Reviews
My Happy Life
“A sweet read for both children and their parents, who may be grateful at the reminder of emotional complexity lurking behind their children’s smiles.”—Kirkus Reviews View →
Stones for Grandpa
“Londner (Ruby’s Whistle) and Avilés (The Shabbat Princess) present a small boy as he observes two of the distinctly Jewish rituals of mourning: the unveiling of his beloved grandfather’s tombstone (which traditionally occurs one year after a death) and the… View →
Thank You, Trees!
“An ode to trees and fruit in celebration of Tu B’Shevat, a Jewish holiday. Often occurring in the latter part of January or early February, Tu B’Shevat is also called ‘New Year of the Trees.’ The five double-page spreads show friends and family members planting trees,… View →
Cheesecake for Shavuot
“Cheesecake for Shavuot is the fourth in Allison Ofanansky’s nature/holiday series that includes Harvest of Light, What’s the Buzz, and Sukkot Treasure Hunt. The text is illustrated with beautiful color photographs. The class begins by planting… View →
The Future We Left Behind
“[A] stimulating read well worth contemplating.” —The Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books View →
Thank You, Trees!
“In this charming story, people of different ages, gender, and races plant and take care of trees and enjoy their bounty. The lively illustrations portray people enjoying various activities, like climbing trees, having a Tu B’shevat picnic, singing, dancing, recycling, and swinging View →
The Cats on Ben Yehuda Street
“Reader alert! This reviewer is very fond of cats; so, she was ready to like this book almost sight unseen. Luckily, this whimsical picture book is a delight. Ben Yehuda Street in Tel Aviv is full of cats of every shape, size, and color but Mr. Modiano, a grumpy fishmonger,… View →
Grover and Big Bird's Passover Celebration
“Why is this book different from all other Passover picture books? For starters, a giant yellow bird finds the afikomen. But what else would you expect from a seder on Rechov Sumsum, the Israeli equivalent to Sesame Street? Big Bird and his pals serve as delightful seder hosts as… View →
Rise & Shine: A Challah-Day Tale
“While playing dress-up in the attic with her brother Sammy, Sophie discovers a crumpled piece of paper in an old apron pocket. Unable to read the strange words, Sophie and Sammy rush to Shalom House to ask Grandma Gert for a translation. The scribbles turn out to be an old family… View →
Let's Meet a Construction Worker
“Cartoon-style animated drawings in bright colors introduce diverse characters who will capture children’s interest….Additional titles where more books on community helpers are needed.” —School Library Journal View →
Cheesecake for Shavuot
“An appealing photo essay follows Israeli children as they work in their school garden and kitchen. Color photographs, in close-up detail, capture a teacher and her middle-grade students as they plant wheat in the fall and watch it grow with the help of winter rains. In the spring, View →
No Baths at Camp
“Max insists that he never took a bath the entire time he was at summer camp. When Mom announces bathtime, Max gives her a complete account of all his adventures, with lots of grimy details, from Sunday to Saturday of each week. There’s rock climbing, theatrics, marshmallow… View →
The Curiosities: A Collection of Stories
“The end result of the combination of stories and formal and informal commentary is that readers will feel a stronger, more intimate connection with these writers as people, as well as gain insight into the kinds of support and critique that are useful in story-making and… View →
The Normal Kid
“Holmes is a capable and affecting stylist… Readers may enjoy the dynamics of the school story, and they’ll appreciate the message that even difficult transitions are survivable.” —Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books View →
Their Skeletons Speak: Kennewick Man and the Paleoamerican World
“[F]or serious readers who delight in forensic investigation or perhaps consider a future in the field, this material will push their understanding further than most titles on this subject for youth readership.” —The Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books View →
Circles, Stars, and Squares: Looking for Shapes
“This simple, straightforward title is perfect for young children who are learning the basics, while the examples could easily lead to discussions about the objects themselves with slightly older readers. A great addition to concept-book collections.” —School… View →
H.O.R.S.E.
“This crowd-pleasing picture book will appeal to young children who will enjoy the whimsy, and to older readers who will appreciate the escalating wordplay in the boys’ challenges to each other.” —The Horn Book Magazine View →
Thank You, Trees!
“Tu B’Shevat is the Jewish Arbor Day, and families can celebrate its message with this charming and colorful board book for youngest readers. Karwoski (Seaman, the Dog Who Explored the West with Lewis and Clark) teams with educator Gootman to provide easy-to-say (or repeat) rhymes… View →
Sammy Spider's New Friend
“Friendly and curious, Sammy Spider learns about the Jewish custom of welcoming new neighbors in this successful addition to the well-loved series. Josh is helping Mrs. Shapiro bake a cake for the Israeli family moving in next door and Mr. Shapiro suggests that they also take over… 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 →
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 →
Infinity and Me
“Swiatkowska’s imaginative artwork combines the free-wheeling, slightly eerie absurdity of Monty Python animations, the formality of nineteenth-century decorative patterning, and the playful nerdiness of Leonardo da Vinci-styled inventions. For math and language arts teachers View →
Jeremy's Dreidel
“Jeremy longingly eyed the poster on the wall of the Jewish community center. There was going to be a dreidel workshop on Monday and the only thing that kids were asked to do was to ‘bring your own ideas!’ Just maybe he had an idea to bring. Abby and David, who were… View →