Reviews
Escape from Egypt
“a Passover-themed book that seems to be the first to fill a much-needed niche in Jewish children’s literature.” — Jewish Journal View →
Apple Days: A Rosh Hashanah Story
“Every year at holiday time, Katy looks forward to making applesauce with her mother. When she shares her excitement with her religious school classmates, she also mentions the other exciting news: Later in the month, she will have a new baby cousin. A well-written,… View →
Goldie Takes a Stand: Golda Meir's First Crusade
“it is a pleasure to find this new release for very young children relating a specific incident in the life of young Golda Meir. Many little girls will find a kindred spirit in the story of Golda Mabowehz, a take-charge kind of kid” — Jewish Journal View →
“Children ages 1-4 can learn about the holiday of Purim in this adorable and sturdy board book. ‘When It’s Purim’ is filled with entertaining and bright illustrations. Kids will love flipping the pages as they watch cute forest animals make hamantaschen for all their… View →
Sammy Spider's First Book of Jewish Holidays
“Young children will love this introductory board book for the Jewish holidays filled with entertaining illustrations of Sammy the Spider, and one simple holiday fact per page. It is filled with just enough information to satisfy little ones’ curiosity, yet… View →
I'm Sorry, Grover: A Rosh Hashanah Tale
“Youngsters 2-6 will enjoy this Shalom Sesame tale as they learn the importance of forgiveness and repentance, two prevalent themes of the Jewish New Year. Sesame Street lovers will appreciate this beautifully illustrated book, filled with their favorite characters.” —… View →
Sammy Spider's First Yom Kippur
“Filled with lively illustrations, children will be engrossed by this animated tale, while they learn the importance of reconciliation.” — Jewish Journal View →
Rifka Takes a Bow
“Perlov, herself a child actor in the days of Yiddish radio, paints an affectionate and nostalgic picture of the era with her words. A nice addition to collections wishing to highlight the American Jewish experience.” —School Library Journal View →
It's a Mitzvah, Grover!
“Both books are brightly illustrated and explain Jewish concepts clearly, simply, and without condescension. Solid purchases for Jewish preschool programs and other preschools wishing to introduce Jewish holidays and practice.” —School Library Journal View →
The Purim Superhero
“PreS-Gr 2—Nate is having a hard time choosing a costume for his synagogue’s Purim celebration. All the boys in his Hebrew class plan to dress as superheroes, but he is much more interested in aliens. With help from his two fathers (Daddy and Abba) and inspired by the… View →
The Mitzvah Magician
“Gabriel’s overzealous wand-waving gets him into trouble when he plays magician: he knocks things over and pokes his sister in the tummy. Mom helps him redefine the role of magician. ‘Good magicians do things that make people happy, not sad. They do mitzvot–that’s a Jewish… View →
Emanuel and the Hanukkah Rescue
“Local children will love this story, set in New Bedford, Mass., once known as the whaling capital of the world. Nine-year old Emanuel Aguilar knows a lot about whaling because his father, Aaron, owns a store where many of the town’s whalers purchase supplies. Emanuel talks with… View →
Jeremy's Dreidel
“The good news is that Jeremy’s Dreidel (Kar-Ben Publishing) by Ellie Gellman, has been updated and re-released after 20 years. Parents and teachers never tired of sharing this classic 1992 Chanukah story on account of the emotional wallop it delivers and the discussions… View →
Maccabee Meals: Food and Fun for Hanukkah
“Maccabee Meals: Food and Fun for Hanukkah (Kar-Ben) by Judye Groner and Madeline Wikler and illustrated by Ursula Roma has also been reissued, and it is full of fun facts and simple recipes children will enjoy. Here’s one for starters: ‘The first day of Hanukkah and… View →
“Sukkot is a time of joyous celebration, and a time to be grateful for the abundant crops that nourish us. Just as we must feed our bodies, these delightful new childrens’ stories will nurture our children’s minds and imaginations as they learn the wonders of this important Jewish… View →
Oh No, Jonah!
“Those parents and teachers looking for a new twist on the story of Jonah (read yearly on Yom Kippur) need look no more. This latest version from children’s author Tilda Balsley sticks to the biblical text but is appropriate for very young children. The clever rhymes demand to be… View →
The Apple Tree's Discovery
“Well-known author and storyteller Peninnah Schram reminds us in her afterword to this charming fable: ‘To find the star in the apple, you must turn it on its side and cut it in half. We must look hard to find the beautiful star in each of us, and sometimes it just takes a… View →
Hannah's Way
“Hannah has just relocated from Minneapolis to rural Minnesota because her father lost his job during the Depression. She is new at school and trying to fit in. The teacher announces that the fall picnic is Saturday, and she is trying to make carpool arrangements. Suddenly, Hannah… View →
The Queen Who Saved Her People
“This book is an imaginative take on the tried and true Purim story. King Ahashuerus is looking for a queen. His loyal followers find Esther, a young and beautiful Jewish girl, who the king selects to be his wife. She lives with her cousin Mordechai, who persuades her to hide her… View →
“All Jodie dreams about is being a famous archaeologist, just like her dad. As a prize for finding the afikomen at the Passover seder, Jodie is given a new flashlight, so she invites her cousin, Zach, to join her and her father at Hezekiah’s Tunnel, a famous archeological site in… View →
Barnyard Purim
“Farmer Max is heading off to a Purim play and the animals on the farm are a wee bit jealous, so they decide to re-enact one themselves. Chicken decides to direct and assign parts to the other animals. Horse will play King Ahashuerus, Duck will be Queen Esther, Goat will be… View →
Izzy the Whiz and Passover McClean
“Izzy the whiz kid has created the perfect invention, just in time for Passover. Izzy is no ordinary kid; he is an amateur inventor. His mother is experiencing Passover blues as she is trying to tidy the house for Passover and rid it of any hametz. Izzy has just the… View →
Sadie and the Big Mountain
“Sadie loves going to preschool at Temple Beth El where she sings songs, climbs on the tall gym outdoors, dresses up in costumes, and plays with her classmates. But on Monday, when her teacher tells the children about the upcoming holiday of Shavuot, Sadie gets nervous. She learns… View →
Izzy the Whiz and Passover McClean
“Forget the candle and the feather—here is a charming book for children that tackles the topic of chametz cleaning through a feat of magical engineering. It’s a funny, rhymed tale of a whiz kid, named Izzy, who wants to give his harried mother a break from Passover cleaning. He… View →