The Sydney Taylor Shmooze

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

Straw Bag, Tin Box, Cloth Suitcase: Three Immigrant Voices by Jane Yolen, Marjorie Lotfi and Raquel Elizabeth Artiga de Paz, illustrated by Fotini Tikkou Reycraft Books, 2023 Category: Picture Books Reviewer: Jeanette Brod Buy at Bookshop.org As a nation of immigrants, our family histories have roots in other countries. The countries we leave are often fraught with peril for those who live there. At great personal risk, some people choose to emigrate and eventually arrive in America. Straw Bag, Tin Box, Cloth Suitcase: Three Immigrant Voices is the story of three generations that undertake the immigrant journey from different continents. The stories are fictionalized accounts of the families of the storytellers. Each story is told by a woman who passes generational memory to a young girl who is the appointed keeper of the family legacy. An artifact from each place (a straw bag, a tin box, a cloth suitcase) sparks the storytelling and creates some of the parallelism that connects the s

Eight Nights of Lights: A Celebration of Hanukkah by Leslie Kimmelman, illustrated by Hilli Kushnir Harper (imprint of HarperCollins Publishers), 2023 Category: Picture Books Reviewer: Heidi Rabinowitz Buy at Bookshop.org Nine small candle-shaped paper booklets are nestled into a menorah-shaped holder in a large folder, in this Hanukkah toy/story. The Shammash booklet contains the lyrics to the traditional song "Hanukkah, Oh Hanukkah" and shows a diverse group of celebrating children. Other candle booklets are labeled "Night 1" and so on, meant to be read in order. The front of each booklet shows an unlit wick; the back shows a candle aflame; if one story is read each night of Hanukkah, it can then be flipped over to light the menorah. The cover includes directions and a brief history of the holiday. Each booklet contains a short story about Lena, a biracial Jewish girl who has a white father and a brown Latine mother. She celebrates various aspects of the holiday w

Dino-Hanukkah by Lisa Wheeler, illustrated by Barry Gott Carolrhoda Publishing (imprint of Lerner Publishing Group), 2023 Category: Picture Books Reviewer: Laurie Adler Buy at Bookshop.org Come celebrate with the dinosaurs, as they cheerfully prepare for the holiday and join in familiar Hanukkah fun. This book is the latest addition and the first Jewish holiday featured in the Dino-Holiday series by author/ illustrator team Lisa Wheeler and Barry Gott. In Dino-Hanukkah , the dinosaurs decorate, play dreidel, open presents, and engage in other highly recognizable Hanukkah activities. Wheeler’s rhymes are never forced, and there is a small plot of Allo the Allosaurus waiting patiently for all eight nights till it’s his turn to light the menorah. Gott’s bold and colorful computer-generated illustrations are toddler-friendly and add to the fun; even the T-Rex is affable and unthreatening. Each page conveys action and activity and is full of enough detail for children to find new elements i

Hanukkah Upside Down by Elissa Brent Weissman, illustrated by Omer Hoffmann Abrams Books for Young Readers, 2023 Category: Picture Books Reviewer: Ann D. Koffsky   Buy at Bookshop.org From their homes in New York and New Zealand, cousins Noah and Nora celebrate Hanukkah. But which one's got it right side up, and which upside down? They have an eight-night competition to decide which side of the world celebrates it best. Is Hanukkah better in New York’s winter or New Zealand’s summer? Does it go best with snowballs or surfboards? As the competition goes on, readers get to see how each cousin celebrates the holiday differently, and also what they have in common. While they each do things differently from different sides of the world, they BOTH light the chanukiah, spin a sivivon, and enjoy latkes and sufganiot. The story is upbeat and cheerful throughout, with the competition never getting anything beyond friendly. The arc of the story—one new activity of difference, and one in comm

