The Sydney Taylor Shmooze

Noah Green Saves the World by Laura Toffler-Corrie, illustrated by Macky Pamintuan Category: Middle Grade Reviewer: Sandy Wasserman Buy at Bookshop.org For middle graders who missed sleep away camp this year due to Covid, the only thing missing from this book is a bag of marshmallows! Otherwise, this book makes the reader feel and taste the full camp experience; it's FILLED with the yearnings and angst of grade 4-6 summer friendships and almost-friendships at summer camp. With a boy who is not too keen on sports (and would rather be elsewhere) as its main protagonist, the plot twists and turns with his other bunkmates and even a tech savvy grandpa who visits camp and comes to the rescue! Plenty included to attract girl readers, too. This is a kids'-summer-book for the winter; matter of fact, for all year round. Any child who loves the Jewish camping experience will be thrilled to read this book. In fact, even parents who fondly remember their own Jewish camping sleep-a-way days...

Mommy, Can You Stop the Rain? by Rona Milch Novick, illustrated by Anna Kubaszewska Category: Picture Books Reviewer: Sandy Wasserman This delightful picture book is so needed now during our stressful pandemic year and would also be calming and soothing at any time for a child during stressful moments. During the sounds of a rainstorm - thunder, lightening - the young child is anxious before bedtime. Although the parents inform the child that they cannot control the weather, the familiar homey things that surround the child are soothing; there's zaydeh's chicken soup pot to pound when the thunder is too loud, and Bubbie's blanket to cuddle in, and cookies to eat. There is Noah's ark on the wall, and the child's own drawing hanging by the bed, of Shabbat candles and the grandparents. Then, the sunny day comes after the night is over, brightly shining through the window. The reader feels just as comforted by the soft, gentle illustrations. Throughout...