I lived in 17 different homes in various parts of the country, before settling long enough in my previous home to write a poetry collection about it called My House Is Singing.

 

Growing up, my parents used to tell me that because I loved to argue and to write, I would make a good lawyer. After graduating from UC Berkeley, and then living in Israel for a while, I became a lawyer. As the Western States Counsel for the Anti-Defamation League, I kept busy fighting the bad guys. Eventually leaving the practice of law, I turned to writing personal essays and children’s books. My essays have appeared in numerous newspapers and magazines, including the Los Angeles Times, The Baltimore Sun, The Christian Science Monitor, Mothering magazine, The Jewish Journal, Working Writer, and California Monthly magazine. I've also ghost-written a couple of books for adults.

 

My second book for children, It’s Not Worth Making a Tzimmes Over! was inspired by our son Joel’s baking mishap and the feisty grandmothers I play badminton with regularly.

 

I also got the idea for my book, Which Shoes Would You Choose? from our son Joel. In keeping with his various activities, Joel had so many shoe changes in one afternoon that I just had to write a book about it.

 

Looking For Me...in this great big family is my first novel. I always knew that one day I would put into writing the story of my mother's childhood. The book is a tribute to my large, loud, and infinitely lovable extended family. Click here for a podcast of my interview  about Looking For Me...in this great big family at the American Library Association (ALA) Conference.

 

My next two picture books, An Ambush of Tigers and Porcupine's Picnic, were not inspired by my family, although sometimes they do act a bit like wild animals.

 

A few of my poems appear in: Phonics Through Poetry and More Phonics Through Poetry, both compiled by Babs Bell Hajdusiewicz (1999 Good Year Books). Four poems from my books LOOKING FOR ME...in this great big family and MY HOUSE IS SINGING were posted by the Children's Poet Laureate on www.PoetryMinute.org as part of his poem-a-day program for school children in 2013.

 

To read my poems, please visit www.PoetryMinute.org.

 

My latest book, When Lightnin' Struck, is a middle grade historical fiction inspired by my interest in the history of the Jews of Spain.

 

I currently live in Southern California in my 18th home with my husband, David, and our two dogs. Our three children are adults making their way in the world and are all certainly worth making a tzimmes over!