Eric A. Kimmel

Author Information
Eric A. Kimmel's Latest Book

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  • Bibliography:
    110 Books
  • First Book:
    January 1976
  • Latest Book:
    December 2021
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Multi-Author Series List

Fairytale Retellings: Snow White

Rimonah of the Flashing Sword (Mar-1995)

Book List in Order: 110 titles

  • Mishka, Pishka and Fishka

  • The Chanukkah Tree

  • Anansi and the Moss-Covered Rock

    A classic trickster folktale told with humor and charm, this is a perfect read along book both parents and children will love.

    When Anansi the Spider finds a strange moss-covered rock in the forest, he uses it to trick all his animal friends....

  • Hershel and the hanukkah Goblins

    The classic Hanukkah tale, shared by families all around the world-- now available in a beautiful anniversary edition.  A Caldecott Honor book. A gift edition of this title is also available, featuring a slipcase and fold-out poster. (ISBN: ...

  • Charlie Drives the Stage

  • Nanny Goat and the Seven Little Kids

  • The Chanukkah Guest

    Elderly Bubba Brayna is honored to serve the rabbi her renowned potatoe latkes, but when a bear shows up on the first night of Chanukkah instead of the rabbi, the nearly blind and deaf old woman does not notice the difference...

  • Days of Awe

  • The Greatest of All



  • Nanny Goat and Seven Little Kids

  • I Took My Frog to the Library

    I Took My Frog to the Library

    When Bridgett brings her pets to the library, the hyena laughs so loudly nobody can hear the story, the giraffe tries to read over everybody's shoulder, and the frog jumps onto the checkout desk, scaring the lib...

  • Anansi Goes Fishing

    Anansi the Spider likes to eat fish but is much too lazy to catch one himself -- so he decides to trick Turtle into catching one for him.

    When Anansi asks Turtle to teach him how to catch fish, Anansi thinks tricking Turtle into doing all the...

  • The Four Gallant Sisters

    Four orphaned sisters disguise themselves as men so as to go out into the world and learn a trade. Once each sister has become highly skilled, they join the household of a young king where they rescue a princess and her brothers from the clutches of ...

  • The Spotted Pony

    Eight traditional shammes stories--about King Solomon and his magic ring, a mysterious spotted pony, Benayahu ben Yehoyada, and other heroes, demons, and fools--help celebrate the Festival of Lights....

  • The Tale of Aladdin and the Wonderful Lamp

  • Four Dollars and Fifty Cents

  • Three Sacks of Truth

  • The Gingerbread Man

    A freshly baked gingerbread man escapes the old woman and old man who baked him, chanting "I'll run and run as fast as I can. You can't catch me. I'm the gingerbread man!" And he does keep running . . . until he meets a wily fox....

  • Asher and the Capmakers



  • Baba Yaga

  • I-Know-Not-What, I-Know-Not-Where

    Frolya, a talking dove, weaves a beautiful rug for the archer Frol, which leads to a series of exciting adventures for the archer when the wicked czar covets the dove, adventures that lead Frol to the magical Land of I-Know-Not-Where....

  • Anansi and the Talking Melon

    "The expressive male narrator charms the listener by impersonating the characters...Short segments of music and brief sound effects add interest...useful for all reading and listening situations." - Booklist...

  • Bernal & Florinda

    The delightful story of a determined but poor young man who owns a field full of grasshoppers tells how he uses his ingenuity to win the hand of lovely Florinda from her skeptical father, the wealthy Don Garcilaso....

  • Iron John

    When the king's son, Walter, frees Iron John from his cage, Iron John takes him into the forest to guard the magic spring--but Walter cannot protect the spring and must go into the world to meet his fate....

  • One Good Tern Deserves Another

    Peebee is mourning the death of his stepfather, Lou, when he and his Mom move to Oregon and he meets Lani, but when Lani's dad and Peebee's mom become romantically involved, Peebee feels his mom has betrayed Lou's memory....

  • Rimonah of the Flashing Sword

    Fairytale Retellings: Snow White

  • The Valiant Red Rooster

    When a greedy sultan steals a diamond button from a rooster, the brave rooster, determined to retrieve the button, uses his amazing gizzard and his amazing ingenuity to outsmart the sultan. By the author of Hershel and the Hanukkah Goblins. ...

  • The Adventures of Hershel of Ostropol

    Describes the life and experiences of wandering storyteller Hershel of Ostropol, who lived in what is now the Ukraine during the first part of the nineteenth century, and relates ten of his endearing stories....

  • Onions and Garlic

    Getzel, the youngest son of a merchant, remains at home while his two older brothers embark on a journey to seek their fortunes, until Getzel sets out to see the world, with only a bag of onions to help him....



