Biography
I always loved to read. As a boy I had a passion for myths, bible stories, science fiction and Mad magazine. My neighbor was a writer for CBC. Maybe I caught the writing bug from him. I loved to write funny stories. My Grade six teacher liked them. But my Grade eight teacher hated them. So I stopped writing creatively until I was 42.~ ~In 1970, I traveled across Europe and North Africa and discovered a remarkable collection of traditional Teaching stories by Afghan writer Idries Shah. These bottomless tales puzzled, shocked and delighted me. They helped me see the world and myself in fresh, new ways. They made me think like I’d never thought before.#In 1980, I began to tell them, first to my own children, then at weekly gatherings in Toronto. Later I told stories on radio and television, and in schools, libraries and festivals across North America. I created an oral language program for developmentally disabled children. I taught them language through story. They taught me how to tell and write simply and dramatically.#One day I was invited to tell a Chanukah tale to a large and very young audience. I couldn’t find a story I liked. In desperation I wrote one myself. The children loved it and so did Kids Can Press. That’s how Bone Button Borscht was born.#Over the years, I’ve worked as a logger, farmer, salesman and teacher. Now I write and tell stories. ~Of my four published books, my latest, Bagels for Benny, has won may awards including the Sydney Taylor Award and the Canadian Jewish Book Awards Children’s Literature Prize. I have also written the screenplay for Sheldon Cohen’s animated film, The Three Wishes. A forthcoming title, A Hen for Izzy Pippik, will be published in 2010.
Awards
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A Hen for Izzy Pippik
2013 - Best Children's Books of the Year, Bank Street Children's Book Committee, Winner
2013 - Great Lakes Great Books, Michigan Reading Association, Commended
2013 - Ruth and Sylvia Schwartz Children’s Book Award, Saskatchewan Young Readers' Choice Award, Winner
2013 - Shining Willow Award, Ontario Library Association, Commended
2012 - Best Bets, Picture Books, Canadian Children’s Book Centre, Commended
2012 - Best Books for Kids & Teens, , Winner
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Bagels from Benny
2005 - Blue Spruce Award, Ontario Library Association, Commended
2004 - Canadian Jewish Book Award, The Society of School Librarians International, Winner
2004 - International Book Awards, Ontario Library Association, Commended
2004 - Mr. Christie Book Award, , Commended
2004 - National Jewish Book Award, , Commended
2004 - Toronto IODE Book Award, , Winner
2003 - Best Bets, , Winner
2003 - Sydney Taylor Book Award, , Winner
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Bone Button Borscht
1998 - IBBY Honour List, illustration, The International Board on Books for Young People, Winner
1997 - Junior Library Guild Selection, CNIB Library for the Blind, Winner
1997 - Tiny Torgi Literary Award, Alcuin Society, Commended
1996 - Book Design Award, Canadian School Library Association and Canadian Association of Children’s Librarians, Winner
1995 - Notable Canadian Fiction for Children, , Winner
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The Enormous Potato
1999 - Palmares des livres preferes des jeunes (Children’s Favourite Books), Communication-Jeunesse, Winner
1999 - Parent’s Guide to Children’s Media Award, , Winner
Picture Books
A Hen for Izzy Pippik, 2012
Bagels from Benny, 2003
The Enormous Potato, 1997
Bone Button Borscht, 1995