Life, Values & Legacy: Our Chat with Barbara Kimmel of Atlanta

Barbara Kimmel shared their story and experiences with us recently and you can find our conversation below.

Barbara, so good to connect and we’re excited to share your story and insights with our audience. There’s a ton to learn from your story, but let’s start with a warm up before we get into the heart of the interview. What are you being called to do now, that you may have been afraid of before?
For years, I thought of myself as a writer who happened to be Jewish. Only recently did I realize that my Jewishness isn’t a footnote—it’s the heart of my work.

Growing up in Memphis, being a Southern Jew meant navigating spaces that didn’t always welcome us. Jews were excluded from certain schools, country clubs, sororities, and summer camps, so we created our own. I kept my Jewish identity quiet in public. Writing has become my way of undoing that silence.

I write all kinds of stories, from silly to sentimental, but with rising antisemitism, I feel called to focus on Jewish stories right now—stories that let Jewish children see themselves while sharing our culture’s joy and traditions with all children.

Having my story, “Backyard Sleepover,” about Sukkot published in Highlights for Children (October 2025) was deeply moving. Knowing that millions of children would read about a Jewish holiday felt like a light in the dark. I hope it helps Jewish children feel seen and gives all children a window into our world.

Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
I am a children’s book author and playwright. My books are joyful and interactive, designed to spark a love of reading from the earliest age.

I have a range of stories, including a silly board book twist on Simon Says, a nonfiction picture book about an Olympic figure skater, and a rhyming picture book celebrating Pi Day—all written in playful, engaging ways that help children learn while having fun.

My debut board book, Hanukkah Hippity-Hop (Kar-Ben Publishers, 2024), is a lively story that will have toddlers marching like Maccabees and spinning like dreidels. It was named a “Best Jewish Holiday Children’s Book” by the Association of Jewish Libraries. My next book, Purim Possibilities (PJ Publishing, 2026), lets kids mix and match costumes with reusable stickers. It received a 2026 Grinspoon Jewish Story Award and will be sent to more than 20,000 three-year-olds as a PJ Library selection.

As a playwright, I draw from personal experiences to explore women finding their voices—in everything from mother-daughter clashes to medical challenges, all laced with humor. My play Reconstruction, about my journey through breast cancer, was selected for the 2022 Ivoryton Women Playwrights Festival and received an Ellie Award.

Beyond writing, I love folk art, stand-up comedy, and hot fudge (with or without the ice cream!). I also advocate for dystonia, a neurological movement disorder I live with, and I’ve volunteered with a hospice agency for more than 15 years. I live with my husband in Atlanta, Georgia, and we’re the proud parents of three grown children.

Appreciate your sharing that. Let’s talk about your life, growing up and some of topics and learnings around that. What relationship most shaped how you see yourself?
My grandmother, who we called “Mom,” was my anchor. Though she’s been gone 50 years, I still think of her every day. She was gentle, patient, and adored me without judgment. Her small house in Memphis was a place I felt safe and loved.

At friends’ sleepovers, I’d get anxious and go home crying in the middle of the night, but never at Mom and Pop’s. When I’d wake and enter the kitchen, her face would light up as if I were a long-lost love.

In her cat-eye glasses, terrycloth slippers, and floral housedress, she’d shuffle around the kitchen. We’d squeeze fresh orange juice and cut up cantaloupe before going outside to hang wet sheets in perfect lines on the backyard clothesline. Mom and Pop didn’t have much materially, but their home overflowed with warmth.

When Mom died, the funeral chapel was packed. Even her milkman came to share how she had helped him through a difficult time. Mom was a quiet, simple homemaker, yet she touched so many lives.

She showed me what truly mattered: kindness, patience, and unconditional love.

When you were sad or scared as a child, what helped?
I grew up in a chaotic home filled with screaming voices and slamming doors. As a child, my escape was playing with Barbie dolls.

In Barbie World, I was in charge. I gave Barbie her wardrobe, her words, her life. I built her Dream House from scraps of fabric and imagined a home filled with love and laughter—everything my world was not.

I think that’s where storytelling began for me. Creating an imaginary world gave me comfort and a sense of control—a way to find my own voice and bring order to chaos.

I hope my stories provide children with a sense of playfulness and joy that I longed for as a child.

Sure, so let’s go deeper into your values and how you think. What’s a belief or project you’re committed to, no matter how long it takes?
I’m passionate about making books approachable and fun, especially for the youngest readers.

I wasn’t someone who buried myself in books as a child. In fact, books terrified me. I struggled to stay focused, rereading the same page without grasping a word. I avoided classes or careers that required reading and instead focused on math and art.

When my own children turned out to be reluctant readers, I began crafting interactive books to encourage them to read. Years later, after my youngest left for college, I stumbled into a memoir writing class and discovered a new joy in turning childhood reflections into essays, plays, and eventually returning to children’s books.

That’s why I’m so committed to creating stories that get even the youngest children excited about reading. I hope children will enjoy my books and return to them again and again, like a favorite toy.

Okay, so before we go, let’s tackle one more area. What is the story you hope people tell about you when you’re gone?
I hope people say I was kind—that I lifted others up and shared what I’d learned along the way.

I published my first children’s book when I was in my sixties, proof that it’s never too late to chase a dream. At this stage, my goal isn’t just to keep writing, but also to mentor and encourage a new generation of writers to tell meaningful stories for children.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://barbarakimmelwrites.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/barbarakimmelwrites
• Twitter: https://x.com/BKimmelWrites
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/barbarakimmelwrites
• Other: Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/barbarakimmel.bsky.social

Image Credits
Stacey Bode, Jyn Hall