  • The Magic Dreidels

    While attempting to retrieve his new dreidel from the well, Jacob meets a goblin who gives him two magic dreidels in its place, but when Jacob is tricked by Fruma Sarah and loses both of them to her, he decides to return to the goblin for help in get...

  • One Eye, Two Eyes, Three Eyes

    Forced to do impossible tasks by an ugly witch and her hideous daughters, Larissa is befriended by a magic goat who helps her get things done, making her sad life just a little better, that is until the witch and her daughters begin to look into the ...

  • The Tale of Ali Baba & the 40 Thieves

    Ali Baba learns the special words to open a secret lair filled with the loot of the forty thieves, but when he tells his brother, Qasim, greed takes over and Qasim is found dead, leaving Ali Baba to wonder if he had been better off not knowing the wo...

  • Billy Lazroe and the King of the Sea

    A sailor in every sense of the word, Billy Lazroe meets his match in old Davy Jones, the king of the sea, who commands him to play the concertina down in Davy Jones's Locker, a challenge that introduces Billy to the king's beautiful daughter....

  • Squash It!

    After the king of Spain is bitten by a louse, he proclaims that it cannot be killed as it now has royal blood, but when a year passes and the louse dies, he has it made it into a guitar and has a contest, making others guess what his unique guitar is...

  • Bearhead

  • Sirko and the Wolf

  • The Ten Suns

  • Easy Work!

  • Seven at One Blow



  • A Hanukkah Treasury

    Hanukkah is one of the most beloved holidays in the Jewish year, an eight-day festival of lights, games, and celebration. It honors a tiny band of heroes, armed with little more than their faith in God, who defeated a mighty empire and proved that mi...

  • The Birds' Gift; A Ukrainian Easter Story

  • Sword of the Samurai

    A collection of seven high-energy short stories about Japan's samurai warriors touches on their way of life, courage, wit, and foolishness in action-packed tales that are both funny and profound. 10,000 first printing....

  • Rooster's Antlers

  • The Three Princes

    In a richly illustrated tale with a Middle East setting, a beautiful and wise princess tests her three suitors by sending them into the world to bring back to her the rarest thing that they find. Reprint....

  • Grizz!

    Seven years is a long time, yet in order to gain his fortune, Cowboy Lucky Doolin must not bathe, cut his nails, trim his hair, or shave for that amount of time, in an amusing tale about one truly filthy guy attempting to make his dreams of wealth co...

  • Two Mountains

    Enhanced with fullcolor illustrations, this Aztec tale tells of the magical relationship and marriage of the son of the sun god and the daughter of the moon goddess, a story which echoes the Biblical legend of Adam and Eve....

  • The Rolling Stone

  • Gershon's Monster

    Rather than regret or atone for his everyday mistakes, baker Gershon simply sweeps them into his basement. Once a year on Rosh Hashanah, he stuffs these demon-shaped transgressions in a giant bag and dumps them into the Black Sea. Of course, Gershon ...

  • The Jar of Fools



  • Robin Hook, Pirate Hunter!

    Unlike his adopted father, Captain Hook, Robin Hook made the decision to ignore what he had learned as a youth and make an attempt to fight piracy in order to make the world's seas a safer place for all....

  • Anansi Series

  • Cloak for the Moon

  • Website of the Warped Wizard

    Jess and her friend Matthew find themselves drawn into a computer game in which they must defeat an evil wizard in order to save a friendly centaur, an elf, as well as King Arthur and some of his companions. Simultaneous....

  • The Website of the Cracked Cookies

    While trying a new computer game, Jessica is suddenly transported into another world with her friend Matt where they encounter a strange cast of characters, such as evil robots and fierce female wrestlers, while trying to find their way back home. Si...

  • Why the Snake Crawls on Its Belly

    A ladder stands in the Garden of Eden, reaching all the way to Heaven. Adam and Eve go up and down the ladder as they please, singing with the angels and talking to God. When the snake convinces them to sin, the ladder is broken. God and the angels d...

  • Anansi and the Magic Stick

    It's a fine bright day, and all the animals are working--all except Anansi, that is! He's sleeping, as usual. Warthog, Lion, and Zebra laugh so hard at his messy house that they wake him up. Anansi stomps off in a huff--right into an amazing secret! ...

  • Zigazak!

    Jewish folklore comes to life in this magical Hanukkah story!

    On the first night of Hanukkah, two tricky devils arrive in the town of Brisk to cause mischief. They use a magic word " Zigazak!" to make dreidels dance and latkes fly. The good c...

