Reviews
Nathan Blows Out the Hanukkah Candles
“Jacob’s brother, Nathan, is autistic. Sometimes his repetition of phrases drives Jacob crazy, but Jacob’s mother explains that Nathan’s brain is just wired differently. A new boy moves in next door, and Jacob is happy to have a friend to play basketball with him. Jacob’s mother… View →
“The noteworthy life of Marcel Marceau, born Marcel Mangel, is explored in this attractive picture book. Adults who are familiar with his famous work as a mime will be interested in his early experiences as a young boy growing up in Strasbourg, France on the eve of World War II. In View →
“The matter-of-fact tone used to describe animals eating and being eaten, as well as descriptions of desert life, brings the setting to life for children. The thick, off-white pages and small illustrations in muted colors create a pleasant individual reading experience. With its… View →
Engineer Ari and the Hanukkah Mishap
“It’s Hanukkah and Engineer Ari is off in his train to celebrate the holiday with his friends, Jessie and Nathaniel. He is carrying traditional sufganiyot (jelly donuts), dreidels, and Turkish coins. His Hannukiah (the correct name for the holiday candelabra) travels with… View →
Nathan Blows Out the Hanukkah Candles
“Jacob loves Hanukkah, but is frustrated with the way it’s celebrated at his house. His brother Nathan, a boy on the autism spectrum, obsesses about the holiday and ruins the night by blowing out the candles as if they were on a birthday cake. When a new friend, Steven,… View →
Engineer Ari and the Hanukkah Mishap
“Candles, latkes, gifts— Chanukah traditions bring light and joy to the dark days of winter. As you select presents for your children, we urge you to give them books. Each year, publishers offer new Chanukah titles, and this year there are some great choices. We gathered recently… View →
The Shabbat Princess
“Candles, latkes, gifts— Chanukah traditions bring light and joy to the dark days of winter. As you select presents for your children, we urge you to give them books. Each year, publishers offer new Chanukah titles, and this year there are some great choices. We gathered recently… View →
Jodie's Hanukkah Dig
“A wonderful combination of great story and unique perspective, this tale of young Jodie’s visit with her father to an archaeological dig in Modi’in, where Judah Maccabee fought the Syrians, helps children place the Chanukah story in context by linking the historical with the… View →
Engineer Ari and the Hanukkah Mishap
“Quill says: This imaginative story of two different traditions, two different faiths, two different men united in a new friendship celebrating a Jewish holiday rich with history and meaning will delight children between the ages of four to seven.” Quill Book Review View →
Brooklyn, Burning
“This will appeal to readers who enjoyed David Levithan’s Love Is the Higher Law.” —The Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books View →
“As teenage vampires go, Will himself has a world-weary practicality that, while making him far less romantic than some of his more angsty counterparts, feels incredibly authentic for a protagonist who has suffered through plagues, wars, and famine without the relief of death. Fans View →
“The narrative presents Marceau’s life in a storybook-like manner and makes the material interesting and accessible to children.” —Bayviews View →
Not a Buzz to Be Found: Insects in Winter
“Artfully combining foreground close-ups and cutaways with broader views of children at play in lightly wooded winter landscapes, Zollars supplies soft-lined but accurately detailed illustrations for Glaser’s survey of wintering insects…. An informative foray into the… View →
It's Tot Shabbat!
“While their parents are in services on Saturday mornings, preschoolers enjoy having fun at ‘Shabbat Club.’ They play with toys, listen to stories, hold stuffed-toy Torahs, and say the blessings over a Shabbat snack. Clear photographs of adorable children accompany the… View →
Spielman’s language in this book soars, even poetic when describing what Marceau could do through mime. And the art is outstanding, very expressive and using the page space gorgeously through color, placement, and design. Gauthier fits the palette to the prose, making for a very… View →
“Far more visually arresting is ‘Marcel Marceau: Master of Mime,’ which showcases the atmospheric mixed media artwork of Manon Gauthier, a finalist for the Governor General of Canada Awards, the Canadian equivalent of the Caldecott for illustrators. While the art and… View →
Fall Pumpkins: Orange and Plump
“The illustrations are very colorful and showcase the fall foliage, tractors, scarecrows, and other symbols of fall. There are also illustrations of children helping each other with planting, watering, and examining how the seeds grow to become flowers and then pumpkins….… View →
Power Up to Fight Pollution
“The books lend themselves to helping young children conceptualize ideas about the environment, as well as learn about the structure of an informational text. Teachers can share the books aloud with young children, or independent readers could read the books using the chapter by… View →
Ultraviolet
“The realism here is very real indeed, and the plot turn to sci-fi will either delight or distract readers, according to their tastes. Everyone, though will stay on track with her bittersweet romance with Faraday and its promise that true love can break barriers and transcend even… View →
The Secret of the Skeleton Key
“The villains are deeply villainous, the heroes remarkably heroic, and the plot, while a bit of a stretch, is a whole lot of fun. The final pages point to a second installment set on Alcatraz Island; expect requests upon return of this volume.” —The Bulletin of the Center View →
Go Easy on Energy
“Aimed at getting the youngest children to think about energy conservation, this pleasantly illustrated entry in the Planet Protectors series follows a young boy named Tyler through one day at school and home as he monitors energy use as a member of his school’s Power… View →
Jumping Jenny
“In this fun, yet meaningful, story, Jenny is a jumping maniac who, at times, jumps herself right into trouble. After several mishaps and a tirade of disapproval, Jenny decides jumping is just not worth the trouble. Depressed, she mopes about. However, an opportunity arises in the… View →
I Want a Party!
“The whimsy and simple story line will appeal to young children.” —School Library Journal View →