Reviews
Lights Out Shabbat
“Celebrate Shabbat the Southern way with this charming episodic adventure that underlines the true meaning of this weekly holiday—family love and devotion. When a young boy goes to visit his grandparents in Atlanta for a sleepover, a surprise snowstorm hits the area, causing a… View →
Jeremy's Dreidel
“A special Hanukkah workshop at the Jewish Community Center gives Jeremy a chance to make a unique dreidel as a surprise gift for his father, who is blind. When the workshop leader welcomes everyone, materials are out and waiting. Abby is eager to make her dreidel from… View →
Hippospotamus
“This entertaining account of a mysterious red spot is told primarily in rhyming triplets, making for an enjoyable read-aloud rhythm. Children and adults alike will delight in the wordplay. The cartoon-style, watercolor illustrations are expressive and perfectly complement the… View →
Little White Duck: A Childhood in China
“Author and illustrator together give us an unvarnished and intimate account of a real childhood: plain-speaking, rough-hewn, and very much down-to-earth. While the time and place the book depicts are very different from our own, there’s not a hint of sentimentality or… View →
Infinity and Me
“Swiatkowska’s Victorian-style drawings are vaguely reminiscent of Edward Gorey, and Hosford effectively reflects the ways in which young children might grapple with, and come to some understanding of, such an impenetrable notion.” —The New York Times Book… View →
Speak Up, Tommy!
“What to expect: Mean behavior in a school setting; immigration; foreign languages; lessons about compassion and utility. Speak Up, Tommy! tells the story of a little boy who’s in a new school in a new country and feels out of place. Tommy has to learn a new language,… View →
The Apple Tree's Discovery
“A little apple tree wants to be like the other trees in the oak forest. It particularly longs to have stars, since the other trees have stars that dangle and shimmer on their branches at night. The tree asks God for stars, and in response, God tries to let the tree know how many… View →
Sadie and the Big Mountain
“Sadie loves everything about school. But when Morah Sarah tells the class that they will mark Shavuot with a hike, like Moses did when he climbed Mount Sinai to receive the Torah, Sadie is very worried that she won’t be able to complete the trek. Each day that week the teacher… View →
Sammy Spider's New Friend
“In this addition to the Sammy Spider series, bright colors and an easy-to-follow plot work together to teach children the importance of the Jewish custom of hospitality. When a new family moves to town, Josh Shapiro and his parents immediately set to work preparing… View →
Guitar Notes
“Amato brings these characters to life with pitch-perfect detail and wrenching anxieties that will resonate strongly with readers.” —The Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books View →
Lights Out Shabbat
“A young boy is visiting his grandparents for a weekend in Georgia when they are all surprised by a freak snow storm. It begins after they light the Shabbat candles. The electricity in the house goes out but they continue with the meal. As the candles flicker, Grandfather tells… View →
Grandma Rose's Magic
“Grandma Rose loves to sew and has over the years brought joy into the lives of many people in her community. With a needle, some thread, and a piece of cloth she makes magic in the form of dresses for girls, slacks for boys, curtains and quilts, dolls for grandchildren,… View →
Hannah's Way
" It is the Depression and Hannah’s father has lost his job. They are forced to move from Minneapolis to northern Minnesota where she is the only Jew in her class at school. Her parents are rigorous believers in following the rules and regulations governing the Sabbath. Hannah View →
It's Tot Shabbat!
“It’s Tot Shabbat is part of a Kar-Ben series showing children celebrating Jewish holidays around the year. Here we follow a group of appealing preschoolers attending a synagogue youth program on Shabbat morning while their parents pray in the adjacent sanctuary. The… View →
The White Zone
“Marsden’s knack for getting deeply into a culture and creating realistic, believable characters proves effective once again; this is an accessible and engaging window into a specific time and place that will have current relevance to many young readers and units of… View →
Rashad's Ramadan and Eid al-Fitr
“The brightly colored, uncluttered illustrations are true to the boy’s viewpoint, at the mosque and at home, and colored boxed inserts explain more about the holiday observance and its meaning… Young children of all faiths will find lots to talk about.”… View →
“During the week of Passover, Jodie’s cousin Zach visits Jodie and her family. The siblings all want to spend time with Zach and argue about who is to entertain him. Jodie succeeds in persuading Zach, who is initially fearful, to accompany her on an archeological adventure to… View →
“You’ve changed over your crockery, your food cupboards – what about your children’s bookshelves? And I am not talking about removing the remnants of squashed bagel, ‘posted’ between them several weeks ago in a moment of toddler experimentation. Well, yes – you need to View →
Mendel's Accordion
“Mendel had a simple life in a small village, and though he did not have much, he was content. He played the accordion beautifully, and people often asked him to play for them, which he was happy to do. As he travelled from village to village performing, Mendel made friends with… View →
Hannah's Way
“The inside cover of this book reads ‘After Papa loses his job during the Depression, Hannah’s family moves to rural Minnesota, where she is the only Jewish child in her class. When her teacher tries to arrange carpools for a Saturday class picnic, Hannah is upset. Her… View →
The Great Sheep Shenanigans
“Big-nosed, pale gray Lou is endearing even if he is the antihero. Kids will be diverted by Bently’s skillful and risible rhymes and by Matsuoka’s droll depictions of Lou’s antics, and they’ll wolf this one down.” —The Bulletin of the Center… View →
Drowning Instinct
“A compelling study of brokenness that persists across generations and of salvation by unconventional means.” —The Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books View →
I Am So Strong
“Children will enjoy the predictable question and answer pattern, brightly colored illustrations, and humorous ending. This book, translated from the original French, would be a perfect read-aloud choice.” —Library Media Connection View →