  • The Erie Canal Pirates

  • The Brass Serpent

    The Israelites wandering the desert complain to Moses and refuse to listen to God. God sends a plague of snakes to attack the people. When Moses pleads with God to have mercy, He sends Moses a Brass Snake which Moses lifts on his staff. All those who...

  • Three Samurai Cats

    After a rat takes over his castle, a canine old lord knows there is only one way to get rid of such a bully. He needs a samurai fast-a samurai cat!
    A fierce samurai arrives and draws his sword, ready to vanquish the upstart rodent. He charges tow...

  • Don Quixote and the Windmills


    A self-proclaimed knight

    Señor Quexada has read so many books about knights in shining armor that he thinks he is one. He gives himself a name more fitting for a knight -- Don Quixote -- and sets off one evening with his squire. At dawn t...

  • Three Samurai Cats: A Story from Japan

    After a rat takes over his castle, a canine old lord knows there is only one way to get rid of such a bully. He needs a samurai fast-a samurai cat!
    A fierce samurai arrives and draws his sword, ready to vanquish the upstart rodent. He charges tow...

  • The Castle of Cats

    When a farmer sends his three sons out into the world to prove their worth, the youngest goes only reluctantly, but when he discovers an enchanted castle full of cats, he finds a secret that may hold the key to his future....

  • Hayyim's Ghost

    When Bayla Esther's husband suddenly dies, she doesn't want to pay for his funeral, so she trades his clothes for that of Hayyim the town drunk, but when Hayyim awakes to find himself in burial shrouds, he thinks he has died and gone to heaven. Simul...

  • The Hero Beowulf

    The epic warrior from earliest English literature

    Beowulf was always a hero. As a child, he borrowed his father's sword to attack a nest of savage trolls that preyed on travelers. Now a young man, he seeks to defend the Danish king
    Hrothgar...

  • The Spider's Gift

    Although Katrusya's family cannot afford to celebrate Christmas, they cut a small pine tree in the forest, decorate it with buttons, and when baby spiders hatch in its branches, they especially enjoy the silvery webs that appear....

  • When Mindy Saved Hanukkah

    Let the Scholastic Bookshelf books guide you through the whole range of your child's reading experience--laugh with them, learn with them, read with them!

    Little Mindy Klein lives with her tiny family behind the walls of the Eldridge Street Sy...

  • Blackbeard's Last Fight

    Cabin boy Jeremy Hobbs knows the horror stories about Blackbeard the pirate. In 1718, the man is notorious for plundering ships and has recently blockaded the port of Charleston. But Jeremy has heard Blackbeard is loved as well.One day Jeremy accompa...

  • The Frog Princess

  • The Lady in the Blue Cloak

    A collection of stories depicts the history of four Texas missions from the 17th century to the 19th century, including the title story from the Missión de San Francisco del los Tejas in which a mysterious woman in blue visits the Teas people to pre...

  • Rip Van Winkle's Return

    Rip Van Winkle is an idler who would rather starve for a penny than work for a pound, and his wife is constantly nagging him. In search of peace, Rip heads off to the woods one day with his faithful dog, Wolf. High up in the Catskill Mountains, Rip m...

  • The Three Cabritos

    Once upon a time three cabritos (little goats) decide to go to a Mexican fiesta. But their mother is worried. She warns them about Chupacabra, the goat-sucker who lives beneath the bridge. And sure enough, as the goats cross the bridge, he jump...

  • A Picture for Marc

    GROWING UP IN Russia in the late 1800s, Marc Chagall doesn't know what art is. He doesn't even know what drawing is until one of hisschoolmates shows him how to trace a picture in a magazine. Marc tries it himself, then decides to pull pictures out o...

  • The Great Texas Hamster Drive

    One day, Pecos Bill’s daughter Sal announces she wants a pet hamster. Her father agrees to get her two, and before she knows it, the hamsters multiply. First there are five. Then fifteen. Then twenty-eight hamsters. Eventually thousands are running...

  • The McElderry Book of Greek Myths

    Walk among the gods and goddesses, men and monsters, in this enchanting volume of classic Greek myths! Here are twelve of the most beloved legends of Greek mythology, from Pandora and her dreaded box to Icarus with his wings of wax, and, of course, t...

  • The Fisherman and the Turtle

    In the tale of “The Fisherman and the Turtle,” set during the time of the Aztecs, a fisherman catches a magi cal turtle who grants wishes in exchange for being released. The fisherman’s wife nags her husband to ask for increasingly extravagant ...

