The Sydney Taylor Shmooze

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

  She's a Mensch! Ten Amazing Jewish Women by Anne Dublin, illustrated by Ashley Wong Second Story Press, 2023 Category: Middle Grade Reviewer: Judith S. Greenblatt Buy at Bookshop.org Anne Dublin, author of a biography of swimmer Bobbie Rosenfeld, among many other titles, has brought us 6 to 9 page biographies of 10 outstanding Jewish women. Part of the “Do you Know My Name” series for middle-grade readers, the book follows the series criteria for inclusion. The women are thus from around the world, born in the 20th century, and are or were activists. And, with the exception of one woman, I did not know any of their names. This is in contrast to another recent book about menschy women by Rachelle Burk and Alana Barouch, aimed at 5 to 10  year old readers, which includes household names such as Ruth Bader Ginsburg, and Judy Blume, as well as unknowns like judo champion Rusty Kanokogi. Dublin is an experienced writer for this age group, and the vocabulary and format are perfectly su

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

Second Chance Summer by Sarah Kapit Henry Holt Books, 2023 Category: Middle Grade Reviewer: Karen Shakman Buy at Bookshop.org Second Chance Summer tells the story of two former best friends, Chloe and Maddie, and the summer they spend orbiting one another at a sleep-away performing arts camp. The two middle schoolers were friends back home, until an unfortunate incident involving a performance of The Music Man goes viral and heralds the end of the girls’ friendship. Maddie resents Chloe for the part she played in Maddie’s very public embarrassment and, while Chloe is sorry, she doesn’t quite understand what she did that was so wrong. Where Maddie is slightly awkward and a little insecure, Chloe is at home in the spotlight. Maddie has always been in her shadow, a shadow that she admits is exciting and fun, but a shadow all the same, and she has grown tired of it. At the sleep-away camp, neither girl is happy to be there with the other, and they end up in a battle of revenge that ultima

The Do More Club by Dana Kramaroff Rocky Pond Books (imprint of Penguin Random House), 2023 Category: Middle Grade Reviewer: Meg Wiviott Buy at Bookshop.org Sixth-grader Josh doesn’t feel comfortable in his new school. In truth, he doesn’t feel comfortable in his own skin. He hides who he really is—probably the only Jewish kid in his middle school—especially once the school is vandalized with swastikas. Gradually, Josh realizes other students are subjected to other forms of prejudice, and when the one Black student experiences a similar racial attack, Josh is determined to become an ally and forms the Do More Club, based on tikkun olam. Though the club is a success, there are further acts of antisemitism, teaching Josh that change takes time. The Do More Club is fast paced. Written in verse, mostly using lower case with little punctuation, makes a difficult story more digestible. Josh is a likeable and sympathetic character. His problems are, sadly, real. Kramaroff creates poignant mo