The Return of the Country's Largest Jewish Book Fair by Alice Blumenthal McGinty and Lisa Rose

 At seventy-one years old, The Detroit Jewish Book Fair is the oldest and largest Jewish Book Fair in the nation. Authors from all over the world are invited to the fair to talk about and sell their books. This annual community-wide event attracts 20,000 people each year. After a two year hiatus due to Covid, this year it was back LIVE, offering both in-person and virtual events. 

Alice Blumenthal McGinty, Lisa Rose, and
Suzanne Jacbos Lipshaw at the 2022
Detroit Jewish Book Fair

Organizers weren’t certain about how to plan…would people come in-person?  Online? Would people buy books? Thankfully, people did all of those things. As authors, we were pleased to be a part of the local author schmooze, where attendees could talk with us and get their books signed. 

During this event we loved the chance to reconnect with each other and with members of the Jewish community. We also made new connections with other authors and attendees, each carrying potential for new opportunities. As author Suzanne Jacobs Lipshaw said, a book event is not to be measured only in numbers of books sold, but by the connections that happen. Hopefully, we come away from every book event with at least one “moment” to be treasured. 

At the same time, we can’t help but think about the larger picture that this event represents in the push for diversity in children’s publishing. Children need both mirrors and windows in the literature they read. The literature at the book fair offered mirrors in which Jewish children could see themselves and their families and communities, as well as windows into new aspects of Jewish life. 

However, wouldn’t it be wonderful if the book fair could extend its reach to offer these books to Jews and non-Jews alike, bringing these windows and mirrors to people of all religions? While the focus on diversity in children's literature began with racial diversity, religious diversity is a crucial part of this need as well. It's not that this need isn't being addressed. More religiously diverse books have been published recently. However, there is more work to do in making sure that these books reach a wider audience. It’s still rare for someone who is not Jewish to attend the Jewish Book Fair. And in recent years, antisemitism has exploded—just this past week there were two bomb threats at Metro Detroit Jewish Day Schools. Through stories, children learn about others. They find connection and create empathy and understanding. The need is there. 

While we loved our chance to celebrate Jewish books and Jewish authors, we hope to also create opportunities to share these books with the wider world, creating more religious diversity and opening new windows to children of all races and religions. 

 

Alice Blumenthal McGinty is the award-winning author of 50 fiction and nonfiction books for children, including Jr. Library Guild and P.J. Library Selection, A Synagogue Just Like Home (2022, Candlewick Press, illustrated by Laurel Molk), My Israel and Me (2021, Kalaniot Books, illustrated by Rotem Teplow), and Jr. Library Guild Selection and New York and Chicago Public Library Best of 2022 List, Bathe the Cat (2022, Chronicle Books, illustrated by David Roberts)

Alice recently moved to Michigan from Illinois and is Regional Advisor Emerita of the Illinois SCBWI chapter. She looks forward to being a speaker at the Michigan Reading Association conference in March and the SCBWI Michigan Spring Conference in April.   

Lisa’s latest book Senor Saguaro The King of Desert will be published by Little Fig January 1, 2023. It is available for pre-order now! She is the author of The Singer and the Scientist (Kar-Ben Publishing, 2021). It was a National Jewish Book Finalist and Bank Street College Best Book. It also was selected to represent the great state of New Jersey at the National Book Festival at the Library of Congress. Shmulik Paints the Town (Kar-Ben Publishing, 2016) was a PJ Library Selection in 2016 and 2020. A Zombie Vacation (Apples & Honey Press, 2020) was also a PJ Library Selection in 2021. Lisa also has many other titles. Lisa is a teacher, reading specialist, literacy coach, and librarian. Please learn more at www.LisaRoseWrites.com