Q&A with Charlotte Offsay

 

Photo by Natalia L Photography

 

 

Charlotte Offsay is the author of the children's picture book Challah Day!. Her other books include Matzah Day!. She lives in Los Angeles.

 

Q: The School Library Journal review of Challah Day! said, “In a time when Jewish people are facing violence and antisemitism, this book is an oasis of Jewish joy.” What do you think of that description?

 

A: I was and still am quite moved by that review. Raising Jewish children and living a Jewish life out loud has recently become scary in a way I had never anticipated.

 

I began writing Challah Day! purely to celebrate a treasured family tradition but publishing it at this particular moment in time I hope offers a window. I hope it shows the world that at its core we are not all that different, and that Judaism is rooted in family and connection.

 

Q: What do you think Jason Kirschner’s illustrations add to the story?

 

A: Jason Kirschner’s illustrations are playful perfection. Challah Day! for me is all about celebrating Jewish Joy and Jason elevates the text with the warm joyous family he cooked up.

 

Jason managed to infuse the text with an added layer of humor and brilliantly captures the celebratory deliciousness. I particularly love Jason’s shifts in perspective. One of my favorite spreads is the narrator leaping across giant-sized ingredients. I am very grateful to Jason for agreeing to partner with me on this book.

Q: What do you hope kids take away from the story?

 

A: Challah Day! flowed out of me like a song and still regularly gets stuck in my head every time I bake. It is my absolute favorite when parents send me videos of their kids reciting/singing the words of the book and then making their own challahs at home.

 

This to me is everything I ever could have hoped for - finding joy in the pages and inspiring others to embrace this timeless tradition.

 

Q: What are you working on now?

 

A: I am always working on cooking up new stories but at the moment I am getting ready to launch a follow up. Matzah Day! is a celebration of all the yummy ways we enjoy matzah on Passover.

 

Q: Anything else we should know?

 

A: I write the stories that take up the most space in my heart but I also spend a lot of time reviewing picture books as well. You can find more about my books and my recommendations on my Instagram page @picturebookrecommendations. Feel free to reach out to me there, I always love hearing from writers and readers.

 

--Interview with Deborah Kalb. Here's a previous Q&A with Charlotte Offsay.