Reviews
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 →
Hannah's Way
“Hannah is having difficulty adjusting to her new life on the Iron Range in Depression-era Minnesota. She has yet to make friends when her teacher announces that the class will be going on a picnic on Saturday and the children should arrange car pools. As an observant Jew, Hannah… View →
Sadie and the Big Mountain
“Sadie loves going to preschool at Temple Beth El where she sings songs, climbs on the tall gym outdoors, dresses up in costumes, and plays with her classmates. But on Monday, when her teacher tells the children about the upcoming holiday of Shavuot, Sadie gets nervous. She learns… View →
Ghost Diamond!
“Teachers looking for a good read-aloud series will enjoy introducing Amelia to their students.” —Library Media Connection View →
Back-to-School Rules
“The story’s rhyme makes it fast-paced, and the colorful illustrations are fun to look at. Younger students will enjoy the humor, and teachers can use the story as a review of classroom rules.” —Library Media Connection View →
What to Expect When You're Expecting Joeys: A Guide for Marsupial Parents (and Curious Kids)
“If you are looking for a title about marsupials, this book will inform and entertain…. Media specialists and teachers will want to add this title, and others in the series, to their collections.” —Library Media Connection View →
What Are the Articles of Confederation?: And Other Questions about the Birth of the United States
“The ‘six questions’ approach (who, what, where, when, why, how) provides a useful framework, taking readers through events in an easy-to-understand progression…. Period paintings, prints, and maps provide visual interest. Teachers will appreciate the list of… View →
Hannah's Way
“Hannah’s Way is an American Jewish story that has not been told in picture books before. The time is the 1920s and the place is Northeastern Minnesota, a rural iron mining area called the Iron Range. After her father loses his job in Minneapolis, Hannah’s family moves to… View →
Sadie and the Big Mountain
“Sadie’s synagogue preschool is spending the week preparing for Shavuot, the culmination of which will be a mountain hike, similar to Moshe ascending Mount Sinai. Sadie does not like hiking, and as the class makes walking sticks, learns the Ten Commandments, and makes blintzes,… View →
Nathan Blows Out the Hanukkah Candles
“Jacob’s older brother, Nathan, celebrates the lighting of the menorah in his own unique way, as he does everything else, by blowing out the candles as soon as they are lit. Nathan exhibits behavior that we associate with autism, but Jacob just finds it annoying. He is thrilled… View →
Spotty, Stripy, Swirly: What Are Patterns?
“Parents and teachers looking for a concept book on patterns will find this a rich collection of photos that can spark any number of discussions around the subject.” —Booklist View →
Sadie and the Big Mountain
“’Nursery school was lots of fun and Sadie smiled as she filed into Temple Beth El with her friends. There were lots of things to do and she “loved the Hebrew songs they sang during music,’ playing with blocks, climbing on the gym, and stacking up the building… View →
Spotty, Stripy, Swirly: What Are Patterns?
“Another solid entry sure to attract the attention of art and math teachers alike.” —Kirkus Reviews View →
Sadie and the Big Mountain
“A week-long unit on the holiday of Shavuot has one preschool class excitedly anticipating a planned reenactment of the hike Moses took up Mt. Sinai to receive the Ten Commandments. Resourceful Sadie, of Sadie’s Sukkah Breakfast (2011), enjoys attending her… View →
Spotty, Stripy, Swirly: What Are Patterns?
“This book is a visual treat that could be used by teachers looking for ways to introduce the topic, and it will attract browsers as well. A first purchase.” —School Library Journal View →
Hannah's Way
“After her family moves to Minnesota so her father can look for work during the Great Depression, Hannah is the only Jewish child in her class. She’s lonely. But the opportunity to go on a picnic and meet new friends brings on anxiety for the young girl, whose obervant family… View →
Hannah's Way
“Hannah is eager to fit into her new school. It’s the Depression, and her family has relocated from Minneapolis to rural Minnesota. She is the only Jewish girl in her class, and her family is the only Jewish family in the community. Glaser (Emma’s Poem) delves into the… View →
Fall Apples: Crisp and Juicy
“Teachers looking for science or season materials will find this series very useful for their classrooms.” —Library Media Connection 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 →
The Knife and the Butterfly
“Like Ashley Hope Pérez, I have been a teacher in inner-city Houston and a writer of young adult fiction. I am in a perfect position to watch in awe as she completely nails our students’ experiences in her harrowing, heart-rending, and ultimately hopeful The… 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 →
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 →
The Queen Who Saved Her People
“Gentle humor, clever rhyme, dynamic illustrations, and biblical accuracy deliver an energetic, age-appropriate holiday story through a dexterous narrative that converts to a drama script. Author Tilda Balsley gifts the picture book crowd, their teachers, and parents with an… View →