her relationship with her parents is neutral, at best, and her older brother is away at college, rapidly making a mess of his educational opportunity. Andi is maturing physically, and she worries about her weight, but her socialization is limited to a lone cow she sees during her walks back and forth to school. During her walks, she also regularly sees a man in a car, who honks and waves cheerfully to her. One day, the man, Frank, stops and invites her in, complimenting her, calling her beautiful, and lavishing upon her the attention she has so desperately craved. Soon, Frank and Andi have established a relationship, even though he is almost twice her age. It does not take long for Frank's true nature to come to the surface, as he becomes demanding and controlling, finally exploiting Andi for sex. For her part, Andi eagerly surrenders her virginity to the manipulative Frank, convinced that she is in love with him until he cruelly dumps her. A talk with her brother helps Andi understand her predicament, however, and she recovers from the doomed relationship with her dignity intact and her self-esteem restored. Andi's story is a "powerful portrait of an unhappy girl who wants nothing more than to be loved," commented Debbie Carton in Booklist. Myrna Marler, writing in Kliatt, remarked that Newman's writing is "evocative enough that Andi and her woes become compelling and her painful rise from the ashes at the end is to be cheered."

Every Woman's Dream is a collection containing twenty-eight of Newman's short stories, essays, and sketches that explore gay, lesbian, and feminist issues from an adult perspective. "What I Will Not Tell You" discreetly reveals much more than the title suggests it will. "Around the World in Eighty Dykes" is told from the perspective of a pair of socks. A grim, unpublished lesbian writer with seven unsold manuscripts considers a deal with the devil in "Plotting with the Devil," and in "Let Me Explain," a grieving mother pens a letter to her dead son's lover. In assessing the collection, Booklist contributor Marie Kuda called Newman a "lesbian-feminist writer of considerable repute," and concluded that each piece is "fresh, most are fun," and some are "mind-and-gut-wrenchers." Newman's collection "gives us a view of her versatility in these various genres, a taste of her many styles, and in a sense, a portrait of lesbian life in the 90s," commented Susan Fox Rogers in Lambda Book Report.

BIOGRAPHICAL AND CRITICAL SOURCES:

PERIODICALS

Bloomsbury Review, June, 1992, Robert Burke, review of Heather Has Two Mommies, p. 19.

Booklist, November 1, 1993, Hazel Rochman, review of Saturday Is Pattyday, p. 531; September 1, 1994, Marie Kuda, review of Every Woman's Dream, p. 24; September 1, 1994, Stephanie Zvirin, review of Fat Chance, p. 35; March 15, 1995, Carolyn Phelan, review of Too Far Away to Touch, p. 1336; February 1, 1996, Hazel Rochman, review of Remember That, p. 939; April, 1998, Ellen Mandel, review of Matzo Ball Moon, p. 1332; February 15, 2001, Helen Rosenberg, review of Cats, Cats, Cats!, p. 1141; March 1, 2002, Whitney Scott, review of She Loves Me, She Loves Me Not, p. 1094; September 1, 2002, Ilene Cooper, review of Runaway Dreidel!, p. 139; February 15, 2003, Kathleen Odean, review of Pigs, Pigs, Pigs!, p. 1075; January 1, 2004, Ilene Cooper, review of The Best Cat in the World, p. 878; August, 2004, Ilene Cooper, review of A Fire Engine for Ruthie, p. 1944; January 1, 2005, Kay Weisman, review of Hachiko Waits, p. 859; June 1, 2005, Debbie Carton, review of Jailbait, p. 1787; October 15, 2005, Stephanie Zvirin, review of The Eight Nights of Chanukah, p. 58; February 15, 2007, Shelle Rosenfeld, review of Skunk's Spring Surprise, p. 84.

Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books, February, 1990, review of Heather Has Two Mommies, p. 144.

Entertainment Weekly, January 29, 1993, Rebecca Ascher-Walsh, "Writer on the Storm," profile of Lesléa Newman, p. 66; January 29, 1993, Michele Landsberg, reviews of Heather Has Two Mommies and Gloria Goes to Gay Pride, p. 66.

