Reviews
Abraham's Search for God
“The textured illustrations stay true to the simple beauty Abraham finds in nature.” —The Horn Book Guide View →
Janusz Korczak's Children
“This account of Dr. Janusz Korczak’s life maintains its power while still being accessible to young readers.” —The Horn Book Guide View →
“Bright illustrations depict aspects of contemporary Mexican culture – family, food, religion, school, art, music, recreation – including a passing mention of historical events.” —The Horn Book Guide View →
The Button Box
“The authors construct a world filled with color and texture that will spark the interests of young readers of today. "—Jewish Book Council View →
When Rufkin discovers a four-year-old marooned with a life-size puppet on a wrecked riverboat, he’s swept into oddball hijinks that cast him adrift on the Old Ocean, consorting with Queen Sibilla of Fontania and thwarting Madam Butterfly’s devious plot to enthrall the deep-dragon. The… View →
Wolf's Coming!
“Suspense builds from the very first page of this new twist on the not-such-a-big-bad-wolf theme.”―School Library Journal View →
Hanukkah Moon
For Hanukkah, Isobel visits her aunt Luisa, who “just moved here from Mex-ico,” and learns new holiday traditions. Though the educational aspect of the text can overwhelm its sense of story, the depiction of Sephardic traditions is welcome. Mosz’s earthy desert tones… View →
Always an Olivia: A Remarkable Family History
To explain why each generation of their family has an Olivia, an African American woman tells her great-granddaughter about their Jewish family’s journey across the globe to escape reli-gious persecution. Soft paintings add subtle intensity to this story highlighting the importance View →
Fine Print: A Story about Johann Gutenberg
“. . .the book provides young readers with a sense of history in the making.” —The Horn Book Magazine View →
The Copper Lady
“. . .Readers are bound to admire Lady Liberty . . .” —The Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books View →
Things to Make for Your Doll
“Young doll owners will be pleased with this portfolio of instructions to make accessories and very simple no-sew doll clothes. The twenty projects (adaptable for any size doll) include jewelry, a bathing suit made from a sock, and clothes hangers. . .” … View →
Mendel's Accordion
“With a steady rhythm and a tone that fittingly hits joyous and sad notes, Hyde traces…an entertaining piece of history [for] young readers…” View →
Bad News for Outlaws: The Remarkable Life of Bass Reeves, Deputy U.S. Marshal
“With lively language and anecdotes, Nelson (Juneteenth) chronicles the life of African-American lawman Bass Reeves in a biography that elevates him to folk hero. . . It’s an arresting portrait of a man who rose from escaped slave in Indian Territory (now Oklahoma) View →
Bad News for Outlaws: The Remarkable Life of Bass Reeves, Deputy U.S. Marshal
“Christie’s memorable paintings convey Reeves’s determination and caring, while rugged brushstrokes form the frontier terrain. Youngsters will find much to admire here.” —School Library Journal View →
Brainteasers from Jewish Folklore
“. . .chock-full of short, clever tales that will amuse, challenge and delight its readers.” —San Diego Jewish Times View →
Finding Day's Bottom
“Wonderful description, hill-country language, appropriate grief and honesty combine to offer a new take on an old story.” — Kirkus View →
Sammy Spider's First Bar Mitzvah
“Sammy, the cute, curious spider in this long-running series, has celebrated all of the Jewish holidays, gone to school with Josh Shapiro, learned about Jewish values, and traveled to Israel. In this installment, he sneaks into Mr. Shapiro’s tallit bag (the small, zippered velvet… View →
No Rules for Michael
“The colorful illustrations are warm and friendly.” View →
Matzah Ball: A Passover Story
“Bold, detailed watercolors perfectly complement the text’s realistic language and emotions…this will be a hit with sports lovers and anyone seeking an added dimension to a holiday story.” View →
It's Purim Time!
“…offers an attractive, appealing introduction to a holiday that children love to celebrate.” View →
Where Do People Go When They Die?
“Haas’s muted watercolor illustrations help set the tone for this meaningful much-needed book on a universal topic." View →
The Boy from Seville
Manuel, 11, and his family are conversos—Jews who have nominally converted to Christianity—in 17th-century Spain. They have fled harsh discrimination in Portugal, but their lives are still shrouded in fear and suspi-cion. When Manuel’s teacher intercedes, the boy is allowed to join View →
Sammy Spider's First Shavuot
In this addition to the series, Sammy the spider learns about Shavuot, which “celebrates the time when God gave the Torah to Moses.” He watches as the Shapiro family makes blintzes and reads parts of a small Torah scroll. The brightly colored paper-collage illustrations have… View →
Engineer Ari and the Rosh Hashanah Ride
2—In 1892, Ari is selected to engineer the first train between Jaffa and Jerusalem. Filled with pride, he boasts to his friends and neglects to say goodbye to them before he sets off. As the train stops to collect the neces-sary items to celebrate the Jewish New Year—apples, honey, round View →