Totally Booked with Zibby

Guest: Richard Michelson

Episode: Richard Michelson, FANNY'S BIG IDEA: How Jewish Book Week Was Born

Date: December 3, 2025

Episode Overview

This episode features a lively interview between host Zibby Owens and author Richard Michelson about his new children's book, Fanny's Big Idea: How Jewish Book Week Was Born. Michelson shares the untold story of Fanny Goldstein, the pioneering Jewish librarian who founded what became Jewish Book Month a century ago, and discusses her visionary work in promoting cultural understanding through books. The conversation explores Goldstein's legacy, the making of the book, and the role of children's literature in fostering empathy and cultural pride.

Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. Who Was Fanny Goldstein?

• Fanny's Legacy:
  • First Jewish librarian at the Boston Public Library; founded Jewish Book Week (now Jewish Book Month), the Jewish Book Council, and various other culturally focused book celebrations (Negro Book Month, Catholic Book Week, Boston Red Sox Week).
  • Goldstein's core belief: learning about other people makes it harder to dislike them, a forerunner to the "windows and mirrors" concept in children’s literature.
• Quote:

  “Fannie was the forerunner of what we know today as windows and mirrors, which means every child deserves to see themselves in picture books and every child deserves to see other cultures.”
  — Richard Michelson [16:14]

2. Why Write About Fanny Now?

• Centennial Celebration:
  • The book coincides with the 100th anniversary of Jewish Book Week/Month (November 13 - December 13).
  • Michelson: “That’s the why now, because it’s obviously wanted to tie in with this anniversary.” [03:53]
• Research Origins:
  • Sparked when Michelson attended the Fanny Goldstein lecture while receiving a Sidney Taylor Award in 2018.
  • Noted the scarcity and contradiction of information online about Fanny Goldstein.
  • PJ Library and Penguin Random House expedited the project to meet the centennial.

3. The Process of Creating ‘Fanny’s Big Idea’

• Idea List:
  • Michelson keeps a running list of book ideas—this was #114.
• Swift Publishing Experience:
  • Unlike typical publishing timelines, editor Laurie Hornick responded immediately and secured illustrator Alyssa Russell, even before a contract was signed.
  • “She emailed me back not only to say she was going to do it and get it out in time, she had already hired an illustrator.” [09:02]
• Illustrations:
  • Zibby praises the artwork for representing the diversity Fanny championed:

    “They’re endearing, evocative… really captures Judaism, but all races and all backgrounds, which was so important to Fanny.” [10:13]

4. Fanny’s Advocacy for Diversity and Empathy Through Books

• Champion for Inclusion:
  • Goldstein worked to highlight books from every culture in her branch as community demographics shifted, refusing to let her library ignore or erase immigrant and minority experience.
  • Encouraged children and their parents to learn their own heritage rather than focus solely on assimilation:

    “She decided she would have a week… to focus on Jewish books so she could teach the children, but also the parents.” [19:47]

• Facing Challenges:
  • Overcame male colleagues' appropriation of her idea (permitting them for the greater cause, then asserting her place when necessary).
  • Fought for equal pay and recognition for women speakers at a time when such demands were rare.
  • Quote:

    “She realized that men are very happy to take the credit for things, but they don’t want to do the work.” [22:35]
    “If she was on a panel and was the only woman, she would very delicately say that she had a ready list of other women speakers who could join the panel.” [23:55]

• Fanny’s Temperament:
  • “She could be sharp, she could be crusty. She reminded me of a couple of my aunts.” [24:24]

5. Cultural Memory and the Importance of Stories

• Personal Connection:
  • Michelson reflects on his late discovery of his own family history, echoing Fanny’s mission.
  • “I was an adult before I even knew where my grandparents came from. I considered myself a somewhat intelligent person … but I didn’t know where my own grandfather came from.” [18:43]
• Book as Legacy:
  • The story illuminates how small steps—highlighting heritage, bringing community together—can create institutions that last a century.
  • Zibby:

    “I now want to know more about her than even your book. Let’s see the movie about Fanny Goldstein!” [21:49]

6. Jewish Book Month Details and Lasting Impact

• Why November to December?
  • Follows the lunar calendar typical of Jewish holidays, shifting annually.
  • The Jewish Book Council is using an illustration from Michelson’s book on their official poster this year. [25:57]
• Fanny’s Broader Vision:
  • "She thought that society would be improved if we all learned more about each other." [20:53]
• Current Relevance:
  • Return of book bans and assaults on literature makes Fanny’s inclusive, empathetic message more urgent:

    “It’s such a shame to me as this book’s coming out to see how quickly this, which seems just common sense, is being reversed.” [16:43]

7. Michelson’s Favorite Jewish Books and Authors

• Poetry:
  • Yehuda Amichai is Michelson's go-to Jewish poet, keeping Amichai’s collected poems in his glove compartment and by his bed. [27:20]
• Children’s Literature:
  • Friendships and admiration for Leslie Newman (Heather Has Two Mommies), Mordecai Gerstein, Jane Yolen (The Devil’s Arithmetic, recently banned), Geraldine Brooks (People of the Book), and more.
  • Recommendation for the Yetzirah organization for Jewish poets.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Cultural Empathy:

  "The more you know about someone, the harder it is not to like them."
  — Richard Michelson, echoing Fanny Goldstein [16:02]

• On the Book’s Urgency:

  “I’ve never had a response so quickly. She emailed me back not only to say she was going to do it and get it out in time, she had already hired an illustrator.”
  — Richard Michelson [09:00]

• On Personal Heritage:

  “I could name the kings and queens of England… but I didn’t know where my own grandfather came from.”
  — Richard Michelson [18:42]

• On Fanny’s Strategic Humility:

  “She said, it’s for me, the end is more important than people knowing I did it.”
  — Richard Michelson [22:19]

• On Women’s Representation:

  “If she was on a panel and was the only woman, she would very delicately say that she had a ready list of other women speakers who could join the panel.”
  — Richard Michelson [23:49]

• On Book Bans:

  “It’s such a shame to me…to see how quickly this…is being reversed, the book bans that are going on, the assaults on literature.”
  — Richard Michelson [16:43]

Timestamps for Important Segments

• [03:53] – Why Richard wrote the book now; Fanny’s background
• [07:20] – Fanny’s influence and the role of PJ Library
• [08:00] – The swift journey to publication and illustration
• [16:02] – Fanny’s philosophy: empathy and "windows and mirrors"
• [19:20] – Fanny’s response to assimilation and cultural erasure
• [21:01] – How Fanny’s efforts grew into lasting change
• [22:03] – Fanny dealing with male appropriation; strategic humility and later assertion
• [25:57] – Why Jewish Book Month is on lunar dates; poster recognition
• [27:07] – Michelson’s favorite Jewish poets and authors

Tone, Language, and Atmosphere

• Warm, conversational, and deeply appreciative of literature’s power.
• Zibby expresses sincere curiosity and admiration; Richard’s responses are passionate, insightful, and often lightly humorous.
• The episode brims with pride in Jewish cultural contributions and a heartfelt call to preserve diverse voices.

Summary Takeaway

This episode shines a spotlight on the legacy of Fanny Goldstein, the founding spirit of Jewish Book Month, and her dedication to cultural understanding through literature. Richard Michelson’s vivid storytelling, paired with Zibby Owens’ enthusiastic questioning, brings to life the story of a woman who believed in the transformative power of books for children and communities alike. The conversation serves as both a celebration of an overlooked historical figure and a timely reflection on the urgent need for empathy, inclusivity, and the defense of books and stories for all.