Yankel loves to tell stories, as long as they are someone else's.

He does not see the hurt that his stories cause, the way they spread and change. Then the rabbi hands him a bag of feathers and tells him to place one on every doorstep in the village. Yankel is changed by what happens and finds himself with his best story yet, one of his very own.

Growing up in Utica, N.Y., Debby Waldman loved reading so much that she often fell asleep clutching a book. She wanted to write books when she grew up, but she detoured into journalism school at Syracuse University because journalism seemed a safer bet for earning a living.

Since graduating in 1982, Debby has been a newspaper reporter and a freelance writer. She also earned an MFA in creative writing from Cornell University in 1991, and has taught at Cornell, Ithaca College, St. Lawrence University, and Grant MacEwan College. Her writing has appeared in publications including People, Parents, Glamour, Sports Illustrated, Sports Illustrated for Kids, Publishers Weekly, Chatelaine, the Washington Post, and More Canada. She writes a bi-weekly family column for The Edmonton Journal.

Debby's picturebooks are based on Jewish folk tales. Her first, A Sack Full of Feathers, was short-listed for awards in Alberta, Ontario, and Saskatchewan and was named a 2007 Best Book for Kids and Teens by the Canadian Children's Book Centre. Her second, Clever Rachel, was published in October of 2009 and was one of Resource Links' "The Year's Best". Cindy Revell illustrated both books. Debby's third picture book, Room Enough for Daisy, written with fellow Edmontonian Rita Feutl, is scheduled for publication in October 2011.

Debby lives in Edmonton with her husband and two children. She is available for readings and to conduct writing workshops with students of all ages. When not working on one of her many writing projects, she enjoys reading, cycling, baking, attempting to make nutritionally balanced meals for her family, and ferrying her children to music lessons and sports activities. More information is available on her website: www.debbywaldman.com.

Debby Waldman's profile page

David Skulski's profile page

• Nominated, Saskatchewan Young Readers' Choice Awards - Shining Willow
• Commended, Pajamas (PJ) Library Selection
• Commended, Canadian Children's Book Centre (CCBC) Our Choice
• Short-listed, The Writers’ Guild of Alberta (WGA) R. Ross Annett Award for Children’s Literature
• Short-listed, Canadian Library Association (CLA) Amelia Frances Howard-Gibbon Illustrator's Award
• Nominated, Forest of Reading Blue Spruce Award

"The fun in this retelling of a Jewish folktale is not in the lesson, but in the setting, the people, and the stories they tell."

Booklist

"Waldman uses rich language which brings life to the story…Children will enjoy this story as a read-aloud."

CM Magazine

"The paintings are colorful and joyous, indicative of the joy of the 'old country'...This tale sticks with the familiar format of other Jewish folktales, with a lesson that even young children can understand."

Jewish Book World

"A wonderfully illustrated book...The art warmly underlines the plot...Refreshing."

Jewish Book World

"A valuable addition to any library, this book is highly recommended to people of all ages and walks of life."

Multicultural Review

"Its moral and drawings are first class.

The Jewish Independent