Jeff Gottesfeld

Jeff Gottesfeld
Jeff Gottesfeld in 2023
Born
Howard Jeffrey Gottesfeld

1956 (age 69–70)[1]
EducationColby College (BA)[2]
University of San Francisco (JD)[2]
Occupations
  • Novelist
  • playwright
  • writer
Notable workTwenty-One Steps: Guarding the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier (illustrated by Matt Tavares)
The Tree in the Courtyard: Looking Through Anne Frank's Window (illustrated by Peter McCarty)
Food for Hope: How John van Hengel Invented Food Banks for the Hungry (illustrated by Michelle Laurentia Agatha)
The Christmas Mitzvah (illustrated by Michelle Laurentia Agatha)
The World’s Strongest Librarian (play adaptation of the book by Josh Hanegarn)

Howard Jeffrey Gottesfeld[3][4] (born 1956) is an American novelist, playwright, and screen and television writer.

Gottesfeld is an author of children's literature. Together with ex-wife Cherie Bennett, he has written under the pen name Zoey Dean,[5] including How to Teach Filthy Rich Girls which was developed into the series Privileged.[6][7] Gottesfeld has also written freelance for numerous magazines and newspapers and continues to publish essays on subjects such as the effect of the Gaza conflict on American-Jewish family relations, Confederate flag, immigration policy, and trends in young adult fiction. For television, he has written for such shows as Smallville and The Young and the Restless.

Gottesfeld has won a Sydney Taylor Book Award for The Tree in the Courtyard: Looking Through Anne Frank's Window,[8][9][10] while his No Steps Behind: Beate Sirota Gordon's Battle for Women's Rights in Japan was named the Freeman Book Award’s best picture book.[11] Food for Hope: How John van Hengel Invented Food Banks for the Hungry won the Christopher Award.[12][13][14] In addition, his play World’s Strongest Librarian won the American Alliance for Theatre and Education’s Distinguished Play Award.[15]

Early life

Gottesfeld grew up in Teaneck, New Jersey, attended Teaneck High School,[16] Colby College, and then the University of San Francisco School of Law.

Career

Gottesfeld has written freelance for numerous magazines and newspapers, and continues to publish essays on such subjects as trends in young adult fiction, the effect of the Gaza conflict on American Jewish family relations, Confederate flag, immigration policy, and trends in young adult fiction

His fiction ranges from elementary age children to adult. For television, he has written for such shows as Smallville and The Young and the Restless. Together with Cherie Bennett, he has written under the pen name Zoey Dean.[5] Under the Zoey Dean pen name, Gottesfeld and Bennett wrote The A-List series of books (developed by the same publishing group as Gossip Girl), and How to Teach Filthy Rich Girls, which was developed into the series Privileged.[17] His credits also include novelizations for Dawson’s Creek, Smallville and for the WWE.[7]

His first picture book was The Tree in the Courtyard: Looking Through Anne Frank's Window, published by Random House/Knopf in March, 2016. It received starred reviews in Booklist and School Library Journal. His 2020 children's book, No Steps Behind: Beate Sirota Gordon's Battle for Women's Rights in Japan, documents the life and activism of Beate Sirota Gordon.[18] It is the winner of the 2020 NCTA Freeman Award, for the best children's book about Asia.[19] It was also a runner-up finalist for the 2020 National Jewish Book Award.[20] His March, 2021 picture book, with illustrations by Matt Tavares, is Twenty-One Steps: Guarding the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, published by Candlewick Press. It received a number of starred reviews, as well as praise from the Wall Street Journal.[21][22][23] It is about the origins of the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier and its Tomb Guards.[24] Food for Hope: How John van Hengel Invented Food Banks for the Hungry, illustrated by Michelle Laurentia Agatha and printed in 2023, was a spring showcase selection for the Children’s Book Council, winner of the Goddard Riverside Children’s Book Council Youth Prize for Social Justice award, the Christophers Award and recipient of the bronze medal of the Independent Publishers Association (IPPY) for Children’s Picture Book (All Ages).[13][14][12]

