Authors of “Hanukkah Veronica” discuss book ahead of Book Fest reading

Wendy Brant and Julie Anne Cooper met through their jobs in the real estate industry in 2019, but they bonded over a shared desire to write children’s books. Inspiration struck for their debut collaboration, Hanukkah Veronica: The Mitzvah Fairy (Lanier Press, 38 pages), when Cooper shared a story about her daughter, Lucy, with Brant. 

Several years prior, Lucy came home from school crying because everyone in her class had a holiday companion while there were no special characters for Jewish children in anticipation of Hanukkah. Not wanting her daughter to feel left out, Cooper gathered materials from her craft room, created a soft doll named Hanukkah Veronica the Mitzvah Fairy — who performed mitzvahs or acts of kindness — and presented the gift to Lucy the following morning. 

“Lucy was thrilled that she had something unique and special,” says Cooper. “That year she shared Hanukkah Veronica with her class and taught them all about Hanukkah and what a mitzvah was all about.”

Upon hearing Cooper’s story, Brant imagined endless possibilities — from a book to a plush doll to the celebration of cultures around the world — and the Bonta Friends book series was born.

In advance of their reading at the Book Festival of the Marcus Jewish Community Center of Atlanta this Sunday at noon, the two Atlanta area authors shared their thoughts on their mission as storytellers, encouraging cross-cultural curiosity in children, and the gift of kindness.  

ArtsATL: Writing a book for children is deceptively simple. As first-time authors, what was your mission? 

Wendy Brant: This project started in 2020, a volatile time when children had images of anger and animosity from every corner. Covid and riots consumed the news and social media. There were those in my life who seemed to have lost all hope. I would tell my children this was not real, that this was simply a narrative that sold tickets at a moment of great stress due to the pandemic. I assured my children that most people are kind, that most people embrace other cultures. In addition, I told them that even with all its problems, the world itself, our planet, is an incredibly beautiful place. A marvel.

ArtsATL: Giovanni Lombardi, who illustrated the book, lives in Turin, Italy. How did your collaboration with him happen? 

Brant: I knew we had to find someone brilliant to bring this character to life. I searched online and eventually I was drawn to Giovanni’s unique style. Julie Anne, my coauthor, is a brilliant watercolor artist and has an exceptional eye for color and design. It was the combination of Julie Anne’s talent and Giovanni’s understanding of the message that ultimately led to the illustrations you see today. 

The word “Bonta” means kindness in Italian. I selected that name for the company to honor his contributions to the project and highlight my gratitude to our incredible Italian artist. 

ArtsATL: Hanukkah Veronica is the first in a series of five books for children. What characters and stories can readers expect going forward? 

Brant: Bonta Friends intends to celebrate holidays and traditions from around the world. The first five characters are Hanukkah Veronica, Halloween Hannah, Christmas Chloe, Kwanzaa Keisha and Diwali Deepa, with many more to come. Every character shares a message of kindness, and they are all best friends. As seen in our next book, Halloween Hannah, which takes place in the land of Bonta, every character celebrates with one another, and they enjoy learning about each other’s cultures.  

ArtsATL: Encouraging children to be curious about the diversity of holiday traditions is a noble goal. Will you seek guidance from experts to enhance your cultural sensitivity?  

Brant: We work very diligently to ensure our stories portray each holiday and culture accurately and respectfully. As a result of this commitment, each book is written in conjunction with an expert advisor from that culture.  

In the back of each book, there is a history section which explains the origin of the holiday and the meaning behind the traditional symbols. Hanukkah Veronica was written with the help of Rabbi Levi Mentz from the Forsyth County Chabad, and we are so grateful for his assistance and support. For Halloween Hannah, we are honored to be working with Halloween author Lesley Bannatyne. 

ArtsATL: What have you learned in the process?  

Julie Anne Cooper: The historical research has been fascinating. Most of us do not know the origins of many popular traditions and most of the information shared in the book does not seem to be common knowledge. For example, did you know that over 60 years ago, children began to raise money for the United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund (UNICEF) while trick-or-treating? It was so successful that, in 1967, President Lyndon Johnson named October 31, National UNICEF Day.

ArtsATL: The unchecked merchandizing and materialism that have become synonymous with Christmas are an unfortunate distraction from the significance of the holiday. Did you have any reservations about introducing a character who comes bearing gifts for children during Hanukkah?  

Cooper: Hanukkah Veronica performs mitzvahs in the book; however, it is not always a gift. Often it is a sweet note, or a simple gesture such as the surprise of a fresh baked cookie or helping an elder neighbor with their trash cans. She may bring a gift for the family to share, but the message behind the character is not one of greed or materialism. It’s all about showing kindness to those who you see every day.

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Gail O’Neill is an ArtsATL editor-at-large. She hosts and coproduces Collective Knowledge, a conversational series that’s broadcast on THEA Network, and frequently moderates author talks for the Atlanta History Center.