The Sydney Taylor Shmooze

Doña Gracia Saved Worlds by Bonni Goldberg, illustrated by Alida Massari Kar-Ben Publishing (imprint of Lerner Publishing Group), 2023 Category: Picture Books Reviewer: Sydney Taylor Shmooze Editors   Buy at Bookshop.org Doña Gracia Nasi, born Beatriz de Luna, was a 16th century crypto Jew from Portugal, famous for working valiantly to save many of her co-religionists. Her history is complicated and many facts are in dispute. To simplify the story for a picture book audience, the author sometimes chooses one historical opinion over another or glosses over details. It is difficult to compress Dona Gracia's adventurous life into this format and difficult to determine the accuracy of this brief portrayal. However, the book succeeds in conveying the general outlines of Dona Gracia's life and the impressiveness of her accomplishments. The illustrations are sumptuous, with their rich colors and intricate patterns. Dona Gracia is an important historical figure and an inspiring woman,...

Mrs. Maccabee's Miracle by Elka Weber, illustrated by Amélie Videlo Kar-Ben Publishing (imprint of Lerner Publishing Group), 2023 Category: Picture Books Reviewer: Shanna Silva Buy at Bookshop.org Welcome to the Maccabee house. Five brothers are always misplacing their things, and look to their mom to locate the objects. Mom gently reminds them that items remain where they are left. This repeating theme will strike a familiar chord with both parents and children. As the story progresses, the situation in Modi’in worsens for the Jews when the Greek ruler, Antiochus, demands that Jewish life and practice cease. The Maccabee boys, like many other Jews, continue to study Torah and practice Judaism in secret. When the great battle between the Jews and Greeks ensues, Mama Maccabee’s lessons about locating lost items is an integral part of the Hanukkah miracle. It’s wonderful to see a woman of importance play a part in a story that’s usually male centered. Illustrations by Videlo help mak...

The Mexican Dreidel by Linda Elovitz Marshall and Ilan Stavans, illustrated by Maria Mola Kar-Ben Publishing (imprint of Lerner Publishing Group), 2023 Category: Picture Books Reviewer: Suzanne Grossman Buy at Bookshop.org Celebrate Janucá (Hanukkah) in Mexico with Danielito as he visits his grandmother for the holiday. When he adds his dreidel to the neighborhood game of spinning tops, friendships grow, bridging the cultural divide between Danielito and the children who are celebrating Christmas. His dreidel rallies all the tops and leads them on a wild race allowing the reader to see daily life in the village. With Spanish words and phrases sprinkled naturally throughout and needing no translation, young readers will feel as if they are walking in the town. After Danielito invites his new friends to his grandmother's home to celebrate with menorah lighting, latkes, and donuts, plans are made to play again the next day. It's refreshing to see the children being naturally curio...

A Wild, Wild Hanukkah by Jo Gershman & Bob Strauss, illustrated by Jo Gershman Kar-Ben Publishing (imprint of Lerner Publishing Group), 2023 Category: Picture Books Reviewer: Arlene Schenker Buy at Bookshop.org This book is a lovable rhyming tale of different wild animals invading a home each night of Hanukkah. The rhymes roll off the tongue with wonderful alliteration, sure to delight children. The illustrations are mesmerizing, with large depictions of animals seemingly jumping off the page. They remind me of Maurice Sendak’s “wild things,” though Gershman uses brighter and more vibrant colors. Perhaps the authors are giving a nod to Where the Wild Things Are in their choice of book title? The illustrations also add a fun element to the narrative. Have you ever seen a tiger juggling eggs or punk-rock penguins spinning dreidels? There are pages with no text at all, perfectly appropriate where the illustrations pull the reader right into the story. The Jewish content is relate...

Zhen Yu and the Snake by Erica Lyons, illustrated by Renia Metallinou Kar-Ben Publishing (imprint of Lerner Publishing Group), 2023 Category: Picture Books Reviewer: Rinat Hadad Siegel Buy at Bookshop.org In bold and expressive illustrations with old-world charm, we are artfully reintroduced to the Talmudic tale of Rabbi Akiba's daughter and the snake with a new and beautiful setting - China. Erica Lyons magnificently adapted the tale to old China and beautifully introduced the readers to the back story of the Jewish community in Kaifeng, China. Erica features the culture as well as bits and pieces of traditions of the Kaifeng Jewish community and their way of life among their non-Jewish neighbors. Little Zhen Yu and her father, Li Jian, are at the market, buying Shabbat supplies, until she gets lost. While searching for her, her father bumps into an old fortune teller who tells him where Zhen Yu is but also warns him that she will be attacked by a snake on her wedding night. Time ...

