Review: Shabbat Is...
Shabbat Is...
by A.J. Sass, illustrated by Noa Kelner
Little, Brown Books for Young Readers, 2025
Category: Picture Books
Reviewer: Julie Ditton
In "Shabbat is ..." A.J. Sass shows children that there is no one right way to be Jewish. Jews come from a diverse population with many backgrounds and personalities. This book follows three very different families as they celebrate the Sabbath in their own way. Different pages alternate first person narrative about how they spend Shabbat. By telling the story in first person point of view for all three kids, any Jewish child will find a character to identify with.
The text and the art pair perfectly to send the message that there are many different types of people who are Jewish and many ways to celebrate Shabbat, reinforced by the vibrant, colorful, detailed illustrations by Noa Kelner. Just as the traditions that these families choose when they celebrate Shabbat differ, the families are different in composition, size, and heritage. The artist has included even more representation than the text mentions. Abby’s small family, which has just her, Mom, and Daddy, appears to be Asian. They celebrate by going to services and spending a quiet weekend at home. Ilan is Caucasian, he and his sister and his two mothers spend the day out and about before making homemade challah. Tehila’s family, which includes a nonbinary cousin, celebrates Shabbat with large extended family dinners. They strictly follow set rules for keeping the Sabbath. The illustrations include details which show pride in an African heritage.
Jewish children in families that do not keep kosher or attend services every week may not feel "Jewish enough." This is especially true for children from interfaith families or LGBTQ families who may need to search for a welcoming congregation. In this sweet book, Jewish children will see that whoever they are and however they celebrate Shabbat, there is no right way to be Jewish.
The text and the art pair perfectly to send the message that there are many different types of people who are Jewish and many ways to celebrate Shabbat, reinforced by the vibrant, colorful, detailed illustrations by Noa Kelner. Just as the traditions that these families choose when they celebrate Shabbat differ, the families are different in composition, size, and heritage. The artist has included even more representation than the text mentions. Abby’s small family, which has just her, Mom, and Daddy, appears to be Asian. They celebrate by going to services and spending a quiet weekend at home. Ilan is Caucasian, he and his sister and his two mothers spend the day out and about before making homemade challah. Tehila’s family, which includes a nonbinary cousin, celebrates Shabbat with large extended family dinners. They strictly follow set rules for keeping the Sabbath. The illustrations include details which show pride in an African heritage.
Jewish children in families that do not keep kosher or attend services every week may not feel "Jewish enough." This is especially true for children from interfaith families or LGBTQ families who may need to search for a welcoming congregation. In this sweet book, Jewish children will see that whoever they are and however they celebrate Shabbat, there is no right way to be Jewish.
The afterward includes an author's note about the diversity of the Jewish people and reinforces the message of the book. It also has an extensive glossary with definitions for over two dozen Hebrew words and phrases, thus making the book accessible to anyone. Readers who are not Jewish will have a window into our world and get a better idea of the diversity within the Jewish population.
Editor's Note: This book was named to the Fall 2025 Holiday Highlights list by the Association of Jewish Libraries.
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Reviewer Julie Ditton, The Storybook Lady, is an active reviewer on social media and on her new book blog storybooklady.net. She reviews a variety of genre, however, as her name would imply, her favorite genre is Children’s Literature. About half of the children’s books that she reviews have Jewish themes. She even has a dedicated shelf on Goodreads, Bubbe’s Bookshelf specifically for Jewish Children’s Books and is an active contributor to the Jewish Kidlit Mavens Facebook group.
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