It's Season's Readings with Joyce Schriebman!

Hi readers, writers and latke lovers of all kinds! We're thrilled to celebrate wintry holidays with a book that’s a perfect read for Hanukkah. Joyce Schriebman is with us sharing her delightful book, Oy, Santa! Or, There's a Latke to Learn about Hanukkah!

Joyce's book Oy, Santa! sparkles with holiday spirit as it celebrates Jewish pride and tradition during the winter season, sprinkled with laughter, friendship, and joyful inclusion. With a warm wink to Muslims who also don’t celebrate Christmas, this story is perfect for families, classrooms, and libraries looking for a timely seasonal read.

Want to know more about Joyce and her festive new book, PLUS want a chance to win a copy of your own? Read on...🕎✨

Q: Hi, Joyce. Thanks so much for joining #SeasonsOfKidLit for our Season’s Readings Event! We’re thrilled to have you and hear all about your whimsical book for the season. Can you share more about yourself and your path to becoming a #kidlit author with our readers? What were some of the challenges you overcame along the way?

A: I like people to know that I didn’t start out as a teacher, librarian, or a writer wanting to pen the next Great American Novel! I had a circuitous route to becoming an author—and late in life, at that! I started my professional career in the corporate world. When my then-husband was in grad school, I began teaching quilt making classes at night and then (with an Adult Ed credential in hand) workforce re-entry and computer classes for woman. A while later, I slid into the nonprofit world where I became a Marketing VP, completed a master’s degree in Nonprofit Admin, and developed a love of all things interfaith, creating a 501(c)3 dedicated to Jewish-Muslim engagement! That’s when I learned about a house in Israel/Palestine that had been turned into a peace center, and THAT was the first kidlit story I wrote. My motto is: Trust the Process.

That is such a wonderful background - thanks for sharing!

Q: I saw your book online and knew I had to read it/have you join us this season! Oy, Santa! Or, There's a Latke to Learn about Hanukkah features Oliver who helps both Santa and the readers  understand Jewish traditions. What a unique concept blending two holidays together! What inspired you to write this book and what was its path to publication like? Was it an easy sell or did you face challenges along the way? 

A:  While the title might suggest Oy, Santa! blends two holidays together, it’s actually a story about NOT blending the holidays together. Many folks—particularly those who don’t have much contact with Jews—think Hanukkah is “Jewish Christmas,” which it definitely ISN’T. I wanted to write a book that made a clear distinction between Christmas and Hanukkah—yet honored and respected each; helped interfaith families navigate the mistletoe and menorahs of the holiday season; and showcased a spunky Jewish kid with oodles of pride around his favorite holiday: HANUKKAH! Oy, Santa! is about recognizing, understanding, and embracing differences—actions that I think we need a lot more of these days.

Q: What’s your favorite spread and why?

A: I have two favorites. (I’m a YES/AND kinda gal.)

The first is the one where Ollie and his sister are choosing up sides for latke toppings: APPLESAUCE or SOUR CREAM? Historically this is a BIG Hanukkah debate and [another Spoiler Alert!] Santa comes down on the side of KETCHUP!

My second favorite image is the one of Santa at the North Pole waving goodbye to his dinner delivery service. For me, this spread reflects the genius of Gila in creating such delightful and charming illustrations about Santa’s interaction with The Real World. Not only are Santa’s cats delightfully tucked into the scene, but ketchup has become a core feature of Santa’s meal! (Santa’s workshop is also a masterpiece, but you’ll need to look that one up yourself.)

Q: What do you hope readers of all ages take away from this story and why is it a great gift for readers of all backgrounds? 

A: Oy, Santa! has many layers and offers different take-aways for different readers…and teachers! It’s the perfect non-religious-religious-holiday-book for the holidays—with multiple ways to use it in a classroom!

First is the entertainment factor. It’s LOL funny (if I do say so myself) with the wacky, whimsical correspondence between Oliver Overstreet and Santa who—like so many people— is confused about Jewish holidays. At one point Santa tells Ollie to “Enjoy his matzah,” which, of course, is not eaten at Hanukkah but instead is part of the Passover celebration! The book’s refrain comes up a lot and, as you can imagine, shouts of “OY, SANTA!” are lots of fun at a story time reading!

Then there’s the SEL layer where Ollie becomes so frustrated with Santa that he’s afraid he might wind up on Santa’s Naughty List! [Spoiler Alert: He doesn’t.] By the end of the story, Ollie has learned patience, self-control, and empathy—all traits young readers can identify with. So there’s a lot of opportunity to talk about things Ollie could have done differently before Santa gently says, “We all carried away sometimes.”

