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Julia’s Kitchen tells the heartwarming story of a young girl dealing with the aftermath of a tragic house fire. After losing her mother and sister in a fire, eleven-year-old Cara Segal must deal with her grief, reconnect with her father, and redefine her spirituality. With the help of her best friend and her own inner strength, Cara finds a way to triumph and grow in the midst of this most difficult time.
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Sydney Taylor Book Award Winner 2007
Bank Street Best Children’s Book of the Year 2007
VOYA Top Shelf Fiction for Middle School Readers 2006
Junior Library Guild Selection 2006
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“The emotions are real, the protagonist empathetic, and the resolution believable. Poignant.” –Starred, Kirkus Reviews
“Real, raw emotion emanates from this affecting debut novel. A heartrending tale of loss and healing.” Publishers Weekly
“Readers will appreciate the book’s poignant and sympathetic depiction of bereavement and its hopeful message of a legacy that can transcend separation.” –The Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books
“Touching and authentic… major themes about grief and healing are beautifully addressed in what turns out to be a powerful debut novel.” –Booklist
“The novel’s brevity and honesty will appeal to both Jewish and non-Jewish girls.” –School Library Journal
“Deftly told.” Chicago Tribune
“Told with grace and humor, this story, with its focus on family and friendship, transcends its difficult content.” The Horn Book Guide
“Well-drawn, life-affirming characters and a point of view that emphasizes human resilience over despair.” Association of Jewish Libraries Newsletter
“Ferber writes with the ease and sensitivity of a veteran as she beautifully conveys Cara’s passage from grief and doubts about the existence of God to an understanding of what she must do to move on.” Jewish Woman Magazine
Sydney Taylor Manuscript Award Winner 2004 |
To purchase Julia's Kitchen click one of the links below.
Jenny Meyerhoff interviewed Esme Raji Codell (I’m a huge fan of Esme!) and me about our books that won Sydney Taylor awards. Check it out! http://www.intelligentlight.com/PrairieWind/?p=155#more-155
Here’s a great article by Myrna Petlicki from the Pioneer Press: http://www.pioneerlocal.com/evanston/entertainment/275092,dn-ferber-030207-s1.article
Cynthia Leitich Smith interviewed me on her Cynsational blog! Click here to read it. http://cynthialeitichsmith.blogspot.com/2007/01/julias-kitchen-by-brenda-ferber.html
Read the story behind the story of Julia’s Kitchen. ‘Big Topics for Small Readers’ by Pauline Yearwood at the Chicago Jewish News.
Click here to listen to an interview with me on Heidi Estrin’s wonderful podcast, “The Book of Life.”
Click the link below for a lovely review from the esteemed Cynthia Leitich Smith. Cyn has a fantastic children’s literature blog. At the bottom of her review are links to other on-line reviews of Julia’s Kitchen. http://cynthialeitichsmith.blogspot.com/2007/01/julias-kitchen-by-brenda-ferber.html
Q. Are you Cara in Julia’s Kitchen?
A. No, but we do have a few common traits. Even though I never experienced a fire or the loss of a close family member, I identify with parts of Cara. When I was a child, I worried the way Cara does. I worried about plane crashes, car crashes, divorce, death, everything. Nothing terrible ever happened to me, but that didn’t prevent me from worrying. I also felt very close to God. I felt we sort of worked in tandem. I worried, and he watched out for me. When I grew up, I realized all that worrying was a waste of energy. Even though bad things sometimes happen, worrying doesn’t change anything. I could make good choices in my life and hope for the best. I replaced fear with faith. I knew that God would be by my side in the good times and the bad.
Q. Where did you get the idea for Julia’s Kitchen?
A. In 2001 we lived in Austin Texas. A house in my neighborhood burned down, and a father and son died in the fire. Every day I would drive past that burned out house, and I would think about how the surviving family members were coping. I imagined how I would feel if I were a young girl and my house burned down like that. I wondered how that would have changed my ideas about worrying and God. And so Julia’s Kitchen was born.
Q. Is it true that a fire can start from a toaster oven?
A. Yes, it’s true. There have been documented cases of fires starting from toaster ovens just the way it happened in Julia’s Kitchen. Any small appliances that have heating elements should be unplugged when not in use. But be sure to always grasp the plug, not the cord, when you are unplugging something. For other fire safety precautions visit the National Fire Prevention Association website (www.nfpa.org.)
Q. How long did it take you to write Julia’s Kitchen?
A. It took about 1 ½ years to write and another six months to revise.
Q. Was it hard to find a publisher for Julia’s Kitchen?
A. Actually, no! I submitted the manuscript to the Sydney Taylor Manuscript competition (www.jewishlibraries.org), and it won. Then I submitted it to my first choice publishing house, Farrar Straus & Giroux (www.fsgkidsbooks.com), and they bought it!
Q. Will you write a sequel to Julia’s Kitchen?
A. No. But I will write other books!
Warning: The Discussion and Trivia Questions may spoil parts of the book for you if you haven’t already read it!
As a facilitator of a book club, I am always searching the web for discussion questions and trivia quizzes regarding the books we read. How fun for me to create a book club guide for my own novel! (When my book club reads Julia’s Kitchen, we’ll discuss these questions and serve up some home baked chocolate chip cookies.) Click here to bring up the questions in easily printable/downloadable .pdf format.
Describe the following characters: Cara, Marlee, Dad, Mom, Janie, Justin, Mrs. Rosen, Bubbe, Zayde, Nana, Papa. Who is your favorite character? Why?
How does Cara’s attitude about God change throughout the story?
Cara is trying to understand why bad things happen to good people. What conclusions does she draw? What do you think?
What role do the two cats, Sport and Thunder, play in the story?
How do the different characters handle their grief? Do you think one way is better than another? Why do you think people handle grief in their own unique ways?
What kind of friend is Marlee? What kind of friend is Cara? What do they learn about friendship?
Compare and contrast Cara’s two sets of grandparents.
How does baking help Cara?
What are some of the Jewish customs in the book? Compare and contrast them to the customs in your religion.
How does Cara change throughout the book?
What is keeping Dad from telling Cara the whole story of the fire? Why does he finally change his mind?
What do you think Cara’s future will be like?
And now for you very careful readers, here are some trivia questions:
Note: Place the cursor over (don't click) the word "Answer".
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