Richard Michelson is the author of the new children's picture book Fanny's Big idea: How Jewish Book Week Was Born. His many other books include What Louis Brandeis Knows. He lives in Massachusetts.
Q: What inspired you to write a children’s picture book biography of librarian Fanny Goldstein (1895-1961)?
A: Hi Deborah, I first heard the name Fanny Goldstein in 2018. I was fortunate to receive my second Sydney Taylor Gold Medal and while I was attending the Association of Jewish Libraries annual conference, I attended the Fanny Goldstein Merit Award presentation.
I noticed that many of my favorite Jewish librarians had previously won the award, and I was curious about the person the prize was named after; and amazed to learn how much Fanny had accomplished in her life, especially as a woman, an immigrant, and a Jew.
She created the Jewish Book Council, and Jewish Book Week (now Jewish Book Month) which turns 100 in November. Yet I could find nothing about her early life, so I decided to investigate.
Q: The Kirkus Review of the book called it a “timeless and timely tribute to the enduring power of literature and libraries to build bridges.” What do you think of that description?
A: Thank you, Kirkus. Fanny was all about building bridges. She was the original “windows and mirrors” proponent! Every person deserves to both see themselves represented in books, and to learn about other cultures. As Fanny always said, “the more you know about someone’s life, the harder it is not to like them.”
Q: What do you think Alyssa Russell’s illustrations add to the book?
A: Alyssa Russell did an amazing job bringing the story to life. It is hard to believe it is her first published picture book. Her work is child friendly, playful, imaginative, and engaging. She captured Fanny’s emotions at the most important moments in her life, her grief at her father’s death, and her passion for helping others.
Q: What do you hope readers take away from the book, especially given the current political climate?
A: I hope kids understand that immigrants have been a great addition to this country, and books are a wonderful avenue to help us understand each other. Libraries are essential places to foster understanding and opportunity.
Q: What are you working on now?
A: As you know, this has been a busy year for me with four titles in 2025! Mostly I am working on my next adult poetry collection, doing PR for my children’s books, and trying to plan the 36th annual illustration celebration at R. Michelson Galleries, which represents many of the country’s best loved illustrators.
Q: Anything else we should know?
A: Yes, as Fanny said, “everyone should appreciate their neighbor’s customs. I want to spread the idea that one can respect another person even though they are different.”
--Interview with Deborah Kalb. Here's a previous Q&A with Richard Michelson.
As Fanny Goldstein’s Great Niece, I applaud Richard Michelson for writing this book and bringing all of her accomplishments into the “limelight”! She was a compassionate and loving person who accepted all people no matter what race, religion, ethnicity, or gender they represented. It’s a wonderful book for children to read and learn how to accept people’s differences. That was the story of her life!!
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