Another layer is representation—not only religious representation but also racial representation. Ollie is biracial with a Black dad and white mom. This surprises some readers but, in fact, accurately reflects the diversity of the Jewish community. And when Santa explains to Ollie that he knows who celebrates Christmas and who doesn’t, Santa reports that some of his elves are Muslim, and they don’t celebrate Christmas either. So there’s a LOT of diversity in the book—even the characters’ pets are diverse: Ollie has a dog and Santa has cats!

Then, of course, there’s the informational piece about Hanukkah (what it is and how it’s celebrated), which I’ve woven into the story and into backmatter, including jokes, dreidel playing instructions, candle lighting, and more. There’s a free Discussion Guide on my website https://joyceschriebman.com/books/oy-santa/ to assist parents, teachers and other adults who want to lead a conversation about any of these topics. And there’s an Activity Sheet for kids, too! And the Tanenbaum Foundation—an organization dedicated to promoting justice and building respect for religious difference—created a teacher’s resource https://tanenbaum.org/about-us/what-we-do/education/tanenbaum-bookshelf/ to connect Oy, Santa! to their nationally recognized religious literacy curriculum, Religions in My Neighborhood. I encourage your readers to check them out!

Finally, I have to mention Gila von Meissner’s amazing illustrations. Ollie’s life is drawn in a blue-toned pallet, and Santa’s North Pole life is drawn in red/green. The artwork is spectacular! I’m still finding little Easter eggs that Gila’s hidden in the spreads. Ted Lasso shout-out anyone???

Mostly Oy, Santa! is a fun read—in classrooms, living rooms, or under the covers with a flashlight! I like to call it subversively educational!

Q: What’s one question you wished we would’ve asked you, about you, your publishing journey, working with your publisher.

A: I want Seasons of Kidlit followers to know that there’s a lid for every pot. Somewhere out there is YOUR agent or YOUR publisher. A book like Oy, Santa! presents unique publishing challenges. I don’t have an agent, so I shopped the book around myself. Most traditional publishers don’t publish many Jewish-themed picture books. And most Jewish publishers don’t want a book where Santa Claus is central to the story. Brianna Caplan Sayers at Intergalactic Afikoman read the manuscript and reached out to me very quickly after I queried her. I’m grateful that her vision for the story and my vision for the story dove-tailed so well, It was beshert [Hebrew for “meant to be.”] The Intergalactic Afikoman emphasis on creating Jewish Joy was a perfect fit for Oliver Overstreet and Santa! So don’t give up. There IS a home for your book!

SO well said! Thanks for sharing, Joyce!

Q: BONUS: What’s your favorite way to celebrate the season?

A: LOL This is one of the questions for young readers that’s in my discussion guide! Every year the first thing I do is put the note on the mantel that my now-grown son wrote to Santa many years ago. This note partly inspired Oy, Santa! and there’s a picture of it in the back of the book. But I like EVERYTHING about this time of year. I like the change of season, the snow and cold (yes, I know, I’m weird that way), frying latkes (and baking cookies!), candle lighting, parties, and walking through town, admiring the beautiful holiday lights. I even like Christmas carols! (But please don’t send me any fruitcake! Not a huge fan…)  

Q: Would you like to leave a tip or a treat for our readers?

A: I'd love to leave a treat - a copy of my book to one lucky reader!

Thanks SO much for joining us! It was a treat getting to know you and hearing all about your wonderful book.

Giveaway Details: Readers, to enter Joyce's giveaway, 1) leave a comment below to thank her for stopping by and 2) share her post on social media. Latke-themed GIFs are welcomed. The winner of this giveaway will be drawn and announced on or about 12/17.

Giveaways will be shipped within the U.S. only.

Note: Heather and Lynne Marie are also giving away three holiday gifts! Those who comment on and share each post on social media will be eligible to win their choice of one of three Rate Your Story Speed Passes or one of three ten-minute AMA sessions with Editor Lynne Marie.

About Joyce Schriebman:

BIO:  Joyce Schriebman is the author of OY, SANTA! or There’s a Latke to Learn about Hanukkah and co-author along with husband, Dr. Yehezkel Landau, of How to talk to just about anyone about Israel-Palestine. She’s the founder of the interfaith nonprofit, My Brother from Another Mother. A native of San Francisco, Joyce now lives in the great Northeast where she reads, writes, and (doesn’t do ‘rithmatic!).

For more about Joyce, check out the below links:

FB https://www.facebook.com/joyce.schriebman   

IG  https://www.instagram.com/joyceschriebman/

LI  https://www.linkedin.com/in/joyce-schriebman-1847398/

Amazon for book purchases: Oy, Santa!: Or, There's a Latke to Learn about Hanukkah