Gottesfeld, who did not serve in the armed forces, remarked that he saw himself as an "imperfect messenger" with regards to writing about the United States military, which he called "the greatest fighting force for good the world has ever known".[25] Gottesfeld’s Honor Flight will be released in 2026, an illustrated book about the Honor Flight organization, illustrated by Matt Tavares. In addition, We All Serve, an illustrated book about how the children of service families, known as military brats, all serve in their own way, illustrated by TeMika Grooms, will be released the same year.[26] He has spoken to various groups about his work, including a nationally broadcast program into schools for the National Archive in 2021.[27]

Awards and nominations

Award Year Category Recipient(s) Result Ref.
The New York Times 2016 Best Illustrated Children’s Books The Tree in the Courtyard: Looking Through Anne Frank's Window Selected [8]
Chicago Public Library 2016 Best Children’s Book List The Tree in the Courtyard: Looking Through Anne Frank's Window Selected [10]
Association of Jewish Libraries 2017 Sydney Taylor Book Award, Notable Title The Tree in the Courtyard: Looking Through Anne Frank's Window Won [9]
Booklist 2017 Lasting Connections (list of top 30 books of the year grades K-12) The Tree in the Courtyard: Looking Through Anne Frank's Window Selected [28]
Notable Books for a Global Society 2017 Notable Books for a Global Society The Tree in the Courtyard: Looking Through Anne Frank's Window Selected [29]
National Council for the Social Studies & Children’s Book Council 2017 Notable Social Studies Trade Books The Tree in the Courtyard: Looking Through Anne Frank's Window Selected [30]
Children’s Book Council 2017 One World Many Stories The Tree in the Courtyard: Looking Through Anne Frank's Window Selected [31]
American Alliance for Theatre and Education 2017 Distinguished Play Award World’s Strongest Librarian Won [32]
Children’s Book Council 2020 Champions of Change Booklist No Steps Behind: Beate Sirota Gordon's Battle for Women's Rights in Japan Selected [33]
National Jewish Book Award 2020 Picture Book No Steps Behind: Beate Sirota Gordon's Battle for Women's Rights in Japan Runner-up [34]
Freeman Book Award 2021 Picture Book No Steps Behind: Beate Sirota Gordon's Battle for Women's Rights in Japan Runner-up [11]
United Through Reading 2021 Audrey Geisel Friend of Military Children Award Twenty-One Steps: Guarding the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier Won [35]
Tablet 2021 Outstanding Jewish Children’s Book List The Christmas Mitzvah Selected [36]
School Library Journal 2021 Outstanding Non-Fiction Children’s Book List Twenty-One Steps: Guarding the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier Selected [37]
Kirkus 2021 Best Picture Books of the Year Twenty-One Steps: Guarding the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier Won [38]
Wall Street Journal 2021 Best Books for Children Twenty-One Steps: Guarding the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier Selected [39]
North Carolina Children’s Book Award 2022 Junior Books Twenty-One Steps: Guarding the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier Nominated [40]
Texas Topaz 2022 Non-Fiction Reading List, Unanimous Recommendations, Grades 3-5 Twenty-One Steps: Guarding the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier Selected [41]
Association of Jewish Libraries 2022 Sydney Taylor Book Award, Honor Book The Christmas Mitzvah Silver Medal [42]
American Library Association 2022 Notable Children’s Books List Twenty-One Steps: Guarding the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier Selected [43]
Indiana Library Federation 2023-24 Young Hoosier Book Award Twenty-One Steps: Guarding the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier Nominated [44]
Children’s Book Council 2023 Spring Showcase Selection Food for Hope: How John van Hengel Invented Food Banks for the Hungry Selected [13]
Arkansas State Library 2023-24 Charlie May Simon Book Awards Twenty-One Steps: Guarding the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier Nominated [45]
Goddard Riverside Children’s Book Council Youth Prize 2023 Goddard Riverside CBC Youth Book Prize for Social Justice Food for Hope: How John van Hengel Invented Food Banks for the Hungry Won [46]
Christophers Award 2024 Books for Young People Food for Hope: How John van Hengel Invented Food Banks for the Hungry Won [14]
California Reading Association 2025 EUREKA! Nonfiction Children's Book Awards Fight for the Right to Read: Samuel Wilbert Tucker and the 1939 Sit-Down Strike for Library Reading Equality Silver Medal [47]
Independent Publishers Association (IPPY) 2024 Children’s Picture Book (All Ages) Food for Hope: How John van Hengel Invented Food Banks for the Hungry Bronze Medal [12]

