The Sydney Taylor Shmooze

Mighty Micah by Jane Yolen, illustrated by Steliyana Doneva Apples & Honey Press (imprint of Behrman House), 2024 Category: Picture Books Reviewer: Linda Elovitz Marshall Buy at Bookshop.org As Micah returns home from a Purim party, he recalls how powerful he’d felt when he whirled his gragger (Purim noisemaker). With it, he could “stand up to anyone – even that bad man Haman!” That night, while Micah is asleep, his gragger is carried off by a raccoon, then a fish, then a heron. Before school that morning, however, it is returned to the lawn in front of Micah’s home. In school, Micah shows the gragger to his teacher, Mrs. Mack, who tells the class how Brave Queen Esther saved her people from the evil Haman. Mrs. Mack adds that “everyone needs to feel powerful sometimes” and gives the gragger to the smallest girl in the class. Story and language are cute and clear, combining elements of a “lost mitten” folktale with an anti-bullying story and a tie-in to Purim. A rhyming refrain abo

Benjy's Messy Room by Barbara Diamond Goldin, illustrated by Rita Tan Apples & Honey Press (imprint of Behrman House), 2024 Category: Picture Books Reviewer: Jacqueline Jules Buy at Bookshop.org Benjy is a pack rat and his bedroom is littered with toys. This is not a good combination the day before Passover. His big sister, Naomi, warns him that their parents expect a clean room before the Passover hunt for breadcrumbs that night. Hoping for the fun of last year, when he was allowed to lead the hametz hunt with a candle, Benjy decides to tackle the big job of cleaning his room. When his little sister, Shira, interrupts his resolve with a plea to play, Benjy comes up with a game to practice for the hametz hunt. He hides balls of paper around his room for Shira to find. In the process, big brother and little sister clean up a messy bedroom just before dark. With colorful, expressive illustrations, Benjy’s Messy Room is a joyous story of preparing for Passover. Benjy teaches his

Matzah Man to the Rescue! by Eric A. Kimmel, illustrated by Charlie Fowkes Apples & Honey Press (imprint of Behrman House), 2024 Category: Picture Books Reviewer: Julie Ditton Buy at Bookshop.org “Never Fear, Matzah Man is here.” Eric Kimmel is one of the most prolific picture book authors around. With over 150 books to his credit, he has been delighting children for fifty years. Many of his books about Jewish holidays or topics, but most are folktale retellings. Now we have something completely different. Instead of a folktale, he has spun a modern Passover story based on pop culture superheroes. Kids might recognize Superman or Batman, but older family members will recognize Underdog as well. This wacky book has Matzah Man flying around the world to help save three different seders with missing symbols. Along the way, readers will learn about vegetarian alternatives to the shank bone, varieties of matzah, and the differences between Ashkenazi and Sephardic charoset. Matzah Man co

Listen, Sh'ma by Rabbi Alyson Solomon, illustrated by Bryony Clarkson Apples & Honey Press (imprint of Behrman House), 2023 Category: Picture Books Reviewer: Belinda Brock Buy at Bookshop.org Author Alyson Solomon and illustrator Bryony Clarkson, the same team who created Thank You: Modeh Ani , are back with the equally lovely picture book Listen: Sh'ma . The cover with its sweet sleepyheads tucked into beds against a starry sky (continued on the end papers) lets us know that this is a bedtime story. A note in the front tells us that sh'ma means "listen" in Hebrew and the book is inspired by the Jewish prayer about oneness and love, traditionally said before going to sleep (as well as in the morning and on other occasions). The book breaks down the word sh'ma into its individual soothing sounds and relates them to a young child's comforting bedtime routine: a warm bath, fresh jammies, cuddles, and many more moments of calm and contentment. The various

The Inside Name by Randi Sonenshine, illustrated by Gina Capaldi Apples & Honey Press (imprint of Behrman House), 2023 Category: Picture Books Reviewer: Stacy Nockowitz Buy at Bookshop.org The target audience for Randi Sonenshine’s lovely new book The Inside Name is young middle graders, but this 44-page hardcover reads more like a sophisticated picture book. The first-person narrative tells the story of a young boy in 15th century Lisbon named Felipe Alonso. At least, that is his outside name. He and his family are conversos, Jews who were forced to convert to Catholicism during the Inquisition. The family practices Judaism in secret, so their Jewish names, their inside names, are never spoken outside of their home. On his way to and from an errand for his mother, Felipe is called horrible names by the city’s knife grinder and is chased by boys intent on terrorizing him. Sonenshine shows what can become of Jews in Portugal at this time as Felipe recalls his friendship with Solomo

