29 Jan Celebrate Purim with Nancy Churnin, Varda Livney, and Barbara Kimmel!

EL: Today, we have a triple delight on Writing Outside the Lines. I would like to welcome three talented authors and their delightful board books celebrating Purim.

For those who don’t know what Purim is, here is a very short explanation. Purim is a joyous Jewish holiday celebrating the salvation of the Jewish people from a plot to destroy them in ancient Persia. On this fun holiday there are a lot of celebrations, including reading the story of Purim,  wearing costumes, and shaking noise makers whenever the villain Haman’s name is read. It’s also a time of feasting and giving gifts to the poor and to friends.

I’m excited to talk about Purim Baskets by Nancy Churnin, illustrated by Amy Schimler-Safford; Purim Possibilities by Barbara Kimmel, illustrated by Irina  Avgustinovich; and Today I Am a Hamantasch, written and illustrated by Varda Livney. The beautiful pairing of words and illustrations brings these precious books to life. Nancy Churnin is so in love with Schimler-Safford’s whimsical art that she has a framed picture from the book on her wall. These books are all PJ Library books which means a lot of lucky kiddos will be receiving them.

To learn more about PJ Library, which provides free Jewish-centered books to Jewish children every month, visit their website at  https://pjlibrary.org/home. All three of these books will be available on Amazon, but not until Feb. 1 (no pre-orders for PJ Library). 

I can’t wait to give all three of these books to some little ones I know. Each book is a bit different, but they are all colorful, interesting, and so much fun!

 So…let’s get on with it! Welcome, everyone! Will you please tell us a little about yourselves?

NANCY: I was born and raised in the Bronx, but have been a Texan for more than a quarter of a century now, ever since my husband and I came here to write for The Dallas Morning News. I always loved books so much that I slept with them at night instead of stuffed animals. I dreamed of writing children’s books from childhood through to the time I was working as a journalist and a theater critic. My first books came out when I was still reviewing theater. I am now a full-time children’s book author, but I still love theater and maintain a Facebook group called Where the Drama Is where I can share thoughts and keep up with our Dallas-Fort Worth theater community. I also find that knowing a lot of songs from musicals helps when I need to sing my baby grandchildren to sleep!

BARBARA:   I’m a Memphis native married to a New Yorker, and we found our happy middle ground in Atlanta 30 years ago. It’s been a wonderful city to raise our children in, with warm weather and a diverse, welcoming community. Our three kids are grown and spread across the country, so we spend a lot of time visiting them in New York, Washington, DC, and Austin—all fun places to visit!

When I’m not writing stories for children, I write plays, mostly about women finding their voices and speaking up for themselves. My plays have been produced around the country and even in London. No matter the form, I love telling stories and cheering on anyone else doing the same.

VARDA: I’ve lived in Philly, New Jersey, Jerusalem and Tel-Aviv, and am now happily ensconced on Kibbutz Gezer with my husband (who is from Kansas) and our kids (who are from Israel). Kibbutz is a great place to live if you like the smell of cows and everybody being in your business. Which I guess I do. 

Our house is down the street from the famous Gezer Baseball Field (famous, that is, if you live in Israel and play baseball), AND from Tel Gezer (a tiny mountain, which was the dowry given to King Solomon when he married Pharoah’s daughter).

(Honest. You can look it up.)

Besides illustrating and writing, which is fun and challenging (except for when it’s discouraging and draining), I work 2 days a week for another artist (mostly spot-welding). This gives my brain a rest, helps me keep track of what day it is, and gets me out of the house (all important for a freelancer). Listening to audiobooks while I’m welding is a plus. 

EL: Nancy, you are mostly known for writing amazing picture book biographies. What made you decide to write board books? 

NANCY: My new grandkids – and my mom! When I wrote my first board book, Counting on Shabbat, my mom had started on her journey with dementia. She was unable to read the long books she loved. She was even struggling to read my picture books. But, I was able to read her this gentle, 48-word rhyming board book about a kind family that brings Shabbat to a senior, and she loved hearing it again and again. Not only was I motivated to create more board books for her, this year I was blessed to become a grandma to Lydia from my son Josh and his wife, Anna, and Ezra from my son Sam and his wife, Cydnee. I am over the moon excited to add Purim Baskets to their overflowing bookshelves – which will also include Barbara’s and Varda’s new board books.

EL: Varda, I’ve known you primarily as an illustrator. What made you decide to be an author also?

 VARDA:  I DID write and illustrate one book in 2002, What I Like About Passover, (published by Simon & Schuster,) which was picked up by PJ Library in PJ’s first years.  I then went on to illustrate other books, AND to write and design over 400 greeting cards for Recycled Paper Greetings (which was a little like writing very very short books). In 2019 I was accepted to PJ Library’s Tent program, which encouraged me to write again. After that, I started submitting books, and am now working on my 9th(!) PJ book. 

EL: Barbara, as someone who actually did the “Hanukkah Hippity-Hop” with her granddaughter, writing joyous Jewish books seems to be “your thing.” Can you speak to that? 

BARBARA: Oh, Ellen, you’ve made my day! That’s exactly why I write joyous Jewish books! Hearing that you and your granddaughter enjoyed Hanukkah Hippity-Hop makes me so happy. During the pandemic, I started writing for children and entered as many contests as I could to practice and connect with other writers. One favorite was Vivian Kirkfield’s “50 Precious Words,” where you write a story in 50 words or fewer. The first year I entered, I was thrilled to place 5th out of more than 700 entries, and the next year I placed 4th. My stories were all short, interactive, and rhyming, and I realized that’s the style I enjoy most. Jewish-themed stories are especially meaningful to me, so I focused on Jewish holidays and haven’t looked back.

