David A. Adler never thought he would be a writer. It was a chance encounter with his 3 year old nephew that led Adler to write his first children’s book. “My nephew came to my house and asked me a question. And he kept asking questions,” said Adler. ”When he left, I had all those questions swirling in my head and that led to my very first published story, A Little At A Time.”
Years and several books later, Adler created his most prolific character, Cam Jansen. The series encourages readers to solve cases with Cam, a young girl with a photographic memory and a penchant for figuring out neighborhood mysteries. First published in 1977, there are almost 50 Cam Jansen books in publication.
Adler’s newest PJ Library book, Hanukkah Cookies with Sprinkles, also features a dynamic young girl. The book is told from the perspective of Sara who lives with her mother and grandmother. One day she notices an elderly gentleman taking food from a local store’s trash pile. Sara begins leaving food for the man, eventually befriends him, and hosts her in her home for a Hanukkah meal.
“There are two messages here,” Adler says about the book. “One is that you should help others less fortunate than you. And two–which I think is important–is that a child can do it too!”
Adler’s connection to PJ Library isn’t just as an Author with three books in the collection. “When my children were much younger, I read to them every night at bedtime,” he says. “We loved our time together and the books we shared. Now that my grandsons are PJ members, many of the books their parents read to them are Jewish books. I hope this will give them a love of books, of Jewish books, and of Judaism.”
Why We Chose This Book: We were drawn to Hanukkah Cookies with Sprinkles for many reasons. First, it's a meaningful story about Hanukkah that includes an important message about tzedakah (charity). We liked that the book showed that people who are down on their luck still know how to make magic -- literally and metaphorically. The storytelling and illustrations are lively and compelling and it didn't hurt that it inspired us to make cookies! Hanukkah Cookies with Sprinkles is being sent to PJ subscribers in the 6 year age group in November 2015. It is also available from Behrman House.
December 21, 2015