The Sydney Taylor Shmooze

The New Sefer Torah Parade by Tzivia Adler, illustrated by Mira Simon Hachai, 2025 Category: Picture Books Reviewer: Doreen Robinson   Buy at Hachai.com   Told from the point of view of a young child, this beautiful book is about a community celebrating the completion of a new Sefer Torah. The excitement around this event feels genuine as the character explains that when this Torah is ready it will be taken to its new home in the shul (synagogue). And the real excitement (aside from this new Torah) is the community-wide parade with the Torah front and center. The excitement builds as the rabbi, the child’s zeidy, and father each get the honor of writing the last letters in the Sefer Torah until it is complete. The Torah is lifted for all to see and then receives its velvet coat and silver crown. Now it’s ready for the parade, complete with torches, flags, music and a chuppah. Throughout the story, important Hebrew words are used in context, but a glossary at the front is helpf...

Twinkle, Twinkle, Hanukkah by Talia Benamy, illustrated by Aura Lewis Workman Kids, 2025 Category: Picture Books Reviewer: Julie Ditton   Buy at Bookshop.org Twinkle, Twinkle, Hanukkah is a cute rhyming picture book that takes the reader through the Hanukkah celebration. Youngsters may know the simple preschool song “Twinkle, Twinkle Hanukkah Lights” (based on "Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star") which teaches the holiday with a familiar tune and hand motions. This book takes the concept a step further. We start with “Twinkle, twinkle menorah” and read about candles and dreidels. But the book goes beyond the party and talks about some important ideas too: the history, celebrating with family near and far, and placing the menorah in the window to spread the light. The watercolor illustrations by Aura Lewis are sweet and simple, and represents a diversity of skin tones. The afterword discusses the Hanukkah story and all these activities in more detail for the adult reader. This b...

The Mouse Who Loved Latkes written and illustrated by Joy Nelkin Wieder Kar-Ben Publishing (imprint of Lerner Publishing Group), 2025 Category: Picture Books Reviewer: Claire Freeland   Buy at Bookshop.org The Mouse Who Loved Latkes tells the story of a mouse who fears his home’s new feline residents, the Katz family. The littlest cat, Kitty, spots the mouse exploring, drawn out of his hole by delicious smells. A “cat and mouse game” ensues. But Kitty is only interested in making a friend. The mouse is torn between worry that Kitty will eat him and curiosity about the delicious doughnut crumbs, chocolate bits, and a strange item that we know is a dreidel. Finally, Kitty convinces the mouse to help make latkes. Now comfortable with Kitty and Mrs. Katz, he runs away once again when he sees Mr. Katz with a scary object but is reassured upon learning that it’s a menorah. The mouse joins the Katz family in lighting the menorah and eating latkes. The twist at the end about why the Katz ...

Happy HanukKAT by Jessica Hickman, illustrated by Elissambura Kar-Ben Publishing (imprint of Lerner Publishing Group), 2025 Category: Board Books Reviewer: Sarah Clarke   Buy at Bookshop.org   Happy HanukKat is a cute board book that showcases a cat family celebrating Hanukkah. The story begins with the cats getting dressed up in festive sweaters and hats. The young kittens play dreidel, while the adult cats make latkes. After lighting the menorah and reading the story of the Maccabees, delicious jelly donuts are served. The story ends with a warm wish of Happy HanukKAT at the closing of the holiday.   This story is a great read for very young children. It’s simple and to the point. The puns and jokes made, like "the Maccabees were pawsitively brave,” are simple enough that most children will understand them. For the children who don’t understand, it doesn’t take anything away from the story. The rhyming scheme of the books works well, making it a good option for a read-a...

The Henna Helper by Tami Lehman-Wilzig, illustrated by Yinon Ptahia Apples & Honey Press (imprint of Behrman House), 2025 Category: Picture Books Reviewer: Rachel J. Fremmer   Buy at Bookshop.org The theme of The Henna Helper is summed up by its protagonist, Gali, as she waits for her flower girl dress for her cousin Yael’s wedding to be made. Preempted by the henna ceremony which takes place a week before the wedding, Gali bursts out, “Our family doesn’t live in Yemen anymore. Yael is a modern Israeli! Why is she having a henna?” The age-old push-and-pull of old and new, tradition and reinvention is highlighted here. Her grandmother wisely asks Gali to help her prepare for the henna ceremony. Of course, Gali learns the value of retaining traditions and learning about her heritage, even going so far as to declare that when she gets married, she too will have a henna ceremony. When the flower girl dress which her grandmother has sewn is revealed, it also has Yemenite embroider...

Can Posters Kill? Antisemitic Propaganda and World War II by Jerry Faivish with Kathryn Cole Second Story Press, 2025 Category: Young Adult Reviewer: Emily Roth   Buy at Bookshop.org Can Posters Kill? Antisemitic Propaganda and World War II masterfully evaluates the danger of propaganda and how it was used during the Holocaust. In Faivish’s introduction, he explains why, as the child of two Holocaust survivors, he decided to begin collecting propaganda posters. Although the posters are painful to look at, Faivish feels that they should be viewed as a warning for the future. This slim but powerful book examines thirty-eight posters created between 1933 and 1945, divided into sections before, during, and after WWII. It is well-organized and easy to read, with each two-page spread displaying a poster on the left and a paragraph of text explaining it on the right. Although a large percentage of these posters were created by Hitler’s Ministry of Propaganda, as the war went on and the r...

Across the Jewniverse: 180 Totally Random Jewish Facts by Kerry Olitzky and Deborah Bodin Cohen Apples & Honey Press (imprint of Behrman House), 2025 Category: Middle Grade Reviewer: Stacy Nockowitz   Buy at Bookshop.org The newest nonfiction book from Kerry Olitzky and Deborah Boden Cohen, Across the Jewniverse , gives middle grade readers “180 totally random facts” about Jewish culture, people, geography, and history. And, boy, do the authors deliver on the random facts! Each spread offers several sometimes loosely-, sometimes closely-related tidbits of information. In one spread, for example, readers learn about the flavor of Moroccan challah, the length of the world’s longest challah, and fact that Ugandan challah is baked in banana leaves. Across the Jewniverse is a feast for the eyes, loaded with bold graphics and playful juxtaposition of photos and text. Brightly colored text boxes are layered over modern stock images and historical photos. Taken all together, the boo...