Alongtime editor and executive vice president ofthe Scholastic Books Reading Club, Montclair resident Judy Newman loves to foster the joy of reading inthe young— somuch sothat afew years ago, she started adding to the chapter book shelves with her own series. Using the pseudonym Pepper Springfield, she wrote Meet the Bobs and Tweets( illustrations by Kristy Caldwell). Itdrew immediate praise, and was chosen as an International Literacy Association Children’ s Choices 2017 Reading List pick, one of 32 Young Reader titles toberead in classrooms nationwide. Inadvance of last summer’ s publication of Book No. 2, Perfecto Pet Show, Newman owned up to the Montclair Times about her authorship.
Locally, she is known for carrying on atradition that kids love: handing out books as Halloween treats.
“ It has grown over the years, and now each Halloween night we have kids dragging their families tocome to the‘ Book House,’” Newman says.“ Having kids line up, desperate to get books, makes mesohappy.”
She expresses gratitude to her neighbors for their support, noting that“ the volume oftrick – or-treaters on our block requires lots of extra candy-purchasing.” In 2016, she ran out of books to dole out by 7p. m. Newman may be giving away books, but she gets much in return, she says.
“ The kids line up and tell me what they like toread. Iwant to hear what they like toread, and not what their teachers or parents think they should read,” Newman says.“ And they love to share. Sometimes it’ stough when they want toreally chat for awhile about books, and there isalong line
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AKA PEPPER SPRINGFIELD Editor, author and book-giver Judy Newman relaxes while reading.
of zombies, and SpongeBob’ s, and witches, and ninjas waiting in line.” Their parents, she says, tell her that the books their children got from“ the book lady” were the ones that turned them into readers.
“ That is hugely heartening for me to hear,” she says.“ I was talking with Newbery Medal-winning author
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Kwame Alexander about this tradition. He was bowled over, and said he planned to do it at his house next year, too.”
The third in the Bobs and Tweets series is due out for publication in fall 2018. Its subject: ahilarious Halloween adventure. ■
— CINDYSCHWEICHHANDLER
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COURTESY OFSCHOLASTIC BOOKS |
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22 FALL 2017 MONTCLAIR MAGAZINE |