Behrman House announced today that Michelle Montague has joined the company as Head of Sales & Marketing. In this new role, Michelle will be supporting our relationships with educators as well as bringing attention to our highly regarded children’s imprint Apples & Honey Press. Michelle will report to Publisher Derek Stordahl and work closely with Behrman House’s committed editorial team that includes  Dena Neusner, Rabbi Deborah Bodin Cohen, and Lindsey Mauriello. Rae Eskin will continue to provide curriculum consulting and other support for educators and teachers.

“Joining Behrman House is a rare opportunity to align my passion for book marketing with my devotion to my Jewish heritage, and I look forward to working alongside this talented team and with Derek once again,” said Montague, whose family were founding members of Temple Shir Tikvah in Wayland, MA. “There are so many important books on both the Behrman House and Apples and Honey Press lists; books that are vital to build knowledge, cultivate resilience, and to support Jewish families and our larger community.”  

Michelle was most recently Vice President of Trade Marketing & Publicity at Walker Books Group--which includes children's publishers Candlewick Press, Holiday House Publishing, and Peachtree Publishing, where she was delighted to have helped launch The Passover Guest, the Sydney Taylor award-winning book by Susan Kusel, among many others. With a deep expertise in marketing picture books, middle grade, and young adult novels, Montague has an affinity for books that push boundaries, support social justice, share historical moments, and encourage inclusivity. Previously, she held marketing roles at Abrams, Simon & Schuster, and Putnam Publishing.   

Since its founding in 1921 as Behrman’s Jewish Book Shop, Behrman House has played a key role in the development of Jewish culture and education in North America and is now the leading independent publisher of materials for Jewish education. In 2015, Behrman House launched Apples & Honey Press, a children’s imprint dedicated to creating memorable stories with an emphasis on social and emotional skills and character development.