Television credits

The Young and the Restless (hired by Lynn Marie Latham)

  • Script Writer: December 14, 2006 - December 21, 2007; March 18 - August 19, 2008
  • Associate Head Writer: July 2007 - December 21, 2007; March 18 - July 10, 2008

As the World Turns

  • Breakdown Writer: 2005

Port Charles

Another World

  • Story Consultant: 1997

Girls Got Game: 2006

Smallville: 2001 - 2002

Films

Selected bibliography

Books

Key
† Denotes works that have not yet been released
Year Title Publisher ISBN Notes
2002 Anne Frank And Me Putnam Juvenile 978-0-399-23329-6 With Cherie Bennett.
2003 The A-List Megan Tingley Publishers 978-0-316-73435-6 Written under the pseudonym Zoey Dean. First novel of The A-List series.
2004 A Heart Divided Laurel Leaf 978-0-440-22840-0 With Cherie Bennett.
2004 Girls on Film: An A-List Novel Poppy 978-0-316-73475-2 Written under the pseudonym Zoey Dean. Second novel of The A-List series.
2004 Blonde Ambition: An A-List Novel Poppy 978-0-316-73474-5 Written under the pseudonym Zoey Dean. Third novel of The A-List series.
2005 Tall Cool One: An A-List Novel Little, Brown & Company 978-0-316-04157-7 Written under the pseudonym Zoey Dean. Fourth novel of The A-List series.
2005 Back in Black: An A-List Novel Little, Brown & Company 0-316-01092-8 Written under the pseudonym Zoey Dean. Fifth novel of The A-List series.
2006 Some Like it Hot: An A-List Novel Poppy 978-0-31601093-1 Written under the pseudonym Zoey Dean. Sixth novel of The A-List series.
2006 American Beauty: An A-List Novel Little, Brown & Company 978-0-316-01094-8 Written under the pseudonym Zoey Dean. Seventh novel of The A-List series.
2007 Turn Me On Berkley 978-1-440-62349-3 Written under the pseudonym Cherie Jeffrey.
2007 How to Teach Filthy Rich Girls Grand Central Publishing 978-0-446-69718-7 Written under the pseudonym Zoey Dean. Developed into the TV series Privileged.
2007 Heart of Glass: An A-List Novel Little, Brown & Company 978-0-316-01096-2 Written under the pseudonym Zoey Dean. Eighth novel of The A-List series.
2007 Beautiful Stranger: An A-List Novel Little, Brown & Company 978-0-316-11352-6 Written under the pseudonym Zoey Dean. Ninth novel of The A-List series.
2008 California Dreaming: An A-List Novel Poppy 978-0-316-11353-3 Written under the pseudonym Zoey Dean. Tenth novel of The A-List series.
2016 The Tree in the Courtyard: Looking Through Anne Frank's Window Knopf Books for Young Readers 978-0-385-75397-5 Illustrated by Peter McCarty.
2020 No Steps Behind: Beate Sirota Gordon's Battle for Women's Rights in Japan Creston Books 978-1-939-54755-2 Illustrated by Shiella Witanto.
2021 Twenty-One Steps: Guarding the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier Candlewick 978-1-939-54755-2 Illustrated by Matt Tavares.
2021 The Christmas Mitzvah Creston Books 978-1-939-54794-1 Illustrated by Michelle Laurentia Agatha.
2023 Food for Hope: How John van Hengel Invented Food Banks for the Hungry Creston Books 978-1-954-35424-1 Illustrated by Michelle Laurentia Agatha.
2025 Fight for the Right to Read: Samuel Wilbert Tucker and the 1939 Sit-Down Strike for Library Reading Equality Creston Books 978-1-954-35433-3 Written with Michelle Y. Green, illustrated by Kim Holt.
2026 Honor Flight † Candlewick 978-1-536-23015-4 Illustrated by Matt Tavares.
2026 We All Serve † Candlewick Illustrated by TeMika Grooms.

