Emily Sper

Interview

by Michael Sherman

(Interview was aired on KEOS 89.1 FM in 2003. Rejuvenating Heritage is now a web site.)

Tell us a little about yourself, where you're from...

ES: Right now I live in Boston. I grew up in Croton-on-Hudson, New York, about an hour north of New York City. I've also lived in Israel; New York City; Portland, Maine; and Providence, Rhode Island.

MS: How did you become interested in writing books for Jewish children?

ES: I’ve worked in the field of children’s book publishing for many years, both as a book designer and designing marketing and point-of-purchase materials. In fact my mother was an editor at Viking so I grew up surrounded by many children’s books that are now classics.

When you write books you write about what is closest to you, and the Jewish holidays are part of me. In the past I’d started books about both Hanukkah and Passover but never finished them. It was only when I really decided to dedicate time to working on self-generated books and projects that I really concentrated on the ideas floating around in my head.

Advances in technology have allowed me to print color book dummies in my studio and develop my style of illustration. Because I design my own books I am able work on all aspects of a book at the same time and this gives me a lot of control.

My books really combine all of my interests — art, design, writing, Judaism, languages, culture. My education has been in all of these areas— undergraduate studies in design and photography at RISD (Rhode Island School of Design); languages at Brown and other places; graduate studies at NYU in Communication and Culture; and Me-ah, an intensive adult Jewish learning program.

MS: What was your goal? The books are so bright, colorful, interactive.

ES: I want to create a book that amuses me. If I have fun, kids will too. A deeper goal is to present information in a fun context. I want kids to see the holidays as fun, and to look forward to them with joy. Kids get bored at seders and adults get hungry. I hope that my books will add some meaning to both Passover and Chanukah and arouse everyone's curiosity to learn more about Jewish history and traditions...and to count to at least ten in Hebrew!