Get the inside scoop on how this prolific writer started his writing career, the inspiration behind the popular Cam Jansen books, and the books he continues to create each year.

Meet the Man

David Adler is a warm, friendly person who loves his work. “I wrote my first story in 1971,” he explains. “The idea for it came from my nephew, who just kept asking questions. I wrote up a list of questions and answers, and each answer ended with the refrain, ‘a little at a time.’ I sent the story to Random House, a big publishing company in New York.”

With some guidance from the editors at Random House, David A. Adler’s first book was published. It was called A Little at a Time.

Mr. Adler did not know back then that this was a lucky break. Many authors send out their manuscripts again and again to many different publishers, only to have them rejected each time. Mr. Adler was a first-time author whose very first book was accepted by a big publisher! As a child, he’d always wanted to tell stories, but he never thought he would do it for a living. As he gained confidence, his writing career slowly took off.

Clocking In and Clocking Out

After a few years, Mr. Adler decided that he would take a leave of absence from his teaching job and focus on his writing. “I had a deal with myself how many hours I had to write each day. I would clock in and clock out,” Mr. Adler explains.

And that’s how the famous Cam Jansen was born. “I’d already published a few books,” Mr. Adler says. “But I realized that in order to turn writing into steady income, I needed a strong character who would become a series. I remembered a classmate from elementary school who was rumored to have a photographic memory. The Cam stories grew from there.”

Mr. Adler’s oldest son was a baby at the time, and that’s how he developed the first mystery solved by Cam (short for “Camera,” her nickname, due to her photographic memory). It’s called Cam Jansen and the Mystery of the Stolen Diamonds. Cam and her friend Eric are taking care of Eric’s baby brother, Howie. They notice a couple with a baby leaving the jewelry store and realize that there’s something suspicious about them. They have a baby, but no diaper bag, bottles of milk or formula, or wipes. Since Cam and Eric are taking care of a baby themselves, they realize that the couple is using the baby to hide their theft. Why else would they be out without all the paraphernalia that a baby needs?

By now, Mr. Adler has written over 50 Cam Jansen books, and they’re still as popular as ever! Mr. Adler explains that besides the mystery, the stories are easy to read because of their writing style. “In the 1970s, there were no transitional books — short, easy chapter books for early readers. After children read the ‘I Can Read’ books, they were expected to go straight to regular chapter books. But not everyone can do that. Cam Jansen books are perfect for kids who are in between those two levels.

“I can’t rush the reader,” Mr. Adler continues, “but I can rush how the story is told. In older level books, you might have, for example, a lot of description that’s not important to the story. In Cam Jansen, the writing is almost completely about the plot. That makes the story exciting without bogging the reader down.”

Book Report Cheat Sheet

Are you looking for some quick facts about David Adler for a book report? Here are some FAQ’s for you:

What’s your daily schedule like?

I usually get up very early. I try to be at my desk somewhere between 8:00 and 8:30 and stay there till 5:00, but I do take breaks in the middle. I give myself permission occasionally not to work a full day, since if I was teaching I would be retired by now!

Do you write by hand or on a computer?

I used to write by hand, but now I write mostly on the computer. I usually print the story out afterward to review it, and then I’ll correct it or change it on the computer.

What part of writing a book do you enjoy the most?

I like the rewriting process the most because I already have something to work with. Writing the first draft can be difficult. Rewriting is more fun.

What’s your favorite book (among your own books)?

The Babe and I, a picture book about a boy growing up during the Depression, is one. The House on the Roof is another one, since it was my first Jewish book. It’s hard to pick favorites, though. Ask me tomorrow and I might pick different ones.

What advice can you give young writers?

Young writers, even old writers, should be willing to take suggestions from other people, to do a lot of rewriting, and to read like a writer, not a reader. When a writer reads something and likes it, he asks, “Why did I like it?” When he reads something and doesn’t like it, he asks himself, “Why didn’t I like it?”

Biographies, Holocaust Books, and More

But Mr. Adler doesn’t only write mysteries. He’s also written numerous biographies, math and science books for kids, stories on Jewish holidays, and books about the Holocaust, including One Yellow Daffodil and The Number on My Grandfather’s Arm. He explains, “My eldest son, Michael, came home from school in first grade and asked me about the Holocaust. I wasn’t satisfied with my answers, so I went to the library to look for a book that would help me explain the Holocaust on a child’s level. But I couldn’t find any book like that for young kids.

