06 Jan Mel Rosenberg, EMILY SAW A DOOR, and a GIVEAWAY!

EL: Happy New Year, everyone! I’m sending wishes for a 2026 filled with love and laughter, health and happiness, and peace for all.

Today, I’m thrilled to welcome Mel Rosenberg to the blog. What a great way to start the year!

Mel’s wonderful new picture book, Emily Saw a Door,  has been out in Israel for a while, and lucky for us in the States, launches here on Feb. 24. I can’t wait until I get my copy! You can pre-order now. This story, beautifully illustrated by Orit Magia,  focuses on inclusion and acceptance, but it is different than most with that theme. The way Mel chose to tell this story is extremely creative and unique.  I’m not sure that even Mel remembers, but I saw an early draft of his book, so I feel pretty connected to it now :). Without giving too much away, I’ll just say that Emily goes from door to door, hoping to find one that will welcome her inside. But when each one turns her away, Emily realizes what she has to do. Check out some of Magia’s gorgeous depictions of Emily’s doors throughout this post.

Welcome, Mel! Please tell us a little about yourself.

MR: I was born in Winnipeg and grew up in Ottawa, Canada. Two cold cities. In Ottawa I experienced a lot of antisemitism from neighbors and school kids. After high school, I left for a year to work on a kibbutz. I loved Israel so much that I stayed. It became a very long year.

EL:  How did you get your idea for Emily Saw a Door?

MR: The immediate ‘prompt’ was a sign I saw at a carousel at the Tel Aviv port, excluding children who were not 80 centimeters tall. How unfair, I thought. Imagine a kid who travelled from Jerusalem and couldn’t get on the ride because she was 78 or 79 centimeters tall.

I think that the hatred and rejection that I experienced growing up in Canada had something to do with the story. Classmates who had never met someone Jewish before thought I must have horns. A neighbor asked me why we killed Jesus. Someone told me that it was too bad that Hitler didn’t kill us all. I have many stories like that. I was born in 1951, only a few years after the Holocaust. This of course had a great effect on me and still does.

Then there were all the rejections I had been receiving for my submitted stories, perhaps as many as three hundred. Ironically, this tale about closed doors ended up being the one that opened my door. Bigtime.

EL: It is a fabulous book! I’m so happy for you, Mel!  You’re very involved in the kidlit community both in Israel and in the States. I thank you for all you do. How does living in Israel affect publication?

MR: It doesn’t. As you know (as my past guest!), my main connection with the professional kidlit community is through my video/podcast for the New Books Network. Every week or so, for the past five years, I’ve interviewed a wonderful author, illustrator, agent, publisher, or editor. Thanks to technology (VOIP was co-invented in Israel by my friend Alon Cohen) it’s super easy to connect with anyone around the world. I’m also connected with many authors through SCBWI and Kidlit411. A piece of cake from anywhere.

EL: Wonderful! For anyone wondering, VOIP is Voice Over Internet Protocol. We sure are happy to have it.  Do you have a writing routine? If so, will you share it?

MR: I don’t have a writing routine, but I do have writing ‘places,’ certain spots around my home, a few coffeehouses, and my cubicle at Tel Aviv University.

I love to write new stories and tweak them (often endlessly), but when I am not in the mood, I do other writing-related tasks (such as answering these questions, which I am doing at one of my cozy corners at home.)

EL:Ah…those old writing related tasks.  Do you have anything else in the pipeline you can talk about?

MR: I have two new book deals, the first here in Israel. It’s another fictional story, this one about a girl called “Penelope” who has a very different personality than Emily, and a different approach to creating her own place in the world.

My second book deal which hasn’t been announced is with a US publisher I have wanted to work with for years. Also fiction, but based on an actual historical event.

EL: I can’t wait!  Your door SWUNG open! Do you have a writing group or groups? How important do you think they are?

MR: I am part of a small writing group with only three members. It’s perfect for me. I also enjoy swapping manuscripts now and then. I also study weekly with the incredible Harold Underdown. This way I get both top-notch professional feedback, as well as critiques from my peers. Both are super important.

EL: What inspires you?

MR: I am inspired by love and laughter. Friendship. Kindness. Vocal jazz. And little things. Pillows. Pebbles. Buttons. These are my pots of gold.

EL: What do you think are the best and most challenging parts about writing kidlit?

MR: The best part about writing is, of course, when you get a publishing deal. But the writing itself is also lots of fun. The most difficult part is the rejection process. We know that we need the ‘no’s to improve and grow. But it stings each time. It’s a daily challenge to remain positive and optimistic. But we must.

Another difficult part for me is putting aside a manuscript that just isn’t coming together, after months or years of work and revision. I have dozens of those and hope someday to be able to come back to them all.

EL: I totally relate! Do you have any words of advice for aspiring kidlit writers.

MR: Keep at it. It took me ten years. As long as you persevere and keep in the game, there is a finite chance. When you give up, the odds go down. To zero.

EL: Anything else you’d like readers to know?

MR: Having success getting published as a children’s book author is a miracle which has come rather late in my life, following careers in science, innovation, and music. It couldn’t have happened without my ‘writing village.’ I am particularly grateful to Meira Firon (my Israeli publisher, Tal-May) who together with chief editor Yotam Schwimmer improved Emily’s story and turned it into a lovely book with gorgeous illustrations of Orit Magia, to my wonderful agents Liza Fleissig and Ginger Harris, and Annie Kelley, Penguin Random House, who fell in love with the original Hebrew book, and turned it into an even lovelier book in English. I can’t wait to see the English version of Emily Saw a Door in stores, libraries, and the hands of young children. I am coming all the way to New York for the book launch in February to see for myself.

EL: I wish I lived closer to New York! But I’ll be with you in spirit!

• Here is the website where books can be ordered from various vendors:
• https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/774317/emily-saw-a-door-by-mel-rosenberg-illustrated-by-orit-magia/

Find Mel at

@writer_inventor_musician on Instagram 

@melrosenberg.bsky.social on Bluesky

And now for

Mel is happy to do a 30-minute “Ask me anything” session with one lucky winner. I can tell you through personal experience that he has a lot to offer! 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.  

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On a personal note, I’m currently scheduling school author visits for the rest of the 2025-2026 school year as well as the 2026-2027 school year. I’d love to visit YOU or a school near you! Please check out  https://EllenLeventhal.com.   

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

Until next time,

Ellen