Reviews
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 →
Dinosaur Goes to Israel
“This is Dinosaur’s fourth adventure, having celebrated Jewish holidays and Shabbat in Dinosaur on Passover, Dinosaur on Hanukkah, and Dinosaur on Shabbat. This one takes him to Israel as a tourist. He digs in the sand on the beautiful beach in Tel… View →
Grandma Rose's Magic
“A group of four- and five-year olds loved this magical story of a special Grandma who adds a little extra something to whatever she sews. When she sews the bank teller’s wedding dress, Grandma Rose surprises her by adding a lacy bridal veil. She adds beautiful pink and red buttons 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 →
Hannah's Way
“After Hannah’s father loses his job during the Depression, the family moves to a rural town in northern Minnesota where he will work in his brother’s general store. Hannah is not only the new girl in her class; she’s also the only Jewish child in the whole school. When the teacher 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 →
The Shabbat Princess
“The Shabbat Princess is a fun, colorful book perfect for the three-to-five year old crowd, girls, in particular. For many in this age group, there is nothing more special than dressing up for an occasion. In The Shabbat Princess, Rosie starts asking questions… View →
Lily Renée, Escape Artist: From Holocaust Survivor to Comic Book Pioneer
“This is a book about determination, hardship, and overcoming adversity. There aren’t many Holocaust-themed books that have a happy ending, which makes this one all the more pleasurable to read.” —Jewish Book World View →
“Yale Strom is an internationally-acclaimed musician and a professor at San Diego State University; he is also a gifted story-teller. His publisher, Kar-Ben, specializes in Jewish-themed children’s books, and the collaboration here of writer, artist, and publisher is ideal. View →
“When Marcel Mangel was a little boy, his father took him to see a Charlie Chaplin movie. Marcel was amazed to see that the comic actor was able to make people laugh out loud even though he did not say a word. This uncanny ability made Marcel want to be just like Charlie, and he… View →
“Spielman’s excellent biography of the Master of Mime engages one from the outset by introducing young Marcel as he is raiding his father’s wardrobe to dress up as Charlie Chaplin and entertain neighbors on the streets of pre-World War II France. We see that Marceau was, from his… 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 →
“Bim and Bom: A Shabbat Tale is a picture book about the experience of preparing for and observing Shabbat. Both the text and illustrations effectively convey the spiritual uniqueness of Shabbat. I particularly enjoyed the illustrations, which show challah baking and… View →
Green Bible Stories for Children
“Beginning with the story of Creation, according to our author, the Bible teaches readers to respect the land and conserve natural resources. Stories from the Bible are retold in the author’s own language, often humorously. Titles of stories include: Greener Pastures, Abraham and… View →
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 →
“A change from the usual apples and honey presentation, What’s the Buzz, through wonderful photographs and simple explanations, teaches both adult readers and young children how we get honey. The narrative begins with a trip to a bee farm in Israel. The children who go on… View →
Sadie's Sukkah Breakfast
“Charming and focused, this fresh holiday tale brings delight and information by showing young children in the sukkah in the morning when it is daylight; fears of the dark do not enter the story. Already, you have to smile. Two tots, older sister, Sadie, and younger brother, Ori,… View →
“Kimmel brings satisfyingly warm detail to a well-known folktale, in an elegant picture book set long ago on the shores of Galilee. Joseph of Tiberius loves to celebrate the Sabbath by selecting choice ingredients when preparing food and inviting all to share dinner with him. When… View →
Engineer Ari and the Hanukkah Mishap
“Engineer Ari and his red steam engine return to celebrate the Festival of Lights. As Ari hurries to the Jerusalem station with his arms full of packages, he passes two boys reenacting the triumph of the Maccabees and two girls playing dreidel to commemorate Hanukkah’s great… View →
Hanukkah Around the World
“From Sydney, Australia, to Samarkand, Uzbekistan, to Turin, Italy, Hanukkah Around the World is chock full of fantastic stories, recipes, and interesting facts about the diverse Chanukah traditions of Jewish communities all over the world. A few introductory pages about the View →
Talia and the Rude Vegetables
“Kar-Ben Publishing, a division of Lerner Publishing Group, has released three delightful books for young readers who want to learn more about the upcoming High Holidays. Both Rosh Hashana and Sukkot are represented in the offerings, and they will brighten up and holiday… View →
“Campers Carly and Sara become fast friends. Carly volunteers to bring Sara her mail, and she is very excited to learn that Sara’s last name is ‘Frankfurter.’ But when she says ‘like the hot dog,’ Sara is insulted and does not want to be friends. As… View →
“In this sequel to the Sydney Taylor Honor Award winner Engineer Ari and the Rosh Hashanah Ride, Engineer Ari drives his train from Jerusalem to Jaffa, stopping along the way to collect fruit, branches, and a lulav and etrog from the friends he has made along his new… View →
Jumping Jenny
“Jenny loves to jump. She is constantly jumping over cracks in the sidewalk and over fences with and without her pogo stick. Her jumping gets her in trouble in school, where she knocks over a box of caterpillars in the science room and bumps into the hot lunch cart in the… View →