Counting on Shabbat by Nancy Churnin, illustrated by Petronela Dostalova Kar-Ben Publishing (imprint of Lerner Publishing Group), 2023 Category: Picture Books Reviewer: Belinda Brock Buy at Bookshop.org Shabbat is coming and everyone is getting ready to celebrate. It appears that a senior will be observing the holiday alone (albeit with his well-loved cats). But a family joins him, bringing food and smiles to everyone’s faces as they gather around the Shabbat table. The story, told in gentle rhyme, also introduces the youngest reader to the concept of counting. In fact, counting does double duty in this delightful board book. A toddler can practice counting from one to ten, but will also learn that we count on each other for kindness. This year has seen the release of several Jewish-themed board books and that is a good thing. In general, we need more Jewish board books, and specifically, more like this one. Somehow, the author has managed to combine the concept of counting, a positive...

Ruth First Never Backed Down by Danielle Joseph, illustrated by Gabhor Utomo Kar-Ben Publishing (imprint of Lerner Publishing Group), 2023 Category: Picture Books Reviewer: Jeanette Brod Buy at Bookshop.org In this picture book biography, Danielle Joseph tells a seminal story from her own birthplace in South Africa. Ruth First was a South African social justice warrior in the early days of the anti-apartheid movement. She was a journalist, writer, lecturer and professor who used her voice at great personal peril to speak out against racism and injustice. An illustration depicts a young Ruth eavesdropping on the anti-Black racism meetings that took place in her parents’ home. A teenage Ruth started a secret book club with friends to discuss inequality. In high school, Ruth goes public with her beliefs at protests. At university, she begins to write for the college newspaper and meets others, including Nelson Mandela, who will become leaders in the anti-apartheid movement. Ruth’s early i...

Three Jumps to Sorry: A Yom Kippur Story by Amy Novit, illustrated by Ana Zurita Kar-Ben Publishing (imprint of Lerner Publishing Group), 2023 Category: Picture Books Reviewer: Karin Fisher-Golton Buy at Bookshop.org In Three Jumps to Sorry , author Amy Novit introduces Hannah, the protagonist, as someone who “was pretty delightful. Except when she wasn’t.” Sound familiar? After Hannah makes a big mistake, breaking her mother’s favorite Rosh Hashanah decoration, the story provides something we all could use—tangible steps to apologize. I know I’m not alone in seeing that our culture has a lot of confusion around apologies. Many of us have felt our stomachs knot as we watch young children making empty apologies. Hannah tries one herself. But her mother has another idea. She makes three numbered squares that Hannah can jump on for a physical manifestation of the steps in a real apology. Not only does this clarify that a real apology is not just about the words “I’m sorry,” but jumping fo...

A Book About Bupkes by Leslie Kimmelman, illustrated by Roxana de Rond Kar-Ben Publishing, 2023 Category: Picture Books Reviewer: Rebecca Klempner Buy at Bookshop.org Leslie Kimmelman begins A Book About Bupkes with a brief explanation of the Yiddish word "bupkes." However, rather than delving into the usually negative connotation of this term (meaning "nothing"), she begs us to ask the question, "Where did everything go?" Sometimes, a place or a container is empty because their contents were relocated to a place where they can serve an important purpose. A bowl of chicken soup, for example, empties as its contents fill the belly of a patient. In addition to this heart-warming message, Kimmelman's joyful tone and delightful diction won me over. There are a couple of pages that are so well-written, I just sat with them a moment to enjoy the language. Roxana de Rond's playful art charmed me and suited the goofy tone of the book. I appreciated that t...

The Promise by Bridget Hodder and Fawzia Gilani-Williams, illustrated by Cinzia Battistel Kar-Ben Publishing (imprint of Lerner Publishing Group), 2023 Category: Picture Books Reviewer: Meg Wiviott Buy at Bookshop.org Jacob and Hassan live in a small village in Morocco. The boys go to different schools, practice different faiths, and are best friends. They play together in the cool, lush garden of Jacob’s family, designed to resemble gardens of ancestral Spain. Their families share meals, conversations, and drink mint tea together in the lovely garden. Hassan’s father says, “A garden is a prayer.” And Jacob’s father says, “A garden is also a promise.” The boys agree and tend the garden together. All is well until news arrives: “Frightening things, terrible hateful things, were being done to Jews in Europe.” Fearing the spread of danger, Jacob’s family must flee Morocco. Before Jacob departs, he asks Hassan to tend the garden. Hassan promises he will. Years later, a grey-haired Jacob re...

