The Sydney Taylor Shmooze

Sparrow by Mary Tebo, illustrated by E.B. Lewis Astra Young Readers, 2025 Category: Picture Books Reviewer: Heidi Rabinowitz   Buy at Bookshop.org   A sparrow builds her nest in a crevice in the Western Wall in Jerusalem, using plant material and prayer notes. She doesn't know exactly what's going to happen, but she has a sense of expectation and hope. Hope, indeed, is the theme of the story. Lyrically told in the present tense, and accompanied by beautiful realistic paintings that move between cityscapes and closeups, the story captures some of the magic of this city that is sacred to so many people. By showcasing the neutral character of a sparrow, the book becomes equally accessible to readers of all backgrounds.    No religions are mentioned in the text, although there is a reference to church bells. The illustrations include the Western Wall, the golden Dome of the Rock, and many church towers, as well as people of various skin tones, some wearing kippot. The ba...

The World Entire: A True Story of an Extraordinary World War II Rescue by Elizabeth Brown, illustrated by Melissa Castrillon Chronicle Books, 2025 Category: Picture Books Reviewer: Rachel J. Fremmer   Buy at Bookshop.org   “The greatest individual act of rescue in all of World War II” may have been accomplished by someone you never heard of. This person may have saved more people than Schindler or Wallenberg. If I told you he had saved people by issuing visas, perhaps Sugihara would come to mind. (Wallenberg and Sugihara are, in fact, the first two diplomats listed in the dedication to “diplomats who defied official policy to save countless lives.”) But Aristides de Sousa Mendes? Probably not. And yet… Finally giving him the attention he deserves is Elizabeth Brown’s picture book, The World Entire: A True Story of an Extraordinary World War II Rescue with stunning illustrations by Melissa Castrillon. The book starts with Aristedes’s career as a Portuguese diplomat who issued v...

Hidden Lives: Stories from Child Survivors of the Holocaust Edited by Rachelle L. Goldstein and the Hidden Child Foundation/ADL Second Story Press, 2025 Category: Young Adult Reviewer: Kathryn Hall   Buy at Bookshop.org Hidden Lives is a nonfiction collection of almost sixty biographical excerpts and essays by and about Jewish children who survived separation from their parents during the Holocaust. Many of these were first published in The Hidden Child , a newsletter published by the Hidden Child Foundation/ADL. Each voice is different, but there are several common themes in the lives of these children. Those who were able to be reunited with family had difficulty reestablishing those relationships. Many were high achievers. Many eventually moved to the United States, Canada, or Israel. The stories were all written many decades after the war, each author looking back at a traumatic childhood from the perspective of old age. The brevity of the excerpts left me wanting to know more ...

My Little Book of Big Jewish Holidays written and illustrated by Hannah Shafiroff Bloomsbury Children's Books, 2025 Category: Picture Book Reviewer: Julie Ditton   Buy at Bookshop.org This fantastic 64-page treasury is a guide to ten Jewish holidays throughout the year, written at sophisticated picture book level. Beginning with Shabbat, then Rosh Hashanah, the book takes the reader through the Jewish calendar, explaining each holiday. The author-illustrator's bright, colorful drawings will engage even the youngest reader and the descriptions and explanations are written in simple language that school-aged children can read for themselves. Each holiday begins with a spread that includes sections labeled When, What We Say, Why We Celebrate, and How We Celebrate. For some holidays, this basic information is followed by additional detail. This book explains the history and the traditions for each holiday. It also provides pronunciation for holiday greetings. This is an excellent ...

Every Scoop of Light: A Story About Repairing the World by Ilene Cooper, illustrated by Omer Hoffmann Abrams Books for Young Readers, 2025 Category: Picture Books Reviewer: Julie Ditton   Buy at Bookshop.org   Ilene Cooper brings children a new book just as fantastic as her 2007 picture book, The Golden Rule . This charming book retells the midrash of how God decided to give humans wonderful gifts such as happiness, health, wisdom, kindness, love, laughter, imagination, celebration and peace. But the vessels shattered, leaving people to find and gather the sparks. Cooper tells the tale in a simple manner that kids can understand. She even includes people that question God, asking why God needs our help. Others ask why they should do the hard work of gathering sparks. Why doesn't God do it? God replies that it is people's world and they should have the responsibility to help make it a better place.    Omer Hoffmann's colorful illustrations include people of various ra...

Shabbat on Mars by Jeff Ward, illustrated by Gila von Meisner Intergalactic Afikoman, 2025 Category: Picture Books Reviewer: Julie Ditton   Buy at Bookshop.org "It's not exactly rocket science," but this book is "what happens when a Jewish aerospace engineer marries a Conservative rabbi." Jeff Ward gathers current scientific theories about life in a future Mars colony and applies them to how Jewish Mars colonists would celebrate Shabbat. Readers learn all about life on Mars, from what types of buildings would be created to what food colonists might be able grow or make. Much like vegan "hotdogs" which are not made of meat, the brisket or pishkado might be made from algae instead. By comparing Shabbat on Earth to Shabbat on Mars, this fantastic picture book for older readers teaches science and Jewish culture at the same time. In the afterward, which asks "What does Jewish look like...On Mars?" the author points out that there are different w...