Writer Shannon LC Cates, of LesbianFamily.com recently sat down with the Author and Illustrator of highly acclaimed “The Purim Superhero.” LesbianFamily.com is a site is by, for, and about lesbian families and their allies.
Yesterday we hosted Elisabeth Kushner, a Vancouver, BC librarian and author who recently published her first picture book, The Purim Superhero. In three separate sessions, she met with kindergarten and first grade, second and third grades, and fourth grade. Elisabeth taught the students a Purim song (accompanied on the ukulele!), showed them the storyboard she’d blocked out as she planned her book, read from her first draft and let them compare and contrast, described how publishers coordinate the work of authors and illustrators, explained what a long road it is from bright idea to published book, etc.
Nate has a problem. All of his friends want to dress as superheroes for Purim, but he wants to go as an alien. Fortunately, Nate sorts out his problem with the help of his two dads!
A great interview with Elisabeth Kushner, author of The Purim Superhero. “Oh, I’m just another Jewish lesbian librarian/writer/parent who plays the ukulele and periodically attempts to garden. I’m a kid person and a kids’ book person, so I guess it makes sense that I became a children’s librarian.”
Keshet’s Tupperware: Singles Mix & Mingle Party is highlighted in this article about celebrating Valentine’s Day
I know that some people in heterosexual families see themselves as underdog victims harassed by threatening gays. I wonder if the Jewish Press staff personally know many gay and lesbian Jews. Today’s article about us (“LGBT Jews Excited About Kids’ Purim Book With Two Dads“) implicitly presents gay people as sly outsiders seeking to corrupt Jewish culture and families. Anyone who knows us, of course, realizes that gay people are born into all social groups, including the most traditional Jewish communities of Israel and the US. Why would we want to destroy the communities we love? When you talk to gay Jews (instead of about us), you’ll learn that many of us seek to participate meaningfully in the Jewish communities, culture, and religion that is so central to our lives.
TheJewishPress.com mentions the newly released children’s book “The Purim Superhero.” Follow the story of Nate, a young Jewish boy who wants to dress differently than his friends for the annual holiday on which Jewish children don costumes, ultimately getting assistance in making his decision from his two dads.
This past January, Etgar B’Ramah (Ramah Outdoor Adventure) was an attendee for the Keshet National Training Institute in Colorado. Before the conference, attendees were asked to think about their organizations’ culture and policies. One question asked if the organization is safe for lesbian, gay, bisexual, or transgender (LGBT) staff. What about for youth? Ramah Outdoor Adventure wanted to emphatically say, “Yes! We are welcoming and safe!” but they just weren’t certain. While they have had a few members of staff identify as LGBT and children from families of LGBT parents, the discussion hadn’t really come up yet. The Keshet conference has ignited that discussion.
In case you didn’t know, there is a new Jewish children’s book out about a boy with two dads. As you might imagine, it has received both positive and negative reviews, and has been flying off of the bookshelves!
The prominent queer blog “Queerty.com” announces the release “The Purim Superhero!”
RaisingMyRainbow.com is the first “Mommy Blog” to chronicle the daily joys, struggles and, sometimes, embarrassments that go along with raising a gender nonconforming child. RMR recently blogged about the children’s books “The Purim Superhero” and “One of Kind Colouring Book 1. Surprise Box” as recommended reading for all children.
Publishers Weekly reviews The Purim Superhero.
