Children’s Book Workshop:
Exploring Jewish Themes and Content

Gary Clement

Gary Clement is a Canadian artist, illustrator and author living in Toronto. His political cartoons have appeared in National Post of Toronto, and his illustrations have appeared in Mother Jones, The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, Time, The Guardian, New York Times Week In Review, and The National (Abu Dhabi). His work has been selected for American Illustration and his second book, The Great Poochini, received the Governor General’s award for Children’s Literature Illustration in 1999. In 2007, one of his cartoons was a Top 10 selection by Time.

Barry Deutsch

Barry Deutsch lives in Portland, Oregon. His political cartoons have appeared in magazines, newspapers, The Nib, dozens of college textbooks, and union newsletters in at least six countries. He wrote and illustrated three Hereville fantasy adventure graphic novels, about “Yet Another Monster-Fighting 11-Year Old Orthodox Jewish Girl.” Published by Abrams, these books were nominated for Eisner, Harvey, and Ignaz awards, and have won a Sydney Taylor Award and an Oregon Book Award. Hereville is currently being adapted into a stage musical.

Glynnis Fawkes

Glynnis Fawkes is a cartoonist and archaeological illustrator. Her comics for Mutha Magazine were nominated for an Ignatz Award at the Small Press Expo. Greek Diary was shortlisted for the Cartoonist Studio Prize (by Slate and The Center for Cartoon Studies) and won a silver medal at the Society of Illustrators MoCCA Arts Festival in 2017. Her book Alle Ego won the MoCCA Arts Festival Award for Excellence. Her work has appeared in The New Yorker. She has worked extensively as illustrator on archaeological projects in Greece, Cyprus, Turkey, Lebanon, and Israel, including as a Fulbright Fellow. She was named among the Best American Comics Notables in 2012 and 2013. Glynnis lives in Burlington, Vermont.

Daniel Goldstein

Daniel Goldstein is an illustrator, comics artist, and tour guide living in Israel. Daniel has published several weekly comic strips in Israeli newspapers and magazines, and several graphic novelas. His focus is on satirical, social, and historical issues relating to the complexities of life in Israel.

Menahem Halberstadt

Menahem Halberstadt is a freelance illustrator, cartoonist, and art director, with a focus on children’s book and picture books illustration for all the major publishing houses in Israel.

He has worked as the editorial illustrator for the Makor Rishon newspaper for over a decade, as well as working as a cartoonist in Hashiloach, a journal of thought and policy and as an art director for a new animation series. He has studied classical art with well-known, contemporary painters, and studied animation and character design, graphic design and print production. Menahem draws and paints in various media and lives in Israel.

Zara González Hoang

Zara González Hoang grew up in a little bungalow in the great white North. Surrounded by snow she spent her days dreaming, doodling and listening to the colorful stories of her Dad’s life growing up in Puerto Rico while trying to figure out where she fit in as a mixed-race Latina Jew in a sea of Scandinavians. Her first picture book, Thread of Love written by Kabir and Surishtha Sehgal will be published Fall 2018 by Beach Lane Books / Simon and Schuster. Zara lives outside of Washington, DC.

Omer Hoffmann

Omer Hoffmann is an illustrator and comics artist. He has illustrated eight published children’s books, comics, numerous advertisement campaigns and dozens of editorials. Omer has received numerous awards for his work, including the Andersen Children’s books Honour List for No Ordinary Hardil, a Creative Quarterly 42 Illustration Winner, and a Society of Illustrators Comics and Cartoon Silver Medal winner. He likes drawing funny and humorous pieces. He lives in Givatayim, Israel.

Marika McCoola

Marika McCoola is an illustrator, educator, and the New York Times bestselling author of Baba Yaga’s Assistant. Marika teaches Studio Art, Illustration, and Children’s Literature online for the State University of New York, Empire State College, works as an indie bookseller, and teaches art & writing classes. She’s also taught Children’s Literature for the K-6 Classroom for Skidmore College’s Education department and for Bard College at the Care Center. She lives in Somerville, MA.

Liz Starin

Liz Starin is a writer, illustrator, and software developer. Before turning to the creative side of children’s books, Liz was a book reviewer for Junior Library Guild. Liz lives in Brooklyn, New York. Captain Monty Takes the Plunge short-listed for Rainforest of Reading Award and OneWorld Schoolhouse Foundation and is the winner of the Best Books for Kids & Teens by Canadian Children’s Book Centre in 2018.

Kyra Teis

Kyra Teis is a children’s book author & illustrator. Kyra began her artistic career while majoring in folklore as an undergraduate. Drawn to symbolic and mythological imagery, she studied folktales and stories from many cultures. Kyra learned her distinctive technique from her father, who was also an artist.