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| Photo by Carter Hasegawa |
Martha Seif Simpson is the author of the new children's picture book A Ring for a King: A Tale of King Solomon. Her other books include Esther's Gragger. She is also a librarian.
Q: What inspired you to write A Ring for a King?
A: I started writing this story in 2020, during the early months of the Covid-19 pandemic, when we had to isolate and wear masks. No one understood how the disease spread or how long the pandemic was going to last.
While I was at home, I happened to look through an anthology of folktales from around the world and found a tale I had heard years ago in a rabbi’s sermon.
I don’t want to say the title because that phrase is the punchline of my story, but it was about King Solomon who was looking for the right words to make a sad person happy and a happy person sad. The gist of the story is that nothing lasts forever and bad times will eventually end.
I was inspired to retell the story for a younger audience because it’s a positive message and I wanted to share that optimism with readers of all ages.
Q: Did you need to do much research to write the book, and if so, did you learn anything that especially surprised you?
A: I searched for references to the phrase online and found several versions of the tale. Most of them involved King Solomon, who ruled in Israel from around 970 to 931 BCE.
But I was surprised to find that the phrase was also common in Persian culture and was popularized by a 13th century Persian Sufi poet named Farid Al-din Attar of Nishapu.
Over the years, the tale spread around the world, and rings, amulets, and even tattoos have been discovered engraved with that phrase. And Abraham Lincoln referred to it in a campaign speech in 1859!
Another thing I found was that all the versions featured men as the characters, whether or not the story included King Solomon. I knew that I wanted to retell the story as a picture book because I thought the theme of hope was important to convey to children. So I decided to make the main character a child, and tell my story from the perspective of a young servant boy.
Q: What do you think D. Yael Bernhard’s illustrations add to the book?
A: I’m so glad you asked that question!
A Ring for a King is my third book with Wisdom Tales. Yael also illustrated the first two - The Dreidel That Wouldn’t Spin: A Toyshop Taleof Hanukkah and Esther’s Gragger: A Toyshop Tale of Purim – and I knew she would be perfect for this book.
For one thing, she does her research in order to get the setting and the characters just right. In her artist’s note at the back of the book, she explains that her illustrations were inspired by ancient sculptures, pottery, and other artifacts she found in the Old City of Jerusalem. You can see that reflected in the costumes, architecture, and the things the characters carry.
Our other books also have central objects – a dreidel and graggers – and Yael brought them to life with her beautiful, intricate designs. I knew she would bring the same artistic magic to her illustrations of the ring.
I also love the colorful borders and patterns that adorn the cover and several pages of the book. Special touches like those enhance the mood of time and place in the story.
Q: What do you hope kids take away from the story?
A: Even though the worst of the pandemic is over, life is full of ups and downs and uncertainty. Kids may face challenges at home, in school, or with another part of their lives. Or maybe everything is going great and they’re one of the popular kids.
I would like kids to read this book and see that if times are tough, they can get through it. Or if they’re one of the lucky ones, don’t take it for granted.
I also want readers to know that words have power. King Solomon and Ezrah are searching for the right words to promote comfort and wisdom. But words like those the cook shouts at Ezrah can also hurt. So be careful how you use them. It’s always better to spread hope and reassurance instead of anger or negativity.
Q: What are you working on now?
A: I have several picture books that I’m trying to get ready to submit. Every time I think a manuscript is ready, my critique partners find things I need to change. Sometimes I can make revisions right away, and other times I have to let the story sit for a while before I go back to it.
I signed a contract for a new book recently, but I can’t announce it just yet. This one is a humorous story and I’m looking forward to seeing what the illustrator does with it.
Q: Anything else we should know?
A: I have a website that has information about my books, along with activities and discussion questions. The website also has my monthly newsletter, The Simpsonian Muse, which includes book recommendations and photos from my travels around the world. You can find it at https://www.martha-seif-simpson.com.
I’m also on Facebook: Martha Kidlit Author, Bluesky: @marthakidlitauthor.bsky.social, and Instagram: martha_kidlit_author. And if you’ve enjoyed any of my books, please leave a review on Goodreads or Amazon.
Thank you, Deborah, for including me in your Book Q&As blog. It’s such an honor for me to be among so many wonderful authors and illustrators!
--Interview with Deborah Kalb
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