Dream by Dream The Story of Rabbi Mayer Wise by Geri Kolesar, illustrated by Sofia Moore Kar-Ben Publishing (imprint of Lerner Publishing Group), 2023 Category: Picture Books Reviewer: Suzanne Grossman Buy at Bookshop.org This picture book biography of Rabbi Isaac Mayer Wise details his life from his childhood experiences of poverty and antisemitism in Europe to his development of Reform Judaism in America. We learn about his revolutionary ideas of girls learning Talmud along with boys, women and men being treated as equals in Jewish life and sitting together in synagogue, as well as adding instrumental music to Shabbat services. These objectives were originally disruptive but later found acceptance and sparked a form of Judaism which has grown and become part of the established Jewish world. A remarkable powerhouse, he initiated construction of a major synagogue, began a Jewish newspaper, and founded Hebrew Union College, all still in existence. His dream of a tolerant and universally...

Luis de Torres Sails to Freedom by Tami Lehman-Wilzig, illustrated by Oliver Averill Kar-Ben Publishing (imprint of Lerner Publishing Group), 2023 Category: Picture Books Reviewer: Dena Bach Buy at Bookshop.org On the eve of the date when all Jews must leave Spain, July 31, 1492, Yosef ben HaLevi Halvi faces a choice. He must leave the country or become a converso, a hidden Jew who is publicly Christian. He had already taken the Christian name Luis de Torres, but de Torres chooses to leave. Taking a position as a translator on a ship heading to the Far East, he hopes to find a place where he could openly practice his Judaism. When de Torres says goodbye to his family as they celebrate Shabbat in a hidden room, his nephew Jacobo presses a good luck charm in his hand, a silver hamsa. Jacobo hopes it will keep his uncle safe.  Arriving at the ship that will take him from Spain, the commander tells him they will leave on July 31. That day is Tisha B’Av, the Jewish day of mourning comme...

The Rabbi and His Donkey by Susan Tarcov, illustrated by Diana Renjina Kar-Ben Publishing (imprint of Lerner Publishing Group), 2023 Category: Picture Books Reviewer: Dena Bach Buy at Bookshop.org The Sultan’s personal doctor, Rabbi Moses ben Maimon, rides from his town early every morning to visit the Sultan in his palace in Cairo. The Rabbi has an exhausting, busy day of seeing many patients — from the Sultan to those who were waiting for him at his home even as he is dismounting from the animal who brought from the palace. As writer Susan Tarcov explains in the endnotes, The Rabbi and His Donkey is based on letters written by Rabbi ben Maimon, also known as Rambam or Maimonides, the renowned 12th century rabbi, physician, and philosopher. In this fictional narrative, Maimonides’ hectic life is seen through the eyes of a donkey named Hamor. Every day, Hamor bring the Rabbi to and from the palace, listening to Maimonides talk through his wise ideas. As he listens, the donkey becomes ...

Nothing Could Stop Her: The Courageous Life of Ruth Gruber by Rona Arato, illustrated by Isabel Muñoz Kar-Ben Publishing (imprint of Lerner Publishing Group), 2023 Category: Middle Grade Reviewer: Jeanette Brod Buy at Bookshop.org After reading Nothing Could Stop Her: The Courageous Life of Ruth Gruber , I wish I had known the subject of this middle grade biography. Ruth Gruber was born in Brooklyn in 1911 to Jewish Russian immigrant parents. She lived a life that made her parents both fearful and proud. "Courageous" is the right word to describe a woman whose life included adventures as a journalist and activist. She lived to be 105. The biography focuses on Ruth’s early life. It presents a portrait of a curious, smart and fearless young woman who seized opportunity whenever and wherever it presented itself. She graduated high school at fifteen, earned a master’s degree in German at eighteen and completed a doctorate in Germany on Virginia Woolf in an unprecedented one year....