“I said to myself, ‘You’re a writer, David. Why don’t you write the book?’

“I started doing research, and I interviewed many, many Holocaust survivors. I ended up writing ten Holocaust books from all the research I had done.”

The biographies he writes are about subjects as different as Abraham Lincoln, Lou Gehrig, and Anne Frank. He explains that he tries to pick subjects that he’s interested in and make them interesting for kids too — and it looks like he’s succeeded.

Mr. Adler has published picture books, chapter books, books for early readers, and everything in between. How does he manage to write on so many different topics, for kids of all different ages? A story, he says, has to be appropriate for the audience. “When you speak to a four-year-old, it’s not the same as speaking to a forty-year-old.”

He also works on several projects at once. “If I get tired of something, I’ll take a break and go work on something else.”

“I Graduated Elementary School Already”

Mr. Adler does get lots of fan mail. But, he comments, “some of my fan mail is camouflaged book reports. I’ll get a list of questions to answer that’s clearly part of a book report. I don’t always answer those! A mother once wrote that her son had read half my book and then had to return it to the library. Could I please tell her how the book ended? To these types of questioners, I say, ‘I graduated elementary school, now it’s your turn.’ ”

He may have graduated elementary school, but we’re glad he hasn’t forgotten what it’s like to be a kid! And yes, he says, his writing has changed over the years, but readers have too. “If readers didn’t change, why would we keep needing new books? Otherwise we could just reprint the books from 20, 30, or 40 years ago. The fact that readers change is why we need new books now, in 2019.”

And that’s how he keeps producing new books for kids around the world to enjoy. In fact, one of his newest series is about a frum boy named Jelly Eli Z., published by Menucha Publishers.

But the fact that his books remain so popular, he says, is really a lot of mazel. “I’ve been fortunate,” says Mr. Adler. “It’s not all the author, it’s not all hard work; a lot of it is mazel.”

Sarah Builds a School:

A Unique Biography of Sarah Schenirer

Do you enjoy reading true stories about people who lived a long time ago? If the answer is yes, you probably like reading biographies. A brand-new biography for the frum world is an early reader called Sarah Builds a School: The Life of Sarah Schenirer, by Ann D. Koffsky and Leslie Ginsparg Klein (Menucha Publishers, 2018). These two authors shared with Jr. how their book was written.

What made you decide to write a biography about Sarah Schenirer?

AK: My grandmother once wrote a report about Sarah Schenirer. She was able to interview many of Sarah’s students. But unfortunately the report she wrote disappeared, and we can’t find it! In an effort to recover what was lost, I wanted to reexamine the story of Sarah and share it with the next generation. I love writing for kids and sharing Torah values with them. To me, a story is the most powerful way to share an idea.

LK: When I was a girl, I loved reading about Jewish women in history. As a Bais Yaakov student, I was especially interested in Sarah Schenirer. In graduate school, I spent a few years researching the history of Bais Yaakov. That was the subject of my doctoral dissertation, the final report I wrote to finish my PhD degree.

Tell us about the book-writing process. Was it hard to write a book together? What part did you find most challenging?

AK: We would pass the manuscript back and forth. For me, the biggest challenge was getting the history correct — that’s why I was so pleased to be working with Dr. Klein. Her expertise was invaluable.

LK: Mrs. Koffsky knew how to turn this piece of history into a wonderful story! The biggest challenge for me was finding the right words to use, words that weren’t too easy and weren’t too hard.

Do you have any messages for Jr. readers?

AK: I do! I would love to hear what Jr. readers think is the message of Sarah’s story. What does it mean to them?

LK: There is so much to learn about Jewish history and so many wonderful books out there. Always keep reading and keep learning.

What makes your book different from other biographies written about Sarah Schenirer?

AK: I’m really proud about how this book focuses on Sarah’s unique qualities, and shows how one person’s passion and leadership can make the difference. Also, Dena Ackerman did an exceptional job on the artwork — I loved seeing the details she included.

LK: As time goes on, kids know less and less about Sarah Schenirer’s chashivus. One of the goals of this book was for kids, especially girls, to connect to Sarah Schenirer, and to discover how they can emulate her example.

(Originally featured in Mishpacha Jr., Issue 743)