Month: April 2014

Diverse Books, Holidays, Picture books

The Elijah Door: A Passover Tale

As a newbie to the field of children’s book writing and publishing, it was a thrill to meet award-winning author Linda Leopold Strauss at a local SCBWI workshop and listen to stories about her long and successful career. She shared wonderful stories as well as provided advice about the craft of writing and the business of publishing a newbie like myself will always cherish.

One of Linda’s books that comes to mind during this Passover is The Elijah Door: A Passover Tale. The story is about two very close Jewish families, the Lippas and Galinskys. The families are so close that Rachel Galinsky and David Lippa want to get married, but their parents get into a feud. The neighbors and town rabbi intervene and come up with a plan to bring the two families together to celebrate Passover.

In addition to an engaging story, the woodcut illustrations by Alexi Natchev help the person being read to, or the reader, to imagine the old country back then located somewhere around Poland and or Russia. ”Alexi Natchev’s beautifully colored block prints evoke an Old World feel but also are playful and filled with expressive detail and movement.” – Arizona Jewish Post, 3/20/2012.

Blogger Planet Smarty Pants recommendations.

By Linda Leopold Strauss Holiday House (February 20, 2012)

Elijah door

 

Media

Check out the March 2014 edition of Among Worlds Magazine

My article, The Unexpected Expected: The Transition of My Third Culture Kids, is featured in the March 2014 edition of the Among Worlds Magazine. The magazine targets issues faced by Third Culture Adults & Kids (TCAs and TCKs). This March edition is dedicated to Reentry and Repatriation.

As an adult I have reentered and repatriated more than once. And although there are some similarities shared through reentry to one’s passport country the transition of a child has different challenges.

“Of course we expected the kids to be asked, “Where are you from?’’ A question often asked over and over while living abroad, but their answer usually sufficed and immediately identified them as ex-pat kids.  Upon re-entry, one answer did not project that identity. One answer was incomplete. Stating where they grew up or where they lived or where they were born were only parts of their stories. Our struggle as parents is to help them feel whole.”

I told some of their stories about their adjustment and shed light on what I observed during their transition.

I am happy to report my teen and young adult child are indeed well-adjusted in their passport country. And they are still and will always remain third culture kids with third culture adult parents.