Plays

  • Anne Frank and Me, written with Cherie Bennett (1997)
  • A Heart Divided, written with Cherie Bennett (2004)
  • 10 by 10: Ten Short Plays About Values, editor (2005)
  • Does My Head Look Big in This? with Elizabeth Wong, adapted from the novel by Randa Abdel-Fattah (2014)
  • The World's Strongest Librarian with Elizabeth Wong, adapted from the memoir by Josh Hanagarne (2016)
  • The Greater-Than-Ever American Songbag with Elizabeth Wong (2025)

References

  1. ^ United States Public Records, 1970-2009 (New York, California, Tennessee, 1991-2008)
  2. ^ a b LinkedIn Profile
  3. ^ Colby College (Class of 1977) Yearbook
  4. ^ https://lawyers.justia.com/lawyer/howard-jeffrey-gottesfeld-1185172 [dead link]
  5. ^ a b Biography: Zoey Dean. Scholastic Corporation (accessed September 20, 2015)
  6. ^ Herman, Alison (2022-04-07). "You Know You Love Me: 'Gossip Girl' and the Tween YA Explosion of the 2000s". The Ringer. Retrieved 2024-07-15.
  7. ^ a b Spears, Dante (2011-08-07). "Jeff Gottesfeld Interview: Author of new WWE book – SuperFan!". www.cultofwhatever.com. Retrieved 2024-07-15.
  8. ^ a b Times, The New York (2016-11-03). "The New York Times Best Illustrated Children's Books of 2016". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2024-07-15.
  9. ^ a b "Sydney Taylor Book Award". Retrieved 2024-07-15.
  10. ^ a b "Best Informational Books for Younger Readers of 2016". Chicago Public Library. Retrieved 2024-07-15.
  11. ^ a b "2020 Archives - NCTAsia". www.nctasia.org. Retrieved 2024-07-15.
  12. ^ a b c "ABOUT". ippyawards.com. Retrieved 2024-07-15.
  13. ^ a b c "Spring Into a New You (Spring 2023)". www.cbcbooks.org. Retrieved 2024-07-15.
  14. ^ a b c "The Christophers Awards Announced". thechristophers. Retrieved 2024-07-15.
  15. ^ Renshaw, Scott. "Not Going By the Book". Salt Lake City Weekly. Retrieved 2024-07-15.
  16. ^ About Jeff, Jeff Gottesfeld. Accessed February 12, 2020. "I grew up in Teaneck, New Jersey, where I went to Whittier School, Benjamin Franklin Junior High School, and Teaneck High School."
  17. ^ "Shows A-Z - privileged on cw | TheFutonCritic.com". www.thefutoncritic.com. Retrieved 2024-07-15.
  18. ^ "Children's Book Review: No Steps Behind: Beate Sirota Gordon's Battle for Women's Rights in Japan by Jeff Gottesfeld, illus. by Shiella Witanto. Creston, $18.99 (44p) ISBN 978-1-939547-55-2". PublishersWeekly.com. Retrieved 2021-01-10.
  19. ^ "Freeman Book Awards". 9 November 2016.
  20. ^ "2020 National Jewish Book Award Winners". 5 February 2021.
  21. ^ "TWENTY-ONE STEPS | Kirkus Reviews".
  22. ^ "The Horn Book".
  23. ^ Gurdon, Meghan Cox (26 February 2021). "Children's Books: 'Too Small Tola' Review - WSJ". Wall Street Journal.
  24. ^ "Candlewick Press - Catalog".
  25. ^ "Stefanie Hohl - Blog - Picture Books for Older Readers with Jeff Gottesfeld". Stefanie Hohl. Retrieved 2026-02-11.
