Creator Corner: Author Deborah Kerbel and Illustrator Yaara Eshet

Welcome to Creator Corner, a blog series where we interview the creators of our recent and upcoming books. For this post, we interviewed No Ungapatchka! author Deborah Kerbel and illustrator Yaara Eshet, whose book is publishing October 6, 2026!

Owlkids Books: Deborah, what inspired you to write this book?

Deborah Kerbel: A few years ago, a friend casually tossed out the word “ungapatchka” in conversation. “Unga-what-chka?” I asked. “What a fun word!” I’d never heard this weird and wonderful expression before. I asked her to repeat it and explain, knowing instinctively that I was going to figure out a way to use it in a picture book. It took me a few years, but I did!

Owlkids Books: Yaara, what was the inspiration for your illustrations in this book?

Yaara Eshet: The inspiration came from a few sources, two of which are close me: I designed Sarah based on how I remember myself as a child—her love of color and unique clothing really reminded me of myself—while I drew Bubbie based on who I am today (more or less). For me, it represents a dialogue between my current self and the child I used to be. I aimed for an overall aesthetic that wasn’t too modern, for the simple reason that I don’t see many Yiddish-speaking grandmothers around these days… In other words, as I see it, the story takes place sometime in the 1970s.

OKB: Deborah, what was the most enjoyable part of bringing this story to life? What was the most challenging part of the process?

DK: The most enjoyable part of the story was imagining all the quirky and colorful outfit combinations for Sarah wear each day. The most challenging part was starting this project armed with nothing but a fun and silly word. Figuring out a good story to go along with it took several years and a few false starts.

OKB: Yaara, what was the most enjoyable part of illustrating this book? What was the most challenging part?

YE: The most fun part was drawing Sarah in her various outfits; the diversity of the ensembles and the colorfulness were simply a delight! The greatest challenge, always, is ensuring that each illustration is unique in its own right, yet they all come together to form a unified, coherent whole.

OKB: What is your favorite moment/spread in the book?

DK: In the spirit of “much more muchiness” I have several favorites to share. I love the parts where Erin and Rachel’s eyes pop when they see Sarah’s outfit choices. And also Sarah’s conversation with Bubbie on the park bench always warms my heart.

YE: Oh, that’s a hard choice—I love all the moments between Sarah and her Bubbie so much—but if I had to pick just one, it would be the scene where Sarah describes what she wants to achieve with her unique, unconventional way of dressing. The moment I read that text, I knew I wanted to create something that would make her stand out in a crowd.

OKB: What do you hope readers will take away from this book?

DK: I hope readers, young and old, will feel emboldened to embrace a bit of weirdness and discover their own splendiferous style!

YE:I hope the message readers take away from the book is the permission to embrace their individuality—to enjoy being who they are without bending to societal dictates. Love yourself!

Thank you so much Deborah and Yaara for taking the time to do this interview and creating a wonderful book! We hope readers enjoy No Ungapatchka! as much as we did!

Pre-order your copy today!