The Giant, The Slingshot, and the Future King by Tammar Stein, illustrated by Dodo Maeder Apples & Honey Press (imprint of Behrman House Publishers), 2023 Category: Picture Books Reviewer: Suzanne Grossman Buy at Bookshop.org The impact of the early life of King David on his later kingship is told in this easy reader chapter book. We join him as a young shepherd with “a lot of time on his hands,” time he uses well to make up songs to G-d and to learn to use a slingshot, acquiring patience and persistence along the way. When a lion threatens the flock, David is able to use his slingshot skills to scare him off. Later, with this skill and confidence, he famously defeats the enemy giant, Goliath. His friendship with King Saul’s son Jonathan is humorously shared, and his accomplishments as king are broadly covered.    The cheery cartoon style art and lively text add to the appeal of this book. There is additional information at the back about the archeological evidence of King David’s

The Moving Box Sukkah by Leah Rachel Berkowitz, illustrated by Sharon Vargo Apples & Honey Press (imprint of Behrman House Publishing), 2023 Category: Picture Books Reviewer: Jeff Gottesfeld Buy at Bookshop.org A few years ago on the campus of my synagogue, Adat Ari El in North Hollywood CA, Rabbi Jessica Yarkin taught a super cool religious school autumn lesson by using her car as the foundation for a sukkah. Two open doors plus the main car body plus some pine fronds, and there's room for a chair underneath. Et voilà! In The Moving Box Sukkah , author Berkowitz and illustrator Vargo do the same, in a poignant mother-son story of moving, displacement, adaptation, improvisation, and reconnection to both the distant and immediate past. The narrator is a boy whose mom has just moved him to the city from a place where sukkah-building was not hard. No dad in the picture, literally or figuratively. Here in the city, the boy longs for his transitional object from the past, a blue bla

Miryam's Dance by Kerry Olitzky and Rachel Stock Spilker, illustrated by John Baptist Tumuhaise Apples & Honey Press (imprint of Behrman House), 2023 Category: Picture Books Reviewer: Cindy Rivka Marshall Buy at Bookshop.org Miryam wakes to the sound of drums and is lured to the place where musicians and dancers are practicing. Along the way, her family and friends remind her to do tasks to prepare for Shabbat, and they sigh when she is forgetful. Clearly this is not the first time Miryam has been distracted. She is invited to perform with the dancers that evening. As Miryam twirls, skips and cartwheels, the lively prose and dynamic illustrations propel the reader from page to page, caught up in her exuberance. At first her family is hesitant about dancing, but Miryam encourages them to experience a new, joyful way to celebrate Shabbat. The Ugandan character, Miryam, echoes the Miriam in the Exodus story, with her love of drums and dance, and her role of leading her community

Kayla and Kugel's Silly Sukkot written & illustrated by Ann D. Koffsky Apples & Honey Press (imprint of Behrman House), 2023 Category: Picture Books Reviewer: Lisa Trank Buy at Bookshop.org Kayla and her parents are preparing for the holiday of Sukkot. Mom and Dad are building the sukkah, and Kayla, joined by her playful pup Kugel, join in the action, gathering items for the roof and making decorations. Woven in between the sukkah-building and Kugel’s silly antics are important mini-lessons about Sukkot, told with love and humor. For example, when Kugel offers a baseball bat he dug out from behind a bush for the sukkah roof, Kayla teaches him with gentleness that we only use things that grow. The affectionate tone grows along with the story, as when Kayla tells Kugel about her ancestors building and living in huts, and that we build a sukkah to remind us to be grateful for our homes. Kayla is a compassionate main character who models patience and compassion. Koffsky’s cente

Eve and Adam and Their Very First Day by Leslie Kimmelman, illustrated by Irina Augustinovich Apples & Honey Press (imprint of Behrman House), 2023 Category: Picture Books Reviewer: Linda Elovitz Marshall Buy at Bookshop.org On her very first day in the Garden of Eden, Eve (who is strong and inquisitive and not afraid of anything), meets Adam, who was made first and has a beautiful smile. Together, they wander the Garden giving names to things. Adam gives simple names. Eve prefers more imaginative ones. However, Day doesn’t last forever. The sun goes down. Night comes. Eve and Adam are nervous. It’s dark. They are new and have never seen night before. But they have faith and, together, they make it through. Kimmelman’s beautiful, lyrical language combines with Irina Augustinovich’s spectacularly sensitive illustrations to give readers a creative telling of Eve and Adam’s first day. The two have golden skin and wavy black hair, which can be interpreted as white, Asian, or Latinx. Ev