Horn Book, May-June, 1995, Maeve Visser Knoth, review of Too Far Away to Touch, p. 328.

Kirkus Reviews, May 15, 2002, review of Dogs, Dogs, Dogs!, p. 738; November 1, 2002, review of Runaway Dreidel!, p. 1623; December 15, 2002, review of Pigs, Pigs, Pigs!, p. 1854; January 1, 2004, review of The Best Cat in the World, p. 40; July 1, 2004, review of A Fire Engine for Ruthie, p. 635; August 1, 2004, review of Where Is Bear?, p. 746; June 1, 2005, review of Jailbait, p. 641; November 1, 2005, review of The Eight Nights of Chanukah, p. 1195; December 1, 2006, review of Skunk's Spring Surprise, p. 1224.

Kliatt, May, 2005, Myrna Marler, review of Jailbait, p. 17.

Lambda Book Report, January-February, 1995, Susan Fox Rogers, review of Every Woman's Dream, p. 26; July, 1996, Susan Landers, review of My Lover Is a Woman: Contemporary Lesbian Love Poems, p. 32; November, 1997, Melissa Anderson, review of Out of the Closet and Nothing to Wear, p. 31; August 1, 2003, Marissa Pareles, "The Woman Who Cried Fabulous: Marissa Pareles Interviews Leslea Newman," p. 6.

Library Journal, December, 1999, Ina Rimpau, review of Girls Will Be Girls, p. 190; March 1, 2002, Caroline Mann, review of She Loves Me, She Loves Me Not, p. 142.

New York Times Book Review, August 27, 1995, Roger Sutton, review of Too Far Away to Touch, p. 27; July 28, 1996, Judith Viorst, review of Remember That, p. 21.

Publishers Weekly, February 22, 1993, review of Eating Our Hearts Out: Women and Food, p. 87; September 19, 1994, review of Fat Chance, p. 72; February 6, 1995, review of Too Far Away to Touch, p. 85; February 23, 1998, review of Matzo Ball Moon, p. 76; November 15, 1999, review of Girls Will Be Girls, p. 55; January 15, 2001, review of Cats, Cats, Cats!, p. 75; June 16, 2003, review of Felicia's Favorite Story, p. 68; February 2, 2004, review of The Best Cat in the World, p. 75; September 6, 2004, review of A Fire Engine for Ruthie, p. 61; December 13, 2004, review of Hachiko Waits, p. 68; September 26, 2005, review of The Eight Nights of Chanukah, p. 84.

School Library Journal, January, 1995, Melissa Yurechko, review of Fat Chance, p. 138; September, 1995, Mary Rinato Berman, review of Too Far Away to Touch, p. 183; March, 1996, Susan Scheps, review of Remember That, p. 179; June, 1998, Susan Pine, review of Matzo Ball Moon, p. 116; March, 2001, Lauralyn Persson, review of Cats, Cats, Cats!, p. 215; August, 2002, Jody McCoy, review of Dogs, Dogs, Dogs!, p. 162; October, 2002, Ilene Abramson, review of Runaway Dreidel!, p. 62; February, 2003, Andrea Tarr, review of Pigs, Pigs, Pigs!, p. 118; October, 2003, Marge Loch-Wouters, review of Felicia's Favorite Story, p. 132; February, 2004, Susan Hepler, review of The Best Cat in the World, p. 120; September, 2004, Roxanne Burg, review of A Fire Engine for Ruthie, p. 176; October, 2004, review of The Best Cat in the World, p. 24, Linda L. Walkins, review of The Boy Who Cried Fabulous, p. 125; November, 2004, John Peters, review of Hachiko Waits, p. 113, Rosalyn Pierini, review of Where Is Bear?, p. 113; June, 2005, Karen Hoth, review of Jailbait, p. 167; June, 2007, Catherine Callegari, review of Daddy's Song, p. 118.