About
New from Naomi Danis is "An emotionally honest take on the complexities of [childhood] friendship" (Kirkus), MY BEST FRIEND, SOMETIMES, a picture book illustrated by Cinta Arribas (May 2020).
Two recent books were praised in the New York Times Book Review: I HATE EVERYONE, with illustrations by Cinta Arribas (2018) (" ...reads like a version of Whitman's barbaric yawp" and WHILE GRANDPA NAPS with illustrations by Junghwa Park (2019) ("Here, the loss of a loved one is no grand event, but a fine, gleaming thread in the fabric of everyday life.")
Her books have been translated into Chinese, Canadian French, Japanese, Korean and forthcoming, Spanish and Catalan.
Her earlier books are WALK WITH ME, illustrated by Jacqueline Rogers (Scholastic/Cartwheel, 1995); SPLISH-SPLASH, illustrated by Elliot Kreloff (BeginSmart, 2008), and IT'S TOT SHABBAT, with photos by Tod Cohen (KarBen, 2011).
Naomi long ago earned a BA and MA in English from Stony Brook University, and an MS in Education from Bank Street College.
She is the managing editor of Lilith magazine, independent Jewish & frankly feminist, and lives in Forest Hills, New York.
Featured Work
My Best Friend, Sometimes
A story that vividly examines the occasionally-turbulent friendships of young girls. My Best Friend, Sometimes is an empathic and honest portrait of the delight in these relationships, but also the confusion, jealousy and vulnerability that can result.
“Stephanie and I like each other. And we don’t like each other. Both.”
It all begins on the day Stephanie proposes, “If you give me a cookie, I’ll be your best friend.” From then on, the two girls are inseparable, but not always at peace. They love to giggle, whisper, observe their classmates, and share their most outlandish, secret dreams. But sometimes they are at odds. Some days one doesn’t feel like sharing. Taking turns isn’t always easy. If they can’t agree on a game to play, who decides? One day it seems like Stephanie is mad for no reason at all. The ups and downs of friendship can be steep, and often unpredictable. My Best Friend, Sometimes navigates the path of two girls moving towards, away from, and back to each other again.