Tzimmes for Tzipporah by Megan Hoyt, illustrated by Christine Battuz Apples & Honey Press (imprint of Behrman House), 2023 Category: Picture Books Reviewer: Claire Freeland   Buy at Bookshop.org It's the first year that Tzipporah is old enough to help with the early fall harvest on her family's farm. Three days before the Jewish holiday of Rosh Hashanah, she rides on the tractor driven by her father, and they turn the soil. Tzipporah learns that the tractor has uncovered various root vegetables. Two days before Rosh Hashanah, our little main character helps gather the rutabagas, yams, turnips, potatoes, and carrots. She and her friends scrub off all the dirt. The day before Rosh Hashanah, Tzipporah and her folks ready the tzimmes, using an old family recipe. And on Rosh Hashanah they enjoy the tzimmes with friends and family after synagogue. A recipe and an author's note round out this sweet farm-to-table Rosh Hashanah story. The illustrations, which are bri

Big Bad Wolf's Yom Kippur by David Sherrin, illustrated by Martin Morón Apples & Honey Press (imprint of Behrman House), 2023 Category: Picture Books  Reviewer: Doreen Klein Robinson Buy at Bookshop.org Big Bad Wolf’s Yom Kippur is a delightful story that twists the conventional tale on its… tail! Author David Sherrin does a clever job mashing up two favorite fables: Little Red Riding Hood and the Three Little Pigs. The story takes place during Yom Kippur, but for Big Bad Wolf it’s just another day of being bad, until he accepts Raccoon’s invitation to go to synagogue. Rabbi’s hug and Cantor’s cheerful singing might just make a big bad wolf change his ways. But then he remembers that wolves don’t like hugs, or singing, or changing. Big Bad Wolves like being bad. His encounter with Little Red Riding Hood and her Granny has him almost apologizing, a sign that he is starting to change. As he heads home, he feels something warm in his heart. Then he sees the Three Little Pigs, but

The Unexpected Adventures of C.A.T. by Johanna Hurwitz, illustrated by Sam Loman Apples & Honey Press (imprint of Behrman House), 2023 Category: Middle Grade Reviewer: Beth Gallego Buy at Bookshop.org Chaya is in the fourth grade, lives with her family in an apartment in New York City, and loves cats. She loves everything about them. She loves that her initials - from Chaya Ann Tober - make her a cat, or at least a C.A.T. Her initials aside, Chaya describes herself as thoroughly average. She is in the middle of her class academically, and also when they line up by size. She lives with her parents and older brother in a New York City apartment. She dotes on the family’s pet cat, Ollie. After accidentally taking a bite of Ollie’s food, Chaya has an exceptionally vivid dream of becoming a cat with fur the same bright ginger as her hair. The next night, she finds herself once again a cat, and realizes it was no dream. She quickly discovers that cat life brings its own challenges. Chaya

Hank on First! How Hank Greenberg Became a Star On and Off the Field by Stephen Krensky, illustrated by Alette Straathof Apples & Honey Press (imprint of Behrman House), 2023 Category: Picture Books Reviewer: Belinda Brock Buy at Bookshop.org Hank on First! introduces us to Hank Greenberg, Hall-of-Famer, MVP, and the first Jewish sports superstar. Hank felt that "he had the best job ever—playing first base for the Detroit Tigers." But then the reader learns about the struggles Hank encountered along the way: his Romanian-born parents' initial opposition, the conditions in the minor leagues, and most notably, antisemitism, which he had to deal with throughout his baseball career. He was often subjected to boos and taunts from spectators and even from players on opposing teams. Hank maintained his dignity and used his frustration to fuel his achievements on the field. In 1934, the Tigers were in a tight race to clinch the pennant, but the High Holidays conflicted with