  • Stormy's Hat

    Stormy Kromer is an engineer who loves driving trains. But he has one problem: he can’t find the right hat for a railroad man. He tries a derby, a cowboy hat, and a fireman’s hat. Nothing works. Stormy tells his wife, Ida, not to worry, he’l...

  • Anansi's Party Time

    Anansi the Spider thinks he pulled a great prank on slow-moving Turtle. . . . but when Turtle throws a party of his own, Anansi is in for a surprise.
     
    "Dear Turtle, I'm having a party. You're invited."  But when Turtle arrives, he learns ...

  • Mysterious Guests

    Master storyteller Eric A. Kimmel spins a tale of Sukkot just in time for the Jewish harvest festival. It was the season of Sukkot, the Jewish harvest festival. Two brothers each built a sukkah, or shelter, to celebrate and share in the gifts of the ...

  • Little Britches and the Rattlers

    Little Britches saddles her pony and heads out for the rodeo. She hopes to win first prize in the calf-roping contest. Along the way, she meets seven cunning rattlesnakes. One by one, they threaten to eat her up But Little Britches is smart. She kno...

  • The Three Little Tamales

    While the three little tamales cool off on a windowsill, a tortilla rolls by. "You’ll be eaten. You’d better run!" he tells them. And so the tamales jump out the window. The first runs to the prairie and builds a house of sagebrush. The second ru...

  • A Horn for Louis

    How did famous New Orleans jazz trumpet player Louis Armstrong get his first horn?  Seven-year-old Louis Armstrong was too poor to buy a real instrument. He didn’t even go to school. To help his mother pay the rent, every day he rode a junk wa...

  • Even Higher!

    Every year, just before Rosh Hashanah, the rabbi of Nemirov disappears. The villagers are certain their rabbi flies up to heaven to speak with God before the fate of every soul is decided for the coming year. But a skeptical Litvak scoffs at the vill...

  • Medio Pollito

    Through an adventure, Medio Pollito discovers that even though he is a half chick, he has a whole heart. ...

  • A Spotlight for Harry

    The story of young Harry Houdini, the world's greatest escape artist! Harry Weiss -- later known by his stage name, Harry Houdini -- and his brother, Dash, are enthralled when the circus comes to their Wisconsin town. Harry loves all the acts, but...

  • Cactus Soup

    The Spanish edition of our Mexican-flavored Stone Soup story, Cactus Soup. When a group of hungry soldiers ride into San Miguel, the townspeople don’t want to share their food. They hide their tortillas, tamales, beans, and flour and put on torn...

  • The Flying Canoe

    On Christmas Eve, six French-Canadian trappers meet a mysterious stranger who gives them the gift of a trip to their homes in Montreal, if only they agree not to speak until they cross their own thresholds. ...

  • Joseph and the Sabbath Fish

    Joseph always welcomes guests to his Sabbath table, while his greedy neighbor Judah scoffs at Joseph’s generosity. Even as his fortunes decline, Joseph’s door remains open. But times change and Judah turns to his Joseph for help. A very specia...

  • The Golem's Latkes

    On the first night of Hanukkah, Rabbi Judah has too much to do and too little time to do it. Before the rabbi leaves to visit the emperor, he tells his housemaid Basha that she can ask the golem to help. While the golem makes latkes, Basha decides to...

  • Jack and the Giant Barbecue

    Jack's late daddy once made the best barbecue in West Texas, until a giant stole his recipe book. Jack is determined to find that greedy old giant and get those recipes back! With a little bit of strength, the help of an unlikely jukebox, and a whole...

  • Hiss-S-S-S!

    Omar wants a snake more than anything, but his mom is unenthusiastic to say the least. However, the family manages to strike a compromise: Omar can get a corn snake; but the pet, which he names Arrow, must stay inside Omar's room, where his mom will ...

  • Moby Dick

    AHOY! Come with us aboard the Pequod. We search for Moby Dick, the Great White Whale! Along with Captain Ahab, you’ll meet danger face to face, hunting the fiercest creature the seas have ever known! Are you brave enough -- and bold enoug...

  • Joha Makes a Wish

    The emperor can never find the perfect outfit until he meets the Rogue brothers, who can make clothes so special that only the coolest people are able to see them. But what happens when no one in the emperor’s court can see the clothes-and the empe...

  • Hanukkah Bear

    A bear wakes to a wonderful smell that leads him to the house of Bubba Brayna. Bubba Brayna makes the best latkes in the village, but at ninety-seven, she doesn't hear or see well. When the bear arrives at her door, she believes he is her rabbi. B...

  • Sopa de Cactus

    The Spanish edition of our Mexican-flavored Stone Soup story, CACTUS SOUP. When a group of hungry soldiers ride into San Miguel, the townspeople don’t want to share their food. They hide their tortillas, tamales, beans, and flour and put on torn...

