Alice Blumenthal McGinty is the author of the new children's picture book Tractor Zack on Sunshine Kibbutz. Her other books include A Synagogue Just Like Home. She lives in Michigan and in Illinois.
Q: In your new book’s Author's Note, you say you were inspired you to write Tractor Zack on Sunshine Kibbutz by a visit to a preschool in Israel. Can you say more about that?
A: I was lucky enough to be one of the authors selected to go to Israel in 2017 on PJ Library's first Author Israel Adventure. The 10-day guided tour of Israel was designed to inspire authors to write about Israel and for me it did exactly that!
Inspired by the deep connections I felt that many different people have with Israel, I wrote the picture book, My Israel and Me (also illustrated by Rotem Teplow and published by Kalaniot Books in 2021).
Tractor Zack on Sunshine Kibbutz was inspired when our group visited a kibbutz and spent some time at their preschool. Outside on the playground was an old tractor, and my goodness, those children LOVED to climb and play on the tractor!
I began to think about the tractor, and how it had come to be where it was on the playground of the preschool.
So many of my stories begin with questions, often those deeper level "how" or "why" questions. In this case I pondered about the tractor and asked, "How did this come to be?"
I could assume that the tractor hadn't begun its life on the preschool playground. It must have been a working tractor for many years, plowing the fields on the kibbutz. I could see the wear and tear from its years of use.
But eventually, age and repair must have prevented it from being of use anymore on the fields. Many farmers might have gotten rid of the tractor then, saying it was of no use.
But that's not what happened on the kibbutz. Instead, the tractor was brought to the preschool, where it began a whole new life, loved and appreciated by the children.
As I thought about the possibilities for the story, I could see that it represented something larger - the idea that on a kibbutz, everyone has a job to do, no matter their age or ability level, and everyone is valued for their contributions to the community. That type of cooperative community, to me, is the beauty of kibbutz life.
And we can take it even further, offering the hope that in ANY community anywhere, we will value people for their contributions, continuing to allow them to be a part no matter what their age or ability level. We all need to feel that sense of purpose and belonging.
So, with that deeper grounding, I knew I wanted to write the story of Tractor Zack on Sunshine Kibbutz.
Q: Is Sunshine Kibbutz based on an actual kibbutz?
A: I see Sunshine Kibbutz as a composite of many kibbutzim, especially those which do farming activities, but any which follow the model of a cooperative community.
Q: What do you think Rotem Teplow’s illustrations add to the book?
A: I LOVE her illustrations! The way she brings the characters to life is wonderful! Tractor Zack is SO expressive, conveying all of the emotions he experiences along his journey, from worry to sadness to pure joy.
And Farmer Freya and her grandson Ben -- Rotem has given them great personality and vitality. They seem real to me! I also love the way Rotem brought in fun, playful elements, like incorporating the dog throughout the story.
She's made this story into a beautiful, expressive, active, and engaging book with vibrant colors that bring the story and its setting and characters to life. Rotem's style is very child-friendly so I'm hopeful that when the book comes out, kids will love it and truly connect with the story.
Q: What do you hope kids take away from the story?
A: I hope kids will come away feeling a sense of enjoyment and satisfaction from the story and its resolution.
I also hope they'll take away an appreciation of the idea that everyone, no matter their age and ability level, can and should be valued for their contributions, welcoming new possibilities as we change over time, just like Tractor Zack.
Q: What are you working on now?
A: I'm telling an interesting true story which not many people are aware of -- the story of the Levy family, who owned Thomas Jefferson's home, Monticello, for 90 years and saved it from ruin - twice.
Uriah Levy was one of the first Jewish commanders in the Navy and revered Thomas Jefferson for bringing religious freedom to America in the early 1800s, which allowed Levy to follow his passion and serve his country.
When Levy learned that Monticello was in shambles after Jefferson's family had sold the home to pay his debts, he knew he needed to honor his hero by saving his beloved home.
Q: Anything else we should know?
A: Thank you for the opportunity to talk with you!
--Interview with Deborah Kalb. Here's a previous Q&A with Alice Blumenthal McGinty.
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