Barefoot in the Sand by Hava Deevon, translated by Gilan Kahn-Hoffman, illustrated by Rotem Teplow Green Bean Books, 2023 Category: Picture Books Reviewer: Ronda Einbinder Buy at Bookshop.org This heartwarming story is about the bond between two men, who appear different on the outside but have both dreamed of moving to the Land of Israel.  Young Saul is bundled in his orange coat and brown shoes standing on the snow-capped mountain imagining himself climbing rocky hills. Dressed in the coat, his feet are bare in his dreams. Saul grows older learning about the land of Israel in his Romanian Jewish school. Luscious green trees with orange figs are drawn with Saul standing barefoot with a shovel. Now old enough, he devises a plan to travel by boat. Years pass and he crosses the sea, kicking off his boots to feel the soft sand between his toes. Illustrations of succulents and purple grapes are drawn. He says the Hallel prayer, a Jewish psalm of praise and thanks. Tel Aviv was a small city

Just One More Thing... And Then Bedtime written and illustrated by Menahem Halberstadt, translated by Romy Ronen Green Bean Books, 2023 Category: Picture Books Reviewer: Naomi Morse Buy at Bookshop.org Toddler Naomi is delaying her bedtime, telling her father there is just one more thing she is thankful for. Some of her examples are far fetched: she’s glad she has two legs and not three, and she’s glad the moon is in the sky, and not down on the ground.There are more conventional thanks too: various colors and sounds, the rest day of Shabbat. Her dad looks harried as he tries to put her to bed. There’s a baby sibling in the picture too, and according to the illustrations, dad is the first to fall asleep. Colored drawings show cartoon-like children and their dad at the end of the day. The color red predominates. Illustrations and text present a lighthearted look at the blessing of gratitude for the world God created. Some families and teachers may find this reminder to be thankful to be

Counting on Naamah: A Mathematical Tale on Noah's Ark by Erica Lyons, illustrated by Mary Reaves Uhles Intergalactic Afikomen, 2023 Category: Picture Books Reviewer: Dena Bach Buy at Bookshop.org In Counting on Naamah , Erica Lyons creates a playful modern midrash, (defined in the back matter as “a tale that begins with a story from the Torah”) answering some of the questions Lyons has about life on Noah’s ark. By centering the story on a very contemporary depiction of Noah’s wife, Lyons also adds a note of female empowerment. Noah’s wife is barely mentioned in the Torah, but the back matter also notes that according to rabbinic midrashim her name was Naamah, meaning pleasant. In their midrash, Lyons and illustrator Mary Reaves Uhles make Naamah more than just pleasant. She is a STEM genius, able to facilitate Noah’s implementation of G-d’s plan through her math and science knowledge. The author imagines the building of the ark and the activities that the pair come up with to keep

We Belong Here by Frieda Wishinsky, illustrated by Ruth Ohi North Winds Press (Imprint of Scholastic Canada Ltd.), 2023 Category: Picture Books Reviewer: Melissa Lasher We Belong Here deftly reminds readers of two simple yet essential ideas: Speak up. Be kind. Jewish Eve Bloom hates getting teased for being “born in another country.” When a new kid, Japanese Mark Nakamura, arrives and the school bullies turn on him, Eve defends Mark. The two become close friends, bonding over their outsider status and shared love of fanciful stories. But when Mark’s dad loses his job because of xenophobic co-workers/bosses, Eve worries that Mark will move away, and she’ll be plunged back into loneliness. Unless…she can find work for Mr. Nakamura. Over green tea and Eve’s mom’s rugelach, the two families commiserate about the urban immigrant experience. The Blooms offer Mr. Nakamura a job spiffing up their tired grocery store—which leads to other local businesses doing the same. The slew of jobs means

Hidden Junior Fun-to-Read Adventures series by Rivkah Yudasin, illustrated by Jacky Yarhi Hachai Publishing, 2023 Category: Picture Books Reviewer: Leah Cypess Buy at Hachai.com Hidden is an early reader adventure story based on a true historical event. The book relates the struggles of Rav Yitzchak Zilber, a labor camp in Stalin’s USSR. His determination to keep Shabbos in the camp led to a series of trials and adventures that Yudasin deftly turns into an age-appropriate page turner. Yahri’s wonderfully-drawn illustrations work well with the text to tell the story and hold the reader’s interest. The book focuses on the immediate dangers to Rav Zilber, and includes only the historical background that is necessary to tell the story. This book should be a strong contender for the Sydney Taylor Book Award. It is an age-appropriate, fast-moving chapter book that reflects both an important part of Jewish history and a commitment to keeping Jewish tradition. Are you interested in reviewing

