02 Sep Ann Koffsky with FOUR New Books! Plus a GIVEAWAY!

Oh my goodness!! My friend, author/illustrator Ann Koffsky, has not one, not two, or even three books coming out pretty much at the same time. She has FOUR books releasing between Sept. 2 and Sept.9.  And today, Sept. 2,  is two of their BOOK BIRTHDAYS today! Happy Book Birthday to Ann and her adorable books, My Shofar and Kayla and Kugel’s Super Sweet Rosh Hashanah!  The Three Little Sheep: A Tale for Sukkot and Fairy Godbubbie’s Shabbat will both release very soon after. Whew! That’s a lot. Keep reading for a sneak peek at all of them. 

EL: Welcome, Ann! It’s hard to believe that you have four books coming out at the same time! What’s even more amazing is that you wrote AND illustrated them. How did that happen, and how are you juggling all of it?

AK: Well, it happened because of “forces beyond my control!”. Basically, one of the books was delayed, another book I completed very early, and the publisher decided to wait a season to put it out…. another book was REALLY delayed, and another book was put on fast track…the result is that they kind of all crashed into each other in terms of release dates! How am I juggling all of it? GREAT QUESTION. I’m really not sure. Ask me in a month or two and I’ll let you know if I managed it all!

EL:  Ha! The first book, My Shofar,  is for the littlest kiddos. Both children and adults will chuckle when they find out why the main character is having trouble blowing the shofar. Readers will fall in love with that sweet elephant as well as Ann’s sparse text and adorable illustrations. It’s such a fun board book! 

Speaking of fun, Ann has a knack for infusing humor in her books, and Fairy Godbubbie’s Shabbat is no exception. Did you know that Fairy Godbubbies show up when they are needed, not when they are called? When do you think they may visit? Check out the cover for your hint. 

EL:  Taking a break from the books for a minute, Ann, do you have a writing/ illustrating routine? If so, will you share it?

AK: I wish! Ive tried and tried to get a good schedule/ routine going. But the fact is, sometimes I just have to wait for the muse to strike as it were. Muses don’t show up on a planned schedule, so it’s tricky. But I do try to write or draw SOMETHING each day. If I don’t, I start to feel…itchy!

EL: Routine or not, you certainly get things done, so it’s time to talk about the next two books! The Three Little Sheep: A Tale for Sukkot is an adorable take-off of the Three Little Pigs. Building a sukkah is fun, but there is a twist.  But don’t worry, there’s a happy ending, and readers learn about the holiday of Sukkah and the importance of welcoming guests. 

Many of you may know Ann’s precious Kayla and Kugel books.  Get ready for Kayla and Kugel’s Super Sweet Rosh Hashana. Little ones will love following Kayla and Kugel as they get ready for the new year. Of course, Kugel does not always make it easy as Kayla tries to get ready for Rosh Hashanah!

EL: I have really enjoyed every one of these books! Ann, all of these books contain Jewish content. Do you only write books with Jewish content? If so, why do you feel like that’s important?

AK: I think ALL books for kids are important, no matter the subject. But I do often write books with Jewish content….not because I sit down and I say “ I shall now write a Jewish book!” but because that seems to be what naturally comes to me. It’s what I care about, so it’s what I often write about.

EL: I can’t believe I’m asking this, but do you have anything else in the pipeline you can talk about?

AK: Yes! Next year, I have two picture book biographies coming out that I’m excited about: WHAT EMMA WROTE ( Apples and Honey Press) is about Emma Lazarus, her writing, and her work with immigrants. And BLAZING HUMOR ( Intergalactic Afikoman) is about Mel Brooks!

EL: They both sound great! Do you have a writing group or groups? How important do you think they are?

AK: Hello, Ellen my writing group buddy! Yes I’m in two writing groups—one with YOU! And I also have a new art crit group that just began. They are CRITICAL to my process. First they just provide accountability—oh, my group is meeting I’d better write something to share with them! And Second—they just help me make things so much stronger

EL: Ha ha! Yes, not only do I know you, Ann, but I also learn so much from you. Anything else you’d like our readers to know?

AK: They can sign up for my SUBSTACK, COLORING JEWISH to receive my free Jewish coloring pages over here: https://annkoffsky.com/coloring-pages/

EL: THAT is a good deal! I love sharing those coloring pages with my grandkids. Thank you so much for joining us. I’m thrilled for all of this!

Here are some places to buy these books!

 annkoffsky.com

• • https://www.amazon.com/Fairy-GodBubbies-Shabbat-Ann-Koffsky/dp/1951365313
  • https://www.amazon.com/Three-Little-Sheep-Tale-Sukkot/dp/1805000357/ref=sr_1_1
  • https://www.amazon.com/My-Shofar-Hashanah-Jewish-Objects/dp/1681156148/ref=sr_1_1
  • https://www.amazon.com/Kayla-Kugels-Hashanah-Jewish-Holidays/dp/1681156989/ref=sr_1_1

Now is the time for a

Ann is happy to give away a book to TWO DIFFERENT winners! Winner’s choice of which of these four books they’d like.  To get in the running, please comment on this post and let me know if you’re a subscriber or if you have shared this post to get an extra chance to win.

Until next time,

Ellen 

On a personal note, I’m currently scheduling school author visits for the 2025-2026 school year. I’d love to visit YOU or a school near you! Please check out

 https://ellenleventhal.com/school-visits/

Here’s a review!

Ellen Leventhal is an amazing presenter who tailors her presentations to meet the needs of all students and age levels.  I am amazed at how she can talk about her love of writing, how to become a writer, encouraging students to do what they love and how we can all be kind into a 45 minute presentation. A school visit from Ellen Leventhal is a treat for everyone!  Suzanne Ritchey:  Carroll T Welch Elementary School Clint, TX