What Makes a Jewish Book?

Seating is first come, first served and requires general registration.

This discussion, featuring editors from trade children’s publishing Arthur A. Levine, Diane Hess, and Karen Smith, will talk about what it means for a book to be a “Jewish Book.” Moderated by Aviva Rosenberg, Vice President of School, Synagogues, Centers and Public Libraries Division at the Association of Jewish Libraries. 

Arthur A. Levine is the President and Editor-in-Chief of Levine Querido, a vibrant new independent publisher distributed by Chronicle Books. Levine Querido is born of a fervent mission to give voice to a uniquely talented, exceptionally diverse group of authors and artists, a career-long passion of its founder.  

Dianne Hess is Executive Editor for Scholastic Press where she primarily acquires and edits an eclectic mix of fiction and nonfiction picture books—as well as some MG/YA nonfiction. Her books have received an array of awards, including Sydney Taylor Awards, National Jewish Book Awards, Newbery and Caldecott Honors, Coretta Scott King Honors, NAACP Image Award and Honor, Pura Bel Pre Honors, and more. 

Karen Smith graduated with a degree in English Literature from Queens College before beginning her career at Alfred A. Knopf Books for Young Readers, where she spent ten years editing picture books, middle grade, and young adult fiction and non-fiction. She is now an editor at Workman Kids where she edits non-fiction books for all ages that are accessible and inspiring, helping readers to learn about the evolving world around them. Karen lives with her family in Queens, NY. 

Aviva Rosenberg is the Youth Services Librarian at the Ridgefield Free Public Library in Ridgefield, NJ. She previously served as a school media specialist. Aviva has been on the Sydney Taylor Book Award Committee since 2021 and is currently the Vice President of the Schools, Synagogues, Centers, and Public Libraries division of the Association of Jewish Libraries.  

Co-presented by the Association of Jewish Libraries.