Schlemiel Comes to America by Jane Yolen, illustrated by Óscar Perez Reycraft Books, 2023 Category: Picture Books Reviewer: Cindy Rivka Marshall Buy at Bookshop.org Children who delight in silliness, especially the silliness of adults, need look no further than Chelm - a legendary place in Poland where all the people are fools. In the folklore, the people of Chelm take advice from the “wise men” of Chelm who lead their town further into absurdity. Thus the word “wise” is turned on its head to equal “most foolish.” After briefly introducing some classic Chelm anecdotes, author Jane Yolen departs from the usual folklore and tells of a Chelmite who gets fed up and leaves Chelm. He especially cannot tolerate the foolishness of his neighbors when they carry, rather than roll, a large boulder down a mountain. Yolen cleverly names her protagonist Schlemiel, a Yiddish word that means fool. However, in a fun reversal, this schlemiel is surprisingly bright. In fact he does not suffer fools gladl

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

Beneath the Stars by Rivkah Yudasin, illustrated by Jacky Yarhi Hachai Publishing, 2023 Category: Picture Books Reviewer: Jeff Gottesfeld Buy at Hachai In February and March of 2003, I was in the city of Tver and the village of Vishniy Volochek, Russia, to adopt my son. I lived with a Jewish family there for a month,. I am connected to some of those folks to this day. To a person, they talked of Russian Jewish history and the dark days of official oppression. This wonderful book, ostensibly an easy-reader aimed at Orthodox Jewish kids, makes those little-known-days-to-kids-today immediate for every reader. It deserves serious Sydney Taylor Award consideration. I mean, really serious consideration. Author Rivkah Yudasin, backed by the realistic and compelling art of Jacky Yarhi, tell a story from the youth of revered rabbi Yitchak Zilber. The reader feels the threat of Stalinist denunciation as teen Zilber joins a furtive 6:00 a.m. minyan, and leins from the Torah for the first time si

Do Not Eat This Book! Fun with Jewish Foods & Festivals by Beth Kander, illustrated by Mike Moran Sleeping Bear Press, 2023 Category: Picture Books Reviewer: Freidele Galya Soban Biniashvili Buy at Bookshop.org Do Not Eat This Book! is the latest entry to explore the foods associated with Jewish holidays. This rhyming picture book opens with Tu B’Shevat, followed by Purim. It then focuses on Shabbat, which was a thoughtful inclusion even though it is not a once-a-year festival but a weekly celebration. Passover, Chanukah and Shavuot are introduced last, by being grouped together in one verse. That the holidays are not presented in chronological order according to the Jewish calendar will not detract from children’s enjoyment of chanting the lively refrain, “but please remember, bubbeleh: DO NOT EAT THIS BOOK!” As well, it is unlikely that the young target audience will notice the absence of any mention of the festivals that occur in the month of Tishrei, namely Rosh Hashanah, Sukk

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

1, 2, 3, Nosh with Me by Micah & Joshua Siva, illustrated by Svlatoslav Franko The Collective Book Studio, 2023 Category: Picture Books Reviewer: Suzanne Grossman Buy at Bookshop.org Count along with Buckwheat, an adorable dog, as he eats his way through the Jewish year. A beautiful golden challah for Shabbat and two fluffy matzoh balls in our soup are among the delicious offerings. All of the foods look scrumptious thanks to the bright and cheery artwork. All of the foods are typical of the Ashkenazi culture, but all of the special days are important to all streams of Judaism. The challah recipe at the back of the book, along with instructions for forming a round coiled challah, are easy to follow. The tradition of “taking challah” (separating and burning a small portion of challah dough before baking) is not included but the recipe does not require the amount of flour that would be necessary for this. This book would be appealing to all children, bridging cultures with our share

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