AUTHOR ISRAEL ADVENTURE 3rd Cohort
Participant Biographies

Adam Lehrhaupt

Adam Lehrhaupt is the award-winning author of more than a dozen books for children, including Warning: Do Not Open This Book!, Chicken in Space, I Will Not Eat You, Wordplay, This is a Good Story, and Sloth Went. He has traveled to six continents, performed on Broadway, and lived on a kibbutz. Adam firmly believes that writing a book is a good thing, even if there are monkeys in it. He currently lives in the suburbs of Philadelphia, PA, with his wife, two sons, and their bizarre dog.

Adam Gidwitz

Adam Gidwitz is the author of the Sydney Taylor winner and Newbery Honor book The Inquisitor's Tale, the bestselling series The Unicorn Rescue Society, and the bestselling A Tale Dark & Grimm books. He produced a ten-episode animated adaptation of A Tale Dark & Grimm for Netflix, which became one of the top ten shows world-wide for any age group. Adam is also the creator of the podcast Grimm, Grimmer, Grimmest, recipient of a Parents' Choice Gold award.

A. J. Sass

A. J. Sass (he/they) is an author whose narrative interests lie at the intersection of identity, neurodiversity, and allyship. His debut novel, Ana on the Edge, was a 2020 Booklist Editors' Choice, an ALA 2021 Rainbow Book List Top 10 title for Young Readers, and a Junior Library Guild Gold Standard selection. He is also the author of Ellen Outside the Lines, which has received starred reviews from Booklist and School Library Journal and is a Junior Library Guild Gold Standard selection, the co-author of Camp QUILTBAG, and a contributor to the This Is Our Rainbow and Allies anthologies. When he's not writing, A. J. figure skates and travels as much as possible. He lives in the San Francisco Bay Area with his partner and two cats who act like dogs.

Barbara Bietz

Barbara Bietz is an award-winning author of Jewish books for children, including several PJ Library/PJ Our Way selections. Barbara created the website Jewish Books for Kids where she interviews authors, illustrators, editors, and more. Barbara has served as chair of the Sydney Taylor Book Awards committee and is currently the Assistance Regional Advisor of the Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators (SCBWI) in the Central California Region. When Barbara isn't reading, she is probably typing away at her desk with dogs snuggling at her feet. She is inspired by her favorite books and enjoys playing guitar and building doll houses. Barbara lives with her family in Southern California.

Elizabeth Kellner Suneby

Elizabeth Kellner Suneby is a marketing professional now focused on her true love, writing. Her diverse books focus on helping children and teens find their voice. Several of her books have earned multiple awards, including the AAAS/Subaru SB&F Prize for Excellence in Science Books (for Iqbal and his Ingenious Idea), and the International Reading Association's Social Justice Literature Award, and the Middle East Outreach Council's Picture Book Award (for Razia's Ray of Hope). Liz loves to lead workshops with students using her books as a springboard to discuss themes such as the fundamental right of education for all children, sustainability, gratitude, and kindness. Liz and her husband live outside of Boston, Massachusetts and are grateful that their young adult children are not too far away.

Henry Herz

Henry Herz is the author of twelve picture books, including the Kirkus starred and ALA Notable Children's Book, I Am Smoke. He's written short stories for middle grade, young adult, and adult readers, including Out, Damned Virus, Bar Mitzvah on Planet Latke (Coming of Age anthology), The Magic Backpack, Unbreakable, A Vampire, an Astrophysicist, and a Mother Superior Walk Into a Basilica, The Case of the Murderous Alien, Demon Hunter Vashti, Maria & Maslow, and A Proper Party. Henry has edited four anthologies featuring NY Times bestselling authors, including Coming of Age: 13 B'Nai Mitzvah Stories, The Hitherto Secret Experiments of Marie Curie, and Wink.

Jennifer Wolf-Kam

Jennifer Wolf Kam writes books for children and young adults. Jennifer's debut picture book, Until the Blueberries Grow, was published by PJ Publishing/PJ Library in May 2022. Her young adult supernatural novel, Devin Rhodes is Dead, was published by Charlesbridge. She lives in New York with her family and a cuddly rescue kitty named KitKat.

Joanne Levy

As the youngest among four children, Joanne Levy was often left to her own devices and could frequently be found sitting in a quiet corner with her nose in a book. Joanne left the corporate world in 2013 to write her own books and help other authors with their administrative needs as a virtual author assistant. Joanne is the author of the Sydney Taylor notable books, Sorry For Your Loss and Small Medium At Large. Her other titles include Fish Out of Water, The Sun Will Come, and Double Trouble. She lives in rural Ontario, Canada with her husband and kids of the furred and feathered variety.

Joshua Levy

Joshua Levy is a former middle school teacher, current practicing lawyer, and the author of several middle grade books, including Seventh Grade Vs. the Galaxy and the forthcoming The Jake Show, about a Jewish kid navigating the very different worlds of his divorced parents - one Orthodox, one secular - and the lies he tells to get to a summer camp neither parent would approve of. Born and raised in Florida, Josh lives with his wife and children in New Jersey.

Kathy Kacer

Kathy's many books focus on the second World War and the Holocaust, and include The Secret of Gabi's Dresser, Hiding Edith, To Look a Nazi in the Eye, Call Across the Sea, The Brushmaker's Daughter, Broken Strings, and Under the Iron Bridge. A winner of numerous Forest of Reading Awards, the Jewish Book Award in Canada and the U.S., and the Yad Vashem Award for Children's Holocaust Literature in Israel, Kathy has written unforgettable stories inspired by real events. She is published in 20 countries and travels the world speaking to young people in schools and libraries about the importance of the Holocaust and keeping its memory alive.

