Reviews
Circle the Truth
“This rhapsody on faith, acceptance, patience and the relationship between ‘truth’ and ‘reality’ is an unusual and valuable addition to the pantheon of literature for youth, particularly since faith is so seldom addressed with such neutrality in books for… View →
A Feel Better Book for Little Sports
“Brochmann and Bowen’s rhyming, singsong stanzas first introduce the physical benefits of sports before moving to emotional aspects like empathy, sportsmanship, and losing with grace. . . . A comprehensive and successful child’s introduction to competitive sports.”—Kirkus View →
Stand Up!: Be an Upstander and Make a Difference
“Every layer increases the book’s clarity. This is a polished, consistent, and ultimately fun text. Stand Up! is jam-packed with tools and materials that solidify how critical it is to stand up for what is right—useful for young readers and their educators… View →
“Jules’s fourth Ziz book continues her versions of Midrash stories featuring the giant bird of Jewish mythology. The Ziz is summoned by the wise King Solomon of Israel for a critical job-keeping the Princess Magda company in her lonely tower. Locked up to protect her… View →
Fantastic You
“The narrative of this book is written like a pep talk one could imagine hearing from a person with fully realized emotional intelligence. . . . Many strategies for exhibiting self-love chosen by the child protagonists employing them are shown as valid, reinforcing that there is no View →
My First Yiddish Word Book
“Whether or not they have bubbes (grandmas) and zeydes (grandpas) to help teach them, young children will enjoy this charmingly illustrated introduction to Yiddish vocabulary.” —MultiCultural Review View →
Bubbe and Bart's Matzoh Ball Mayhem
“Using fun rhyming couplets and enough onomatopoeic words to encourage great expression in even the most reluctant reader . . . This is slapstick mayhem at its best. Illustrator Deborah Melmon’s gorgeous double-page spreads show a hip,… View →
Carol Gilligan and the Search for Voice
“A charmingly illustrated biography that highlights psychologist Carol Gilligan’s life and achievements . . . . Cole highlights key figures and psychological concepts in the world of psychology, explaining them in digestible segments. Green’s soft and expressive artwork brings… View →
20 Hungry Piggies: A Number Book
“Variation on the familiar rhyme should tickle very young listeners and Harris’s illustrations, combining watercolor and computer graphics, are crisp and simple.” —Kirkus Reviews View →
My Story Friend
“The illustrations are haunting, a surprising combination of line drawings and painterly backgrounds. They look like chalk pictures, if chalk could draw on the water or the night sky. . . . With the right listener, every story feels urgent. This book makes every reader a… View →
The Apple Argument
“The story of the Garden of Eden gets juicy in this picture book that looks at the tale from a new perspective.”—Foreword Reviews View →
Death in the Donner Party: A Cause-and-Effect Investigation
Grades 1 – 3, Grades 4 – 5: This nonfiction book gave me a much better understanding of how the Donner Party ran into so many problems as they were immigrating to California. They first decided to take Lansford Hastings shortcut which was suppose to take 350-400 miles off… View →
“Judicious use of color, various perspectives and basic shapes give the book a distinctive look. Effervescent, in an entirely understated sort of way.” —Kirkus Reviews View →
Nature's Paintbox: A Seasonal Gallery of Art and Verse
“There is a strikingly rare synergy between the poetry and the illustrations in this truly remarkable addition to the pantheon of books on the four seasons for school-aged children.” —Kirkus Reviews View →
Over a Thousand Hills I Walk with You
“compelling. . . an elemental account of perpetrators, victimes, and bystanders. . . this book is an important addition to the Holocaust curriculum.” —Booklist, starred review View →
How Can I Wait When There's a Treat on My Plate?
“Pete and Dell are sweet-toothed brothers who learn strategies to help them delay gratification in this rhyming picture book. . . . A solid conversation started on topics of self-control.”—Kirkus Reviews View →
Sewing the Rainbow: A Story about Gilbert Baker
“A colorful tribute to Gilbert Baker . . . creating the rainbow flag after a conversation with Harvey Milk. The art is beautiful and bright, transitioning powerfully from a subdued Kansan landscape to a flamboyant Bay Area. . . . It’s clear this book has a lot of love for the View →
Ani's Light
“Singh and Prabhat combine forces for an unflinchingly honest yet soothing book about a child and his mother’s illness . . . . [I]ncludes an author’s note that stresses the importance of honesty in the face of difficult situations, from illness to divorce to death. . . . A hopeful, View →
My Family Haggadah
“For the child perhaps still too little to ask comes this bright, informative board book introducing key elements of the Passover seder. The table is set with candles, wine, matzoh, and a full seder plate; juice is poured, hands are washed, the story of the Israelites’ escape View →
“A delightfully delivered message appears on every page of this bright, appealing art book: Read! An eclectic selection of paintings in which the subject is reading and a melodic text makes a winning combination.” —Kirkus Reviews View →
Red Yellow Blue
“Fans of Amy Krouse Rosenthal and Tom Lichtenheld’s Friendshape (2015) or Michael Hall’s Perfect Square (2011) may find this title complementary . . . comes with a potentially useful note to adults on how to use the book to promote self-esteem and forgiveness.… View →
Peanut Butter and Jellyfishes: A Very Silly Alphabet Book
“Billing itself as ‘very silly’ isn’t an exaggeration for this zany alphabet book as it pairs letters with offbeat combinations like Elvis with evergreens and newts with necklaces. Written in a rhythmic rhyme that conjures the verse of Edward Lear, this text… View →
Passover Around the World
“Passover, a holiday celebrated by Jews of all walks of life throughout the world, is described with detailed explanations and colorful illustrations in this delightful book. . . Passover Around the World is a great addition to any home or school library.” … View →