EL: Although all three of these adorable books are board books, they seem to be for slightly different age groups. 

BARBARA: PJ Library thoughtfully matches books with a child’s stage of development. Although all three of our titles are board books, each is geared toward a different age group.

Today I Am a Hamantasch is sent to children who are under age one. Its smaller size is just right for little hands. The simple text and gentle artwork introduce dressing up for Purim at a calm, cozy pace, and fun die-cut circles let little fingers peek, poke, and play.

Purim Baskets will be sent to PJ families with one-year-olds. This age loves to point and participate in stories. Giving mishloach manot (Purim baskets) to different animals turns the book into a fun guessing game that keeps early talkers engaged.

Purim Possibilities will be sent to families with three-year-olds who are ready for imaginative play and have longer attention spans. With more text and mix-and-match costume stickers, kids can create endless combinations and return to the book again and again.

Three different board books each share the joy of Purim in different age-appropriate ways!

EL: Do any of you have anything else in the pipeline you can talk about?

NANCY: My new picture book, The Miracle Menorah of Mariupol, illustrated by the amazing Marissa Moss, will be released Sept. 1 from Creston Books. As you know, Hanukkah is a holiday known for the miracle of the oil, of light lasting longer than was thought possible. This is a true story of a modern-day Hanukkah miracle in war-ravaged Ukraine, with a menorah bringing light when it’s needed most. I hope this book will encourage kids to hold onto hope in dark times. 

VARDA: I have a PJ Library book coming out in April, which I’m pretty excited about,Sarah and Abraham: A Torah Story (with Goats). It’s a funny board book introducing babies and toddlers to life in biblical times, to the seven species (and of course, to goats).

EL: These books sound fantastic! Congrats! Let’s talk about writing groups. Would anyone like to comment on that? 

VARDA: I have a critique group here in Israel. It’s the best thing ever! Each Sunday, one of us emails a story we are working on to the group. By Thursday, everyone replies (to all) with a critique. This means that every 6 weeks or so, I have a deadline to write a new story or revise an existing idea. Without this, I might NEVER write any new stories! (Added bonus: We learn from ALL of the critiques.)

EL: Yes! I learn SO much from my critque groups! What inspires you? 

NANCY: I am inspired by acts of kindness that I find in true stories and in my imagination as I think about what we can do to make our world more inclusive and loving. Purim Baskets is a book of the imagination about items in gift baskets that encourage kids to guess which creature they are for. I hope this book inspires kids to remember our creatures of the earth, water, and sky, and think of what gifts they can give them at home, at animal shelters, and in nature. The Miracle Menorah of Mariupol is a true story about a modern-day miracle and the hope we can find when we remember our communities, even when we are far apart. I hope this story gives kids strength in dark times, feeling the threads of love that bind us through time and space. 

BARBARA: I’m inspired by children, especially toddlers. They have such joy, energy, and curiosity. Everything is new and exciting to them. When I sit down to write, I think about these little ones and try to keep them engaged and entertained, while also sneaking a bit of learning into each book. I’ve had so much fun sharing my debut book, Hanukkah Hippity-Hop, at storytime events and watching kids laugh, jump, and spin. I wish I could bottle up that joy and carry it with me everywhere.

EL: What do you think is the best part about writing/illustrating kidlit?  What do you think is the most difficult part? 

NANCY: The most difficult part of writing kidlit is knowing the stories you must hold on to even when they are not immediately understood or appreciated by others and the ones you need to let go or recalibrate because they may never speak to others in their present form as they do to you. The best part of writing kidlit is the opportunity to reach for the best part of yourself, the part that thrums with the stories that move you to be your best, and share them with kids, hoping that they will resonate with them, too.   

VARDA: The best part of writing kidlit is the middle, when I have an idea, and am working on the doodles, sketches, and book dummy. I amuse myself, hoping it will amuse babies/toddlers/kids AND the people who read to them (and might have to read the same story 20 times).The most challenging part is the beginning (coming up with an idea that I think is great), and the end (doing the final art, which I never manage to feel is as fresh as the sketches.)

EL: Varda, I am in awe of illustrators and even more in awe of author/illustrators!  Do any of you have any words of advice for aspiring kidlit writers? 

NANCY: Write the stories that speak to your heart and revise, revise, revise until you have reduced them to their essence and they are light enough to soar. You may not find homes for all of them, at least not right away, but you will never regret what you wrote for love.  

VARDA: Join a critique group. (See above) 🙂 

EL: Thank you so much for joining us here today, Nancy, Varda, and Barbara.

Here’s where you can find these wonderful books on Feb. 1, 2026! 

Check out Varda’s book here: 

 https://www.amazon.com/Today-Am-Hamantasch-Poem-Purim/dp/196776400X/

Website: https://www.vardaart.com

And Nancy’s book here: 

• https://www.amazon.com/Purim-Baskets-Nancy-Churnin/dp/B0GF4GV6PQ/  

And Barbara’s book here: 

Barbara’s website: www.barbarakimmelwrites.com  

Barbara’s book Purim Possibilities on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Purim-Possibilities-Barbara-Kimmel/dp/1967764034/  

Thank you so much for visiting with us today, Nancy, Varda, and Barbara! Congratulations on these adorable books! 

And now it’s time for a …..

Nancy is happy to give away a copy of Purim Baskets. Barbara would like to give away a copy of Purim Possibilities. Varda looks forward to gifting someone a copy of Today I Am a Hamantasch.

Because there are three people on this post, I will randomly be picking THREE winners! Which book each person wins will also be random. 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