Bringing Tikkun Olam Forward: A Q&A with Ruth Spiro About ONE SMALL SPARK

“Do your little bit of good where you are; it’s those little bits of good put together that overwhelm the world.” ― Desmond Tutu

I’m that person at the party who continually says that she gets all her information (historical, scientific, cultural) from children’s books. Yeah. I’m that guy. And today’s topic is no exception to this rule. How many amongst you are familiar with the Jewish philosophy of tikkun olam? For me, it’s entirely unknown. But then I had never seen it in a picture book for kids before. All that ends now! One Small Spark: A Tikkun Olam Story is out now and it’s getting all kinds of praise.

Here’s the plot:

“Imagine the world you want to live in. If it’s not the world you see, will you create it?

So begins a young girl’s journey to solve a problem she notices one rainy day while walking to school. In that moment, the small spark inside her grows and then connects her to others who are inspired to make a change and help the world become a better place.

This lyrical and very personal text from beloved author Ruth Spiro, with breathtaking and imaginative illustrations from Victoria Tentler-Krylov, explores the Jewish concept of tikkun olam, or taking part to repair the world. It’s sure to inspire young readers to nurture their own small spark, taking action today that will change the world tomorrow.”

It’s been getting some killer reviews as of late. My favorite may have been the starred review from PW which stated, “Exuberant, choreographic…vividly evokes the concept’s galvanizing power throughout”

I literally couldn’t say it better myself. What I can say? A couple words with Ruth about the book in question:

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Betsy Bird: Ruth! Such a delight to talk to you about ONE SMALL SPARK. Now it seems to me that the Jewish philosophy of tikkun olam, or taking part to repair the world, is such an enormously kid-friendly concept that I’m surprised we haven’t seen it in a picture book before (at least I haven’t). Where’d you come across the concept and at what point did it occur to you to make it the subject of a book?

Ruth Spiro: Happy to be here to chat about ONE SMALL SPARK, which is truly the “book of my heart.” I agree, the concept of tikkun olam is both kid-friendly and perfect for the picture book crowd. For those unfamiliar, tikkun olam is often translated to “repair the world,” but it can also mean “improve” or “make right.”

While this story is presented through a Jewish lens the concept isn’t exclusive to Judaism. I think the idea of contributing to the well-being of our friends and neighbors, and also our environment, is a value that’s shared by families across cultures and religious beliefs. Early in my research I was delighted to learn that even Fred Rogers, a Presbyterian minister, was familiar with it. In a television special he hosted shortly after 9/11 he said, “We are all called to be ‘tikkun olam,’ repairers of creation.”

I trace the idea back to 2014, when I was working on my picture book MADE BY MAXINE. Maxine likes making things; she tinkers, hacks, and repurposes items from the recycling bin. That’s who she is, but to get at the heart of the story, I needed to understand her “Why?”  What drove her desire to build and create, and why should the reader care?  

As I interviewed Maxine, I discovered she didn’t just want to make things, she wanted to make things better. So, MADE BY MAXINE included elements of tikkun olam, but didn’t expressly mention it. That’s when I decided the concept deserved a book of its own.

BB: I’m just delighted that Fred Rogers was a fan as well! So when crafting a book about a concept there are dozens of different directions one could go. You can do the rote thing where you straightforwardly say, “Hey, kids. Here’s the concept. Now we’ll talk about it,” or you can do something a little different. I feel like you’re doing something different and interesting. When crafting this book yourself did you know right from the start what the manuscript was going to look like, or did it take a little trial and error to get to its final form?

Ruth: Well, I’ve written board books about quantum physics and aerospace engineering, a rhyming book about houseplants, and a STEM picture book series that breaks the fourth wall. So it should come as no surprise that I tend to gravitate toward “something a little different!”

It took more than a little trial and error to get this book right. My first few drafts were straightforward, and were so unlike the final result that I almost hesitate to call them versions of the same book. But tikkun olam is something you need to feel to understand, like an emotion, and so the straightforward approach felt… flat.

The turning point was a brainstorming conversation with my agent, Susan Hawk. She encouraged me to dig deep and examine my personal view of tikkun olam. She asked the ever-helpful question, “What is this book really about?”

When I write my BABY LOVES SCIENCE board books, I imagine I’m explaining the topic to a very young child. I tried this same approach, imagining I was speaking directly to my daughters. This helped me discover what I really wanted to say. Making it personal in this way led me to write from the sense of empathy I wanted my own children to feel after reading about this important value.

Then, in this new version I narrowed the focus to a single moment in time, when we see something that needs repair or someone who needs help. Because in that moment, each of us has the power to make a choice about the kind of world we want to live in and the kind of person we want to be. Tikkun olam means doing what’s right not because someone tells you to, but because it’s what your heart calls you to do.

BB: In a book like this, the applications for schools and religious groups are massive. What are some of the ways that you envision teachers and parents could use your book with kids?

Ruth: I shared an advance copy at a conference this summer and the response I heard most was, “This is the book we all need now.” One educator planned to use it as her first read-aloud for all her elementary classes, and another was inspired to create a “One Book, One School” event.

I think ONE SMALL SPARK provides educators with an opportunity to introduce the concept in a way that cultivates empathy and understanding, while encouraging a sense of community in the classroom. It’s also a way for students to discover points of connection despite their perceived differences.

For parents, it’s a way to begin a conversation about the values their family prioritizes and plan activities that include charity and volunteerism. The world can feel like an overwhelming place, so it’s helpful to show children they have the ability to take action and make a difference, if only in what seems like a small way.

BB: I was delighted to see that your illustrator on this was the remarkable Victoria Tentler-Krylov. I’m a big fan of her work. Had you encountered it before this book? What do you think about the final product?

Ruth: I’m also a big fan of Victoria’s work and have been following her on Instagram for years. Her art is more than just beautiful, it invites the reader to pause and consider all the little details in each scene. In ONE SMALL SPARK there’s also a sense of movement and action, which perfectly complements tone of my text. When I saw her initial sketches I literally teared up because they confirmed this book was in excellent hands. Much of her work has an ethereal quality that reminds me of Marc Chagall, one of the many reasons I thought her style would be a perfect fit.

Believe it or not, the scenes Victoria created are nothing like what I imagined when I was writing! But as I always explain in my author visits, the illustrator reads my words and then adds their own imagination and storytelling to the art. Importantly, once the text and art become one, I no longer refer to it as “my book,” because now it’s “our book.”

BB: Very wise! Finally, what else are you working on these days? What’s on the horizon?

Ruth: Thank you for asking! Next up in early 2025 is HOW TO EXPLAIN CLIMATE SCIENCE TO A GROWN-UP, the third book in that series illustrated by Teresa Martinez. Also, BABY LOVES METEOROLOGY, illustrated by Kat Uno – the twenty-fifth BABY LOVES board book!

There’s also a follow-up to LOVE GROWS in the works, a rhyming story about the joy that comes from growing something you can eat, together, with your community. GROWING TOGETHER will be illustrated by Paola Escobar.

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Big thanks to Ruth for taking the time to answer my questions today. Thanks too to Jordana Kulak and the team at Penguin Young Readers for taking the time to help put this all together. One Small Spark: A Tikkun Olam Story is out on bookstore and library shelves now, so be sure to seek it out and read it for yourself! It’s a beauty!

Filed under: Interviews