Blog Touring with Cohen & Kober

Today's stops on the blog tour feature author Deborah Bodin Cohen and illustrator Shahar Kober, joint creators of Engineer Ari and the Rosh Hashanah Ride, a Sydney Taylor Honor Book in the Younger Readers Category.

Read an interview with author Deborah Bodin Cohen at Becky's Book Reviews with blogger Becky Laney.

Here's a sampling of the interview:

BECKY: What inspired you to write Engineer Ari and the Rosh Hashanah Ride?

DEBORAH: My daughter Arianna, who is a 7-years-old, loves everything to do with transportation. A couple years ago, she especially loved trains and train stories. In Rabbinical school, I walked past the Jerusalem train station everyday and was intrigued by it. I decided that a train story for Jewish kids might work. As I did a little research, I discoverd that the Jaffa-Jerusalem railway opened just before Rosh Hashana. And, so, Engineer Ari and the Rosh Hashanah Ride was born.

Read more...

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Read an interview with Engineer Ari illustrator Shahar Kober at Into the Wardrobe with blogger Tarie.

Here's a sampling of the interview:

TARIE: What did you think of Engineer Ari and the Rosh Hashanah Ride when you first read the story?

SHAHAR: Well, I immediately thought it would be great fun to draw the red engine! I like trains. I was also very happy with the chance to investigate the period, how people looked and dressed, how local architecture looked like, how trains looked like back then, etc. The visual research prior to the sketches stage is always my favorite part, especially in such a book which is based on history.

Read more...

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Thanks so much to all the bloggers, authors and illustrators who took part in the first-ever Sydney Taylor Book Award Blog Tour! And thanks, of course, to all you readers out there. Please do post your comments here and/or at the participating blogs to give us your feedback so our next tour can be even better!

Remember, you can find the full list of all Sydney Taylor winners, honors and notables here. Enjoy your reading!