Nancy Churnin

Nancy Churnin writes books about people who have made the world a better place and inspire children to be heroes and heroines. She won the 2021 National Jewish Book Award and 2022 Sydney Taylor Honor for Dear Mr. Dickens (now the subject of an educational program offered by The Charles Dickens Museum in London), and two Sydney Taylor Notables, for A Queen to the Rescue, The Story of Henrietta Szold Founder of Hadassah and Irving Berlin, the Immigrant Boy Who Made America Sing. Among her other book honors: multiple Social Studies Notable Trade Books for Young People, Silver Eureka Awards, Bank Street School of Education Best Books for Kids lists and A Mighty Girl lists; the South Asia Book Award, two Children and Teen's Choice Book Awards finalists, two Junior Library Guild selections and starred reviews from School Library Journal, Kirkus Reviews and Publishers Weekly.

Nancy Werlin

Nancy Werlin is the author of 12 novels for young people, including the National Book Award finalist The Rules of Survival, the Edgar Award winner The Killer's Cousin, and The NY Times bestseller Impossible. Her most recent books are the contemporary comedy Zoe Rosenthal Is Not Lawful Good and the middle-grade historical fantasy Healer and Witch. She lives near Boston with her husband.

Richard Ho

Richard Ho is the author of the acclaimed picture books Red Rover: Curiosity on Mars, illustrated by Katherine Roy, and The Lost Package, illustrated by Jessica Lanan. He enjoys writing stories about identity, culture, science, and the magic of everyday life. He is a former journalist and educational scriptwriter, and currently an executive editor for a leading edtech company. He converted to Judaism in 2007 and is proud to share his experiences and perspective as a Chinese-American Jew.

Sabina Hahn

Sabina Hahn is a Brooklyn-based illustrator, animator and sculptor who loves stories and tall tales. She is a master of capturing subtle fleeting expressions and the most elusive of gestures. She is a co-founder of Interval Studios.

Sarah Aronson

Sarah Aronson began writing for kids and teens when someone in an exercise class dared her to try. Since then, she has earned an MFA in Writing for Children and Young Adults from Vermont College of Fine Arts, and published a variety of books for kids and teens including Beyond Lucky, The Wish List series, Just Like Rube Goldberg (illustrated by Robert Neubecker), and Brand New Bubbe (illustrated by Ariel Landy). A picture book biography of Bella Abzug, called Abzuglutely, is forthcoming. When not writing, reading, or riding her bike, Sarah loves talking to readers about creativity, writing, and social action. She also works with other writers at the Highlights Foundation.

Sofiya Pasternack

Sofiya Pasternack is a mental health professional, highly-distractible author of Jewish MG and YA fantasy, and an over-sharer of gross medical stories. She enjoys yapping ad nauseam about writing, both in live presentations and in videos on her YouTube channel. She is actually a gremlin in a bad wig. Sofiya's debut MG fantasy novel Anya and the Dragon is a 2019 Sydney Taylor Book Honoree for Middle Grade, and the follow-up, Anya and the Nightingale, was also a STBA Honoree, as well as a National Jewish Book Award Finalist. Her newest middle grade title, Black Bird, Blue Road, received starred reviews from Kirkus and Publisher's Weekly.

Tammar Stein

Tammar Stein is the award-winning author of books for children and young adults, including Beni's War, (winner of the Middle East Book Award); The Six-Day Hero (a Junior Library Guild Selection and Sydney Taylor Honor title); and Light Years (an American Library Association Best Book of the Year). Tammar has lived on three continents, in five countries, and six states. She currently lives in Singapore with her family and their puppy, a Singapore Special found living in a factory, who prefers spicy curry to dog food.

Terri Libenson

Terri Libenson is the New York Times bestselling author of the Emmie & Friends middle grade series (HarperCollins) and cartoonist of the Reuben Award-winning, internationally syndicated comic strip, The Pajama Diaries (2006-2020). Previously, she was an award-winning humorous card writer and illustrator for American Greetings. Terri lives with her husband, two daughters, and spirited dog in Cleveland, OH.

Tracy Newman

Tracy Newman is a children's book writer who lives in Coastal Connecticut with her family and menagerie of rescue animals. She is the author of Itzhak: A Boy Who Loved The Violin, (a Schneider Family Book Award for Young Children Honor Book), the ... IS COMING! series of Jewish-themed holiday board books, and several other picture books. Tracy gets her inspiration from the daily roller coaster of life as a mom in the suburbs, juggling work, family, community and the occasional exercise class.

Vesper Stamper

Born in Germany and raised in New York City, Vesper Stamper writes and illustrates novels which tell stories of history's rhymes. Her debut illustrated YA novel, What the Night Sings, about the aftermath of the Holocaust through the eyes of a young musician, was a National Book Award Nominee, a National Jewish Book Award Finalist, a Morris Award Finalist, a Golden Kite Honor Book and Sydney Taylor Book Award Winner, and was named one of the Best YA Books of 2018/9 by YALSA, the Wall Street Journal and Kirkus. Vesper has a BFA in Illustration from Parsons and an MFA in Illustration as Visual Essay from School of Visual Arts. She's the host of the podcast Vesperisms: The Art of Thinking for Yourself, which aims to cultivate a rehumanized worldview through artistic thinking. Vesper lives with her husband, the filmmaker Ben Stamper, and her two teenagers, in the Northeast. She teaches illustration at School of Visual Arts.

AUTHOR ISRAEL ADVENTURE 3rd Cohort Participant Biographies