  26. ^ "Rights Report: Week of February 19, 2024". PublishersWeekly.com. Retrieved 2024-07-15.
  27. ^ "Twenty-One Steps: Guarding the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier". National Archives Museum. Retrieved 2026-02-11.
  28. ^ {{Cite book url=http://www.booklistonline.com/Special-Feature-Lasting-Connections-2016/pid=8625182 title=Special Feature: Lasting Connections; 2016, by | Booklist Online}}
  29. ^ "Notable Books for a Global Society - 2017 List of winners" (PDF). Children’s Literature and Reading Special Interest Group (CL/R SIG) of the International Reading Association.
  30. ^ "Notable Social Studies Trade Books for Young People 2017" (PDF). National Council for the Social Studies & Children’s Book Council.
  31. ^ "The Tree in the Courtyard: Looking Through Anne Frank's Window". www.cbcbooks.org. Retrieved 2024-07-15.
  32. ^ "THE AATE DIRECTORY OF AWARD-WINNING PLAYS & PLAYWRIGHTS" (PDF). American Alliance for Theater & Education. Retrieved February 6, 2026.
  33. ^ "Being Jack". www.cbcbooks.org. Retrieved 2024-07-15.
  34. ^ "2020 National Jewish Book Award Winners". Jewish Book Council. 2021-01-27. Retrieved 2024-07-15.
  35. ^ "More Story Stations, More Resources, and More Precious Storytime Moments Saved" (PDF). United Through Reading. Retrieved February 4, 2026.
  36. ^ Freemer, Rachel (November 17, 2021). "The Best Jewish Children's Books of 2021". Tablet Magazine.
  37. ^ "Best Nonfiction 2021 SLJ Best Books". School Library Journal. Retrieved 2024-07-15.
  38. ^ "Best Informational Picture Books of 2021". Kirkus Reviews. Retrieved 2024-07-15.
  39. ^ Gurdon, Meghan (December 10, 2021). "The Best Books of 2021: Children's Books".
  40. ^ "North Carolina Children's Book Award: 2022 Results and Materials". North Carolina Children's Book Award. Retrieved 2024-07-15.
  41. ^ Woodland, Wendy (2022-01-11). "2022 Texas Topaz Nonfiction Reading List Announced". Texas Library Association. Retrieved 2024-07-15.
  42. ^ "Sydney Taylor Book Award". Retrieved 2024-07-15.
  43. ^ "2022 Notable Children's Books | Association for Library Service to Children". www.ala.org. Retrieved 2024-07-15.
  44. ^ "Michigan City Public Library: Reading Lists: Young Hoosier Book Award Intermediate Nominees". libraryaware.com. Retrieved 2026-02-04.
  45. ^ "Bentonville Public Library - Charlie May Simon". bentonvillelibrary.org. Retrieved 2024-07-15.
  46. ^ ""Excluded," "Food for Hope" win our Social Justice Book Prizes". goddard.org. 2023-10-06. Retrieved 2024-07-15.
  47. ^ "California Reading Association's 2025 EUREKA! Nonfiction Children's Book Awards" (PDF). California Reading Association. Retrieved February 11, 2026.
  48. ^ Leydon, Joe (September 21, 2006). "Broken Bridges". Variety. Retrieved 29 May 2011.
allikas: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jeff_Gottesfeld