Reviews
Sammy Spider's First Taste of Hanukkah: A Cookbook
“Sammy is now in his second decade as an unlikely but winsome Jewish educator, and since the series kicked off in 1993 with a Hanukkah title, a holiday-themed cookbook is long overdue. Turndorf, who teaches cooking to children, has developed 17 easy recipes that kids can whip up… View →
Something Sure Smells Around Here: Limericks
“Get your pencils out! Brian P. Cleary makes writing limericks easy enough for anyone. I wish I’d had this book when I was a kid; I would have started writing poems a lot sooner.” —Kenn Nesbitt, Children’s Poet Laureate View →
My Name is Aviva
“Many Jewish children are curious about the origin of their names, and wonder why they are unusual or old fashioned. Newman’s clear and rich narrative explains the custom with warmth and appreciation for tradition.” — School Library Journal View →
An Ambush of Tigers: A Wild Gathering of Collective Nouns
“[A] clever contemplation of animal-centric collective nouns . . . inventively and captivatingly composed. . . . Language arts teachers as well as librarians will want to get their paws on this title.”—The Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books View →
“A peppy, lively Shabbat song full of spirit and cheer, Shabbat Shalom, Hey! is known to many children who love to clap to its rhythms and shout out the ‘Hey’ emphatically and joyfully. In this bright, colorful picture book, Ann Koffsky has illustrated the… View →
Jodie's Shabbat Surprise
“Jodie’s Shabbat Surprise is the newest addition to a series of picture books about Jodie, who wants to follow in the footsteps of her archaeologist father. This one has her (and her dog, Digger) finding an ancient wine press in an Israeli park not far from her home. View →
The Wren and the Sparrow
“The affecting text is filled with both pathos and hope, befitting the author’s status as U.S. Children’s Poet Laureate (2011 – 2013). Somber watercolor and pencil illustrations convey the historical darkness of the time, yet are punctuated with the… View →
The Bunker Diary
“Brooks is messy, angry, and nihilistic. . . . There’s no easy out or absolution, but that’s going to interest readers.”—The Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books View →
Prairie Fire
“Johnston isn’t afraid to write for a world where happy endings are rare, but there is such grace and dignity that heartbroken readers will likely forgive [her].”—The Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books View →
Terrorist: Gavrilo Princip, the Assassin Who Ignited World War I
“[F]or teen readers who appreciate some intellectual heft in their GNs. Even young adults who skim past the kitchen table and coffeehouse political discussions, however, will be drawn in.”—The Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books View →
Taking Sides
“[Q]uick reads . . . that [allow] less skilled readers to concentrate on content rather than structure. The riveting plots, however, will have appeal well beyond the reluctant reader set.”—The Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books View →
One Good Deed
“This is a good read-aloud for young children, as the art is benign and the text includes a pleasing repetition of reactions from neighbors, who are always ‘surprised’ and ‘delighted’ by the kindness bestowed upon them. Another positive touch: the succinct… View →
See No Color
“I can’t wait to get a copy for all of my friends and all of their children. It’s the kind of book that should be mandatory reading for all Americans.”―Kiese Laymon, author of Long Division and How to Slowly Kill Yourself and Others in America View →
Trash Mountain
“This is a gripping story, right-sized for children but with all the authentic drama of any novel.”―Star Tribune View →
Bug on a Bike
“This is a fun book….Children will identify with the love of surprises….[T]his book can be a good read-aloud to a few children or for independent reading.”―Library Media Connection View →
Who Was Here?: Discovering Wild Animal Tracks
“Young children will be entertained….The colorful watercolor and collage illustrations add a lot of pizazz to this book. This would make a good addition to collections that need to material for animal units in the primary grades.”―Library Media Connection View →
Those Magnificent Sheep in Their Flying Machines
“[T]he rhyming story and goofy concept will keep children giggling through the end; a great choice for storytime.”―Library Media Connection View →
BirdCatDog
“Because it is wordless, children are encouraged to explain the story themselves. The format makes the book enticing for youngsters again and again.”―Library Media Connection 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 →
Place Hacking: Venturing Off Limits
“This brief but lively introduction to the joy of urban trespass is the stuff reluctant reader dreams are made of.”—The Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books View →
New Month, New Moon
“This book is well done and filled with facts that will integrate the holiday of Rosh Chodesh with the teaching of astronomy. In addition, children will develop an appreciation of the earth’s environment. This can be a perfect addition to a classroom unit on Israel or Rosh… View →
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 →
Ode to a Commode: Concrete Poems
“Cleary’s collection of poems range between quietly clever to laugh-out-loud funny….[T]he poems are short and fun enough to charm even the most ardent enemy of poetry, and children will likely walk away feeling inspired to make their own concrete poems in the most… View →