Karen Rostoker-Gruber is the author of the new children's picture book Don't Invite a Bear Inside for Hanukkah. Her many other books include A Crowded Farmhouse Folktale.
Q: What inspired you to write Don't Invite a Bear Inside for Hanukkah?
A: This book took a different road to publication than my other books, as I've worked with Dena Neusner at Apples & Honey before. Every once and a while I send her a new book to review because I really respect her opinion. And she understands my sense of humor. (I leave a lot of room for the illustrator, so it's deadpan humor mostly.)
I sent a board book (about a cat and a bear) to Dena in 2020. She told me to rewrite the board book as a picture book, give the bear and cat (at the time there was a cat) more personality, flesh out the story, give it a story arc, and she'd look at it again. Yikes!
It took my mind until February 2022 (two years!) to rework it for her. You can't rush creativity. And, basically, it was a complete and total redo.
Also, at that time, I was into writing metafictional tales, as I didn't see any for Jewish children. Once the title popped into my head at 3 a.m., I just kept writing. (A metafictional tale is where the narrator speaks directly to the reader, telling the reader what to do and what not to do.)
And because the narrator is speaking to the reader, the child in my story is gender neutral. I wanted any child to feel like the narrator is speaking directly to them.
Q: What do you think Carles Arbat’s illustrations add to the story?
A: His illustrations are magical--from the forest scenes covered in snow to the facial expressions on the bear--tears. . .
...and smiles! Here's Carles holding up my favorite illustration.
Q: The School Library Journal review of the book says, “This book is a superb way to introduce and reinforce the traditions of Hanukkah. Children see examples of kindness, tolerance, and acceptance of others, as well as the importance of sharing one’s culture and beliefs.” What do you think of that description?
A: The book is about including all kinds of people--and bears, in this case--into your holiday plans, even if they have differing abilities or different needs. I know that I feel a lot better when I go to people's houses and they tell me what dishes I can have and what dishes I can't have; I'm gluten-free and dairy-free.
At my daughter’s wedding, just recently, they had gluten-free and dairy-free signs for all food at the rehearsal dinner and the cocktail hour. It was very freeing and it felt good to be included.
Q: What do you hope kids take away from the book?
A: You can invite anyone to a holiday dinner / celebration, but understand their needs or things may not go as planned.
Q: Anything else we should know?
A: Cool Facts: Carles Arbat, the illustrator, lives in Barcelona, Spain, and is not Jewish, so the art director had to show him photos of: gelt (chocolate coins); latkes (potato pancakes); dreidels (spinning tops with Hebrew letters: hay, shin, gimmel, and nun); sufganiyot (jelly donuts); and show him what a menorah looks like.
Here's an illustration of the bear and child getting the menorah off a very high shelf.
Here’s the book trailer for Don't Invite a Bear Inside
for Hanukkah:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pqp0vv-HkAc
I'll be reading this book and signing it on (You have to sign up):
December 7 at 11:00
The Howling Basset Bookstore
(908) 572-0757
To RSVP and sign up for the reading / signing:
If you want a signed copy, and can't come to the signing, but need it shipped, call The Bookworm at: 908-766-4599
The book is now available:
https://www.amazon.com/Dont-Invite-Bear-Inside-Hanukkah/dp/1681156423
http://www.karenrostoker-gruber.com
--Interview with Deborah Kalb
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