YCQ fifth graders had the exciting opportunity to step into the world of storytelling during a special visit with Isaac Rudansky, an Orthodox Jewish entrepreneur and author whose debut middle-grade novel, Georgie Summers and the Scribes of Scatterplot, recently landed a major three-book deal with Sourcebooks, a Penguin Random House imprint.
In preparation for the program, students read Chapter 1 in advance and came ready to listen, learn, and ask thoughtful questions. The book follows 12-year-old Georgie Summers on a fantastical adventure into Scatterplot, a world where Scribes record the memories of everyone on Earth. Inspired by Jewish ideas and imagination, the story includes elements such as the Scribes, the Altercockers, and themes of light and shadow drawn from Kabbalistic concepts.
Throughout the program on Thursday, May 14, students learned about Isaac’s writing process, the years of early-morning dedication that helped bring the book to life, and the persistence it takes to turn an idea into a published story.
A highlight of the visit was a hands-on writing workshop, where students had the chance to think creatively, develop their own ideas, and explore the craft of storytelling. The program gave students a meaningful opportunity to see how reading, writing, Jewish creativity, and imagination can come together in powerful ways.
Thank you to Isaac Rudansky, Clara Rockwell, Mrs. Etta Anton (YCQ Librarian), and Mrs. Francine Kozlin (Assistant Librarian) for organizing such a special visit!