Pleasing them is not only a worthy goal, but a humbling challenge.

Adults tend to settle for what is okay kids hold out for something that captures them. This audience has impeccable taste, and I firmly believe that creating a good book for a child is much more demanding than creating one for an adult. The best part about being an author of children’s books is the opportunity to share stories with kids who love books. What’s the best part about being an author of children’s books? I carry a little notebook in my purse where I jot down ideas that I come across, and I remember writing “Cursed House” in my notebook that evening. The idea for the Cursed House actually came from listening to friends at a dinner party describe a house next door to them where strange events always seemed to be happening, including a night visit by armed FBI agents (which I used in my first chapter).

Do you have any experiences with haunted houses? Tell me a little bit about the haunted house in the story. I have new respect for authors who write memoirs! I have to say, it’s both enjoyable and terrifying to write that intimately. Some of the scenes, however, such as playing with Legos in the basement, going to town to buy spice cakes, and trick-or-treating at Halloween dressed as cats are directly lifted from my childhood. What was the fiction part? The Cursed House next door, Liat, and my mother spending time in Israel caring for a sister. I have a younger sister I hated gym, watched too much TV, and couldn’t get my hair to form wings. Very autobiographical! I really did grow up on Staten Island in the 1980s. How autobiographical is The Importance of Wings? I thoroughly enjoyed The Importance of Wings and was excited to learn more about the story from Robin. Her young adult novel, Nothing was a 2009 Sydney Taylor Notable Book for Teens. Robin is currently the special projects editor at the New Jersey Jewish News and is the author of five books for young readers, including The Importance of Wings. Set in the 1980s, the story offers a nostalgic slice of life for middle-grade readers and sheds light on the unique Israeli-American experience. Their family has immigrated to Staten Island from Israel. Her book, The Importance of Wings (Charlesbridge Publishing) is an engaging story of two sisters, Roxanne and Gayle. Robin Friedman is the winner of the Gold Medal for Older Readers. One of the highlights of the convention is honoring the winners of the Sydney Taylor Book Award. I have just returned from the Association of Jewish Libraries Convention in Seattle.

Nothing by robin friedman