Reviews
On the Sapphire's Trail: Book 2
“[T]he fine-lined figures, cartoon action, warm colors, and fanciful scenes make this fablelike title very appealing. A pleasant choice for young comics fans looking for a gentle fantasy adventure, even if they are new to the series.”—Booklist Online View →
Kopecks for Blintzes
“Goldman’s droll text captures the folkloric style of Chelm tales, while Batori’s colorful illustrations depict the story’s absurdities.” — Booklist Online View →
The Maypop Kidnapping: A Quinnie Boyd Mystery
“Red herrings aplenty will keep readers guessing about the identity of the criminals. . . . Middle-grade readers looking for an unusual protagonist and setting will be well served by this.”—Booklist Online View →
Detective Gordon: A Complicated Case
Large and small, the many colorful illustrations perfectly capture the lovable, idiosyncratic characters and their woodland world. . . . First published in Sweden, this beguiling chapter book is a fine choice for young independent readers or for reading aloud."—Booklist Online View →
Build, Beaver, Build!: Life at the Longest Beaver Dam
“Nicely composed [with] lively illustrations. . . . A satisfying picture book for junior naturalists.”—Booklist Online View →
Collateral Damage
“This entry in the Support and Defend series will draw military and nonmilitary teens alike. The high/low story is full of action and raw emotion that will engage reluctant readers.”—Booklist Online View →
On the Road with Mallory
“[F]ans of the long-running Mallory series will enjoy reading about this soon-to-be fifth-grader, her initially unbearable cousin, and her sometimes inscrutable older brother.”—Booklist Online View →
Elmer and the Flood
“So many picture books promote the joys of friendship that it’s refreshing to find one celebrating ‘the bliss of solitude’ in such a cheerful way. . . . A fresh, amusing addition to the Elmer series.”—Booklist Online View →
Talia and the Very YUM Kippur
“Assirelli’s acrylic folk-style illustrations feature soft, rounded shapes that signal coziness and the security Talia feels as she works through her many misconceptions.” — Booklist Online View →
The Colors of Israel
“This simple book offers several possibilities for sharing and viewing independently, as the photos are vivid and show everyday life, while the text is scant and serves merely to identify object names and color.” — Booklist Online View →
Meg Goldberg on Parade
“Using rhyming couplets, Rosenbaum introduces readers to the annual Celebrate Israel Parade, held every spring in New York City. Meg and her family drive in from the suburbs and watch from the sidelines, until the wind magically sweeps Meg up high, giving her a chance to… View →
My Name is Aviva
“Newman’s gentle, empathetic story warmly addresses the difficulties faced by kids saddled with unusual names.” — Booklist Online View →
Tamar's Sukkah
“One by one, Tamar gathers other kids from the neighborhood, each a little older than the last, to add more things to the sukkah. But the thing that makes it just right? When it’s full of friends!” — Booklist Online View →
“This story is a laugh-out-loud lesson in persistence and support.”—Booklist View →
One Good Deed
“The author lets her characters make her point (the world is a much better place when people are kind), only introducing the Jewish term for this behavior – mitzvot – at the end of the story. Melmon’s upbeat illustrations are similarly nondenominational and will… View →
The Moon Dragons
“This might be just the thing for collections in need of a strong female character combined with dragons and a message of humanity.”―Booklist Online View →
I Say Shehechiyanu
“Rocklin’s simple text will help religiously observant young listeners recall their own family experiences, while Filipina’s colorful, cartoon-style artwork will trigger visual memories of these events . . . a good choice for religious schools and observant families… View →
Jodie's Shabbat Surprise
" . . . families looking for secular stories about Israel will appreciate this one." — Booklist Online View →
“The fourth installment of Friedman’s series is as breezy and funny as previous volumes, and April’s determination to remain true to herself in spite of her complicated emotions will resonate with readers.”―Booklist Online View →
Engineer Ari and the Passover Rush
“this makes a good addition to the holiday shelf, especially for Israeli history buffs” — Booklist Online View →
Returning to Normal
“[T]he gritty, realistic story should appeal to older readers in need of simpler writing that can keep them engaged through short chapters and relevant content.”―Booklist Online View →
Game Time, Mallory!
“Mallory’s first-person narration reports her thoughts and emotions with play-by-play immediacy, while the many grayscale illustrations portray this appealing fourth-grader in action, on and off the court. " —Booklist Online View →