  • Simon and the Bear

    Before Simon sails to America, he promises his family that he will get a job and send for them. Simon's mother knows he will need a miracle, so she reminds him to celebrate Hanukkah wherever he may be. Little does either of them know that Simon will ...

  • Scarlett and Sam: Escape from Egypt

    Grandma Mina's Persian carpet sends twins Scarlett and Sam to Egypt in the time of Moses, where they come to understand that every Jew was part of the first Passover, and just what made it different from all other nights. ...

  • Rattlestiltskin

    Rosalia is in debt to the strange little snake man Rattlestiltskin after he teaches her how to make tortillas so light they float in the air! Can she outsmart the trickster and keep her freedom? From renowned children's book author Eric A. Kimmel com...

  • Gabriel's Horn

    A mysterious soldier appears at the door hands Gabriel a tarnished horn, and disappears. As the years go by, Gabriel's family prospers and they, in turn, help their neighbors. Could their good luck have something to do with the soldier or the horn...

  • King Midas & Other Greek Myths

  • The Runaway Tortilla

    A sassy tortilla, so light she jumps off the griddle, leads an elaborate game of chase through the desert while taunting a passel of critters―two horned toads, three donkeys, four jackrabbits, five rattlesnakes, and six buckaroos. But has she me...

  • Big Sam

    How does Big Sam make a GIANT-sized challah for Rosh Hashanah? He digs an enormous hole in the ground to use as a mixing bowl. (It's still there today - we call it the Grand Canyon.) He adds mountains of flour, thousands of eggs...

  • Search for the Shamir

    A close encounter with Grandma Mina's time-traveling carpet sends Scarlett and Sam to ancient Jerusalem, where some very important people need their help. The twins meet the prophet Nathan, the warrior Benayahu ben Yehoiada, and even King Solomon him...

  • I Want a Real Bike in Oregon

    A picture book highlighting scenic rides through some of Oregon's most beautiful sites, I Want a Real Bike in Oregon is the perfect book for the young cyclist who is ready for a new bike. From award-winning author Eric A. Kimmel with whimsical art by...

  • Hank and Gertie

    From award-winning author Eric A. Kimmel with gorgeous, brightly patterned illustrations from artist Mara Penny, Hank and Gertie brings a modern twist to the classic Hansel and Gretel folktale combined with the high-adventure landscape of the Oregon ...

  • Why Worry?

    Told through soft, gorgeous color illustrations, Why Worry is a gentle story of two friends swept into the unpredictable wilderness and how, despite feeling anxiety and worries, they find peace and calmness together.Once upon a time there were two go...

  • Right Side Up

    The Wise Men of Chelm stories are retold for a new generation by award-winning author Eric Kimmel. An appealing chapter book format and humorous, edgy illustration combine with a timeless old country setting and a modern gender balance to appeal to t...

  • Whale of a Tale

    Scarlett and Sam are back again in a twist on the biblical adventure tale of Jonah and the whale. When the twins take Grandma Mina's special carpet to be cleaned and repaired, they encounter a strange person who steps on the rug and disappears! Scarl...

  • Nicanor's Gate

    Set in biblical times, the story of Nicanor's Gate―one of the entrances to the Temple in Jerusalem―shows how a man's faith is important to living a happy, fulfilled life. Nicanor, a wealthy merchant from Alexandria, is thrilled when King ...

  • The Three Latkes

Award-Winning Books by Eric A. Kimmel

The Chanukkah Guest
1990 Sydney Taylor Book Award -- Younger Readers
Gershon's Monster
2000 NAPPA Gold Award -- Folklore/Poetry/Song
2000 Sydney Taylor Book Award -- Younger Readers
The Golem's Latkes
2011 National Jewish Book Award -- Children's Illustrated
Hanukkah Bear
2013 National Jewish Book Award -- Children's Illustrated
Hershel and the hanukkah Goblins
1992 Washington Children's Choice Picture Book Award -- Picture Book
Mysterious Guests
2008 National Jewish Book Award -- Children's Illustrated
Three Samurai Cats
2003 Oregon Book Award -- Children's
2003 Parents Choice Award (Spring) (1998-2007) -- Recommended
2003 Parents Choice Award (Spring) (1998-2007) -- Silver


Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Eric A. Kimmel has published 110 books.

Eric A. Kimmel does not have a new book coming out soon. The latest book, The Three Latkes, was published in December 2021.

The first book by Eric A. Kimmel, Mishka, Pishka and Fishka, was published in January 1976.

No. Eric A. Kimmel does not write books in series.
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