There's a Goblin on the Ark! by Susan Tarcov, illustrated by Mackinzie Rekers Apples & Honey Press (imprint of Behrman House), 2023 Category: Picture Books Reviewer: Shanna Silva   Buy at Bookshop.org There’s A Goblin on the Ark! is a new picture book twist on the Noah’s Ark biblical story. Told from the animals’ point of view, it’s the first night on the ark and the animals are settling in. Strange noises keep them awake. As they try to identify the source through a pleasing rhyming of animal sounds, it becomes clear that the sound is coming from a lone goblin. Although initially afraid, the animals realize the goblin is just another passenger looking for its mate. A search ensues to help the goblin. By the end, everyone is comfortable on the ark as the rain pelts outside. An author’s note explains that a traditional interpretation of the text surmises that goblins were indeed on the ark. Tarcov has fun exploring this story’s possibilities.   The art by Rekers features expre

Golem Goes to Camp by Todd Gutnick, illustrated by Ruth Bennett Apples & Honey Press (imprint of Behrman House), 2023 Category: Middle Grade Reviewer: Rebecca Klempner Buy at Bookshop.org Emmett Cohen, a 10-year-old from Philadelphia, spends the summer at Camp Teva in Upstate New York. While he's generally excited about camp, he's annoyed that his artist parents signed him up to take a week of art classes, since Emmett is entirely disinterested in art. He spends his first day in the art shed making a clay monster. When he carves his name in Hebrew letters -- alef, mem, tav -- onto the sculpture. Later, we learn those letters also spell the Hebrew word EMET, "truth." At first, Emmett sticks it in a corner of his bunkhouse, Cabin 15. But then, it winks and smiles at Emmett's pal, Jake. When Jake freaks out about that, Emmett and Jake's conversation is overheard by Reisha, a particularly smart girl. She explains what a golem is and how Emmett accidentally mad

Daddy, Can You Make Me Tall? by Rona Milch Novick, PhD, illustrated by Ana Sebastián Apples & Honey Press (imprint of Behrman House), 2023 Category: Picture Books Reviewer: Shanna Silva Buy at Bookshop.org Daddy, Can You Make Me Tall? centers around a child preparing for Shabbat and needing help with various tasks. In each scenario, one of his parents shows him how to complete the task on his own, thus fostering his independence. There’s a message here for both parents and children. Parents are gently reminded to show kids how to do things for themselves. Children learn that a feeling of accomplishment is its own reward. An author’s note delves further into the psychological components. All readers will see that preparing for Shabbat is a family affair that everyone can participate in and enjoy together. The illustrations by Sebastián are a treasure! Pages contains delightful little nuggets of children’s toys, a warm home, and a precious dog. Each subsequent revisiting will reveal

Rose Spoke Out: The Story of Rose Schneiderman by Emma Carlson Berne, illustrated by Giovanni Abeille Apples & Honey (imprint of Behrman House), 2023 Category: Picture Books Reviewer: Shirley Reva Vernick Buy at Bookshop.org This is the story of Rose Schneiderman, a Jewish immigrant from Poland who became a leading labor activist in early 20th-century NYC. When 13-year-old Rose's father died, she had to leave school and go to work in a sweatshop, where she and other women sewed hats under harsh and unsafe conditions. Learning that females earned less than males was the final straw in Rose's mounting anger. She ultimately led a walkout by thousands of women in hundreds of factories, demanding better working conditions and fairer wages. Things improved a little, but not enough to prevent the notorious Triangle Shirtwaist Company fire in 1911. In the wake of that tragedy, Rose's impassioned speech before a packed audience at the Metropolitan Opera House became a turning po

Matilda Makes Matzah Balls by Rhonda Cohen, illustrated by Francesca Galmozzi Apples & Honey Press (imprint of Behrman House), 2023 Category: Picture Books Reviewer: Freidele Galya Soban Biniashvili Buy at Bookshop.org Every year, Matilda enjoys watching her grandmother make matzah balls for the Passover seder. This year, however, Bubbe suggests starting a new family tradition by having Matilda help her make them. Matilda eagerly jumps at the chance but she has her own ideas that she’d like to incorporate into the recipe, like adding some lemon and extra dill. Bubbe wholeheartedly encourages Matilda’s suggestions. Matilda’s biggest idea, though, is to make one giant matzah ball. Bubbe has her doubts as to whether it will still float, but she allows Matilda to go ahead with it all the same. When it indeed sinks, Bubbe consoles Matilda: “It’s all right, bubbalah. The nice thing about experimenting is you can always try again.” And that is exactly what they do, with Matilda coming up