Reviews
Sammy Spider's First Shabbat
“This sweet story, told in very simple language, accurately portrays this Jewish ritual. . . Large, bright, mixed-media cut-paper illustrations enhance the childlike mood. . . A gentle story for any collection.” —School Library Journal View →
The Seventh Day: A Shabbat Story
“A lovely telling of the creation story from a Jewish viewpoint. . . Hall’s mixed-media illustrations brightly dance across the pages, moving the story along to the first Shabbat (Sabbath), concluding with a simple prayer.” —School Library… 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 →
The Purim Surprise
“When Naomi Levin moves to a new town three days before her seventh birthday and the Jewish holiday of Purim, she struggles with the discomfort of being a stranger in a strange place. Her mother suggests that they break the ice with their new neighbors by giving them traditional… View →
“Based on a legend, this intriguing slice of converso life offers a thoughtful hero and a suspenseful plot. The warm, opaque paintings are expressive and create a strong sense of place. Although the religious significance of the shofar is never explained, the story conveys its… View →
“An excellent teaching tool, attractively updated to appeal to today’s more design-conscious kids, this is a must-have for early childhood teachers…and a solid choice for Jewish families.” View →
Crafts to Make in the Fall
“Twenty-nine craft projects with autumn themes, including a school bus picture frame, a fall tree lapel pin, a soft sculpture pumpkin, a leaf-print banner, and a tree puppet that changes color. Two projects can also be used for Jewish holidays. . . The full-color drawings are… 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 →
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 →