Jewish Kidlit Panel: Abby White, Emi Watanabe Cohen, and Sacha Lamb

• This event will take place at street level.
• If possible, events are livestreamed. Check out our store YouTube channel for livestream updates.
• ASL interpretation may be provided (based on the availability of interpreters) but must be requested at least 2 weeks in advance of the event.
• Please email us at [email protected] as soon as possible if you require ASL interpretation, guaranteed seating, or other accommodations. Seats are limited.We will do our best to serve your needs!

“Such a fun read!” — Rick Riordan
WHERE: Middle Woods, Briar, Ohio
VICTIM: Rachel Simon
HERO: D.J. Rosenblum
VILLAINS: ???
It’s the beginning of the school year—and Briar’s newest resident, D.J. Rosenblum, is not here for it. Ever since her cousin Rachel died, D.J.’s family has been a mess: Her aunt and uncle are catatonic. Her mom is even more scatterbrained than usual. She had to postpone her bat mitzvah a whole year. Worst of all, she and her mom had to move—leaving her best friend, Eva, behind.
Briar does have one redeeming factor, though: Here, in Rachel’s hometown, D.J. can finally get to the bottom of her cousin’s death. With the help of a chatty journalist and a queen-bee hacker, D.J. can fill in the last days of Rachel’s life. And if she can just figure out her Torah portion—with help from her cute tutor, Jonah—maybe, just maybe, she’ll be able to solve a bigger mystery.
For fans of Looking for Alaska and Never Have I Ever comes Abby White’s debut novel, D.J. Rosenblum Becomes the G.O.A.T. It’s a basket of matzo ball soup dumplings for anyone learning to chart their own path, navigate new friendships and crushes, and figure out how to love—and live—after loss.

Abby White writes books for young people about love and loss, friends and family, humor and heart, and the juxtapositions that make us who we are. (Not all are alliterative.) D.J. Rosenblum Becomes the G.O.A.T. is her debut novel.

Emi Watanabe Cohen’s sophomore novel travels from the most awkward surface tensions to the beautiful depths of Jewish culture and lore for a tale of magical and emotional discovery.
On the same day Faye's brother comes home with a black eye, a package arrives from a relative they have never met. It's a slab of clay: some weird kind of bar mitzvah present?
The strange gift turns out to be an invitation to learn a craft that has been in their family for centuries. And it's not pottery.
Faye and Shiloh are driven to New York City by their grandfather for a spring break filled with magical instruction. But at night, they find themselves transported to a strange parallel world, where groups of innocent people are facing appalling hatred and violence. Are Faye and Shiloh destined to defend them?
How is that possible for a brainy, unpopular eleven-year-old and her vulnerable older brother?
It will take all the strength they can draw from their Jewish and Japanese heritage to not only crack the mystery of this alternate world but to find the power in them to confront the troubles of their present.

Emi Watanabe Cohen writes children's books involving myth and memory, complicated families, and a dash of improbable magic. Her debut novel, The Lost Ryū, came out in 2022. Golemcrafters was released in 2024.

Set against a backdrop of literary censorship and growing Jewish political consciousness, Printz Honor and Stonewall award-winner Sacha Lamb's sophomore novel is a soaring exploration of identity, survival, and ultimately, hope.
On the night before her wedding, 17-year-old Sorel leaps from a window and runs away from her life. To keep from being discovered, she takes on the male identity of Isser Jacobs — but it soon becomes clear that there is a real Isser Jacobs, and people want him dead. Her mistaken identity takes Sorel into the dark underworld of her small city in the Pale of Settlement, where smugglers, forgers, and wicked angels fight for control of the Jewish community. In order to make it out, Sorel must discover who Isser Jacobs really is — and who she wants to be.

Sacha Lamb explores gender, sexuality, and disability through historical fiction centering Jewish mythology and folklore. Their debut, When the Angels Left the Old Country, is a Printz Honor book and Stonewall and Sydney Taylor award winner.

Brookline Booksmith, thriving in the heart of Coolidge Corner in Brookline, Massachusetts, since 1961, is one of New England’s premier independent bookstores. We offer a vast selection of books, ranging from current bestsellers to the most eclectic titles. We are also known for our beautiful and inspired gifts. Customers buy and sell gently used books in our treasured Used Book Cellar and enjoy our bountiful bargain book selection. We host award-winning events series (including our groundbreaking Transnational Literature Series), offering more than 300 author talks, community conversations, and book clubs annually. Find more at brooklinebooksmith.com!

Event Venue & Nearby Stays

Brookline Booksmith, 279 Harvard Street, Brookline, United States