Reviews
Don't Sneeze at the Wedding
“This happy tale about a sweet young girl participating in her aunt’s wedding manages to deliver Jewish marriage customs in a subtle way. The tension over “the sneeze”—can flower girl Anna get through the ceremony without sneezing?—is the picture book’s foreground. Its background… View →
I'm Sorry, Grover: A Rosh Hashanah Tale
“Kar-Ben Publishing, a division of Lerner Publishing Group headquartered in Minneapolis, continues to release a variety of delightful holiday books for young readers. Among the offerings this year are a well-intentioned puppy, an apologetic Sesame Street character and two… View →
Sammy Spider's First Book of Jewish Holidays
“Young children will love this introductory board book for the Jewish holidays filled with entertaining illustrations of Sammy the Spider, and one simple holiday fact per page. It is filled with just enough information to satisfy little ones’ curiosity, yet… View →
Don't Sneeze at the Wedding
“Anna has a tickly nose, and the adults are all in tizzy: she’s the flower girl for her Aunt Rachel, and what if she sneezes while the bride and groom are having their big moment under the chuppah? Everybody has a tip to keep the ‘Ah-choos’ in check—family members,… View →
Sadie's Almost Marvelous Menorah
“The fragility of a child’s lovingly crafted clay menorah highlights the symbolism of the candle-lighting ritual. At school, Sadie works hard to carefully sculpt and paint her clay menorah, featuring a raised, centered candle holder for the shamas (lighting candle)… View →
“From Sunday to Friday, a young, small boy named Ted spends his days doing some big things to make the world a kinder, better place. On Shabbat he rests, dreaming of tikkun olam, the repair of the world. ‘Tikkun Olam Ted’ is a lively toddler book with… View →
What a Way to Start a New Year!: A Rosh Hashanah Story
“Starting the Jewish New Year in a new city without friends or extended relatives is tough for Harry and his family, until the generous welcome by their new community known as the mitzvah of hachnasat orchim makes a significant difference. Not yet unpacked… View →
The Cats on Ben Yehuda Street
“Who lives on Ben Yehuda Street in Tel Aviv? Lots and lots of cats! Mr. Modiano, the proprietor of the Tel Aviv Fish Palace isn’t a big fan of the furry critters. But Mrs. Spiegel, who lives next door to him in his apartment building, is crazy for them. The apartment building’s… View →
My Happy Life
“This simply written chapter book tenderly portrays the happiness of a child whose life is in balance, as well as the colossal, unremitting, inconsolable sorrow of one who is suffering loss. . . . The clarity and simplicity of the writing are balanced by the verve and finesse of… View →
Tillie Pierce: Teen Eyewitness to the Battle of Gettysburg
“. . . an extraordinary story of one teen’s courage and determination as a bloody battle rages all around her.” —New York Journal of Books View →
The Purim Superhero
“PreS-Gr 2—Nate is having a hard time choosing a costume for his synagogue’s Purim celebration. All the boys in his Hebrew class plan to dress as superheroes, but he is much more interested in aliens. With help from his two fathers (Daddy and Abba) and inspired by the… View →
The Count's Hanukkah Countdown
“Sesame Street’s famous regulars and Hanukkah meet in a cute story that delivers the holiday combined with numbers up to eight. Grover hosts a latke party for Israeli muppet friends; the Count loves the idea; he includes himself because eight is the perfect Hanukkah number. The… View →
Mallory and Mary Ann Take New York
“From the girls’ success when they work together to their discord when one pressures the other, this high-energy chapter book hits both the high and the low notes of friendship. Many grayscale drawings illustrate the action in this lively addition to the Mallory McDonald… View →
Speak Up, Tommy!
“Tommy’s classmates tease him about his quiet voice and his Israeli accent. He doesn’t like reading to the class, and stays by himself at recess. One day, Officer Sweeney and his police dog, Samson, pay a visit to Tommy’s class. Tommy instantly feels comfortable with Samson, who… View →
The Cats on Ben Yehuda Street
“[This story of] neighbors becoming friends takes place in contemporary Tel Aviv. There are shades of Cynthia Rylant’s Mr. Putter & Tabby books as fishmonger Mr. Modiano brings fish to Mrs. Spiegel every day, with instructions that it is for her, not for her… View →
Thank You, Trees!
“An ode to trees and fruit in celebration of Tu B’Shevat, a Jewish holiday. Often occurring in the latter part of January or early February, Tu B’Shevat is also called ‘New Year of the Trees.’ The five double-page spreads show friends and family members planting trees,… View →
Breezier, Cheesier, Newest, and Bluest: What Are Comparatives and Superlatives?
“Gable’s illustrations are the true stars here, his feline characters brimming with personality…. better than many grammar books—definitely one to check out.” —Kirkus Reviews View →
I Don't Want to Go to the Hospital!
Ross’s popular little princess with the yellow crown needs to go to the hospital to have a lump removed from her nose. This look at a hospital stay will comfort any child facing the same fate, yet it avoids being purposeful or didactic due to the humorous tone. The watercolor cartoon… View →
The Cats on Ben Yehuda Street
“Reader alert! This reviewer is very fond of cats; so, she was ready to like this book almost sight unseen. Luckily, this whimsical picture book is a delight. Ben Yehuda Street in Tel Aviv is full of cats of every shape, size, and color but Mr. Modiano, a grumpy fishmonger,… View →
Overexposed
Series Review: While fairly short and to the point, this series of low-reading-level, high-interest fiction titles are interesting to read and worth having in any teen collection. The topics covered are hard hitting, controversial, and may fill a need in most teen collections. Each… View →
No Baths at Camp
“Have a delicious romp through this amusing story filled with joy and Jewish content. Max does not wish to take his after-dinner bath. He counters his mother with information gleaned from his own experience that despite such grief at home, there are no baths at camp! He proceeds to View →
Stones for Grandpa
“Writing a picture book about grief is a difficult job; Londner accomplishes it by writing about something else: life. This is a story that works because it has more detail than necessary. When the narrator is remembering his grandfather, he’s very… View →
Emanuel and the Hanukkah Rescue
“Emanuel and his family are part of a group of Jews that have been forced to flee Portugal and have come to live in the whaling community of eighteenth-century New Bedford, Massachusetts. While his father runs a whaling supply shop on the wharf, nine-year-old Emanuel prefers to… View →
Maccabee Meals: Food and Fun for Hanukkah
“’Maccabee Meals’ features large, easy-to-read print, lots of lively illustrations and a selection of enticing, unique recipes such as Waffle Latkes with yogurt, or Chocolate Star Dreidels. Inter-spersed with the recipes and drawings are short stories and other Chanukah… View →