The Blue Glass Heart by Yona Zeldis McDonough, illustrated by Chiara Fedele Kar-Ben Publishing (imprint of Lerner Publishing Group), 2023 Category: Picture Books Reviewer: Elizabeth Suneby Buy at Bookshop.org The Blue Glass Heart is a quintessential circular journey picture book. It recounts the travels of a heart-shaped shard of blue glass across oceans—from New York to Florida to Venezuela to Tel Aviv and back to New York once again—and across generations, from Sarah who mistakenly broke her grandmother’s vase to her great granddaughter Ruth who receives the shard as a token of friendship and says to her mother, “Maybe this is a piece of Great-Grandma Sarah’s bowl.” The story and illustrations are sweet and simple, likely to appeal to a young child who will enjoy hearing about the unlikely spots in which the shard appears in between its time in the sea—atop a sandcastle, hiding in a basket of clams, in fish stew, a pocket, and a lobster’s claw—and tickled that the blue glass makes i...

Debbie's Song: The Debbie Friedman Story by Ellen Leventhal, illustrated by Natalia Grebtsova Kar-Ben Publishing (imprint of Lerner Publishing Group), 2023 Category: Picture Books Reviewer: Belinda Brock Buy at Bookshop.org When the readers are introduced to little Debbie Friedman, we learn that she always had music inside of her—in fact, it was her superpower. We follow along on her sometimes challenging journey as she expresses that superpower with her family, at Jewish summer camps, on a kibbutz in Israel, in synagogues, Carnegie Hall, and ultimately, the world at large. Debbie accomplished what she set out to do: create community while writing "Jewish music that would welcome, include, and honor the voices of everyone." The author and illustrator have accomplished their goal of creating a book that celebrates Debbie Friedman and honors her legacy. Their passion for their subject shines through and makes this book sing. The lovely lyrical text, the pacing, the flow, th...

Moses and the Runaway Lamb by Jacqueline Jules, illustrated by Eleanor Rees Howell Kar-Ben Publishing (imprint of Lerner Publishing Group), 2023 Category: Picture Books Reviewer: Suzanne Grossman Buy at Bookshop.org In this version of the midrashic tale found in Shemot Rabbah 2:2, Moses is developing the characteristics that lead G-d to select him to later lead the Israelites' Exodus from Egypt. Refreshingly represented as a dark-skinned young man, Moses goes in search of one little lamb that has wandered off. Not giving up until he has reunited the lamb with its mother, Moses realizes that even though he has many other lambs, each one is valuable. Observing this event, G-d chooses Moses to later lead His people because of his compassion and commitment to every living creature. Flowing artwork with a light palette brings the reader into the desert atmosphere of wide open spaces and wilderness, adding to the appeal of the story.  The Jewish content is prevalent throughout with the f...

Mazal Bueno! by Sarah Aroeste, illustrated by Taia Morley Kar-Ben Publishing (imprint of Lerner Publishing Group), 2023 Category: Picture Books Reviewer: Bridget Hodder Buy at Bookshop.org This lively board book introduces little ones to a Sephardic family and their special way of celebrating blessings in their everyday lives. The more common Jewish phrase "Mazal Tov" becomes the Sephardic Ladino "Mazal Bueno!" in this appealing tiny tale. As a Sephardic author, Aroeste is able to incorporate a casual, genuine Sephardic perspective into this sweet and postitive slice of life. The book focuses on the small achievements of a small person-- a baby learning (among other things) to walk and speak, in the loving setting of parents who rejoice in every little milestone of baby's life. The Jewish representation in MAZAL BUENO is implicit rather than explicit, with an aptly brief note on the back cover of the book explaining context. The warm brown skin tones and curly h...

The Babka Sisters by Lesléa Newman, illustrated by Tika and Tata Bobokhidze Kar-Ben Publishing (imprint of Lerner Publishing Group), 2023 Category: Picture Books Reviewer: Suzanne Grossman Buy at Bookshop.org The great Babka Bake Off is on when loving sisters Esther and Hester compete to create the best babka for their new neighbor, Sylvester. The girls' relationship is challenged by the contest until Sylvester points out that each babka is the best! Esther has made the best cinnamon babka and Hester has made the best chocolate babka. But whose kugel will be the best, next Shabbat? Sibling illustrators Tika and Tata Bobokhidze’s vibrant, cheery digital art with hand-drawn textures invites readers into the playful setting while occasional spotlighting brings details into focus. However, children might find the ages of the sisters confusing. They are presented as little girls, but each lives alone and performs adult activities such as baking, handling knives and enjoying wine. Thi...