Staff Picks
Celebrate Jewish Heritage Month With These Children's Titles
- Ashley S.
- Friday, May 03
Collection
Celebrate Jewish Heritage Month with these amazing authors and illustrators!
Coming of Age
13 B'nai Mitzvah Stories
Published in 2022
In this collection of thirteen stories, diverse characters experience anxiety, doubt, and self-discovery while preparing for their b'nai mitzvahs.
Mazal Bueno!
Published in 2023
Parents celebrate baby's first grin to baby's first word, and all the milestones in between in this book featuring Ladino words, the language of the Sephardic Jewish community.
On All Other Nights
A Passover Celebration in 14 Stories
Published in 2024
In this collection of short stories, poetry, and nonfiction, fourteen authors each reimagine a different step of the seder. Includes recipes.
Across So Many Seas
Published in 2024
"Spanning over five hundred years, a novel telling the stories of four girls from different generations of a Jewish family, many of them forced to leave their country and start a new life"-- Provided by publisher.
Tía Fortuna's New Home
Published in 2022
Estrella learns about her Cuban and Jewish heritage as she helps her aunt move from her Miami apartment to an assisted living community.
Big Dreams, Small Fish
Published in 2022
When the opportunity arises, Shirley, the daughter of immigrants who live above their corner grocery store, turns some overlooked gefilte fish into a marketing strategy that changes the flavor of the neighborhood.
Matilda Makes Matzah Balls
Published in 2023
"This year for Passover, Matilda's grandmother invites her to help make the matzah ball soup! Matilda has always loved watching Bubbe make the soup. Now she wants to try out some of her own ideas. Adding lemon and dill to the matzah balls seems like a great idea. But making one GIANT matzah ball is a giant mistake. Yet Bubbe is encouraging. "The best part of experimenting is you can always try again," she tells Matilda. And so the grandmother/granddaughter cooking team continues the kitchen experiments, with some unusual (and unusually delicious!) results"--Amazon.com
She's a Mensch!
Ten Amazing Jewish Women
Published in 2023
"Ten Jewish women and their inspiring tales of activism and resistance. From the poorest neighborhoods in Kenya to the halls of the Canadian Supreme Court, the Jewish women found in these pages have accomplished remarkable feats. Some survived the horrors of the Holocaust while others had more peaceful childhoods, but all of them saw unfairness in their world and decided to do something about it. Despite living in hiding throughout the Second World War, Hungarian gymnast Ágnes Keleti went on to win four Olympic gold medals at age thirty-five. South African Ruth First used her privilege as a white woman to battle her country's racist system of apartheid--a fight she eventually paid for with her life. Canadian Judy Feld Carr, a quiet high school music teacher, secretly organized the rescue of persecuted Jews from Syria. And Yavilah McCoy, an African American Jew from New York, uses her voice today to advocate for diversity in Judaism. You may not have heard of the ten women in this book before, but you will remember them. Their greatest legacy could be the action that their stories inspire in you."-- Provided by publisher.
A Place at the Table
Published in 2020
Sixth-graders Sara, a Pakistani American, and Elizabeth, a Jewish girl, connect in an after school cooking club and bond over food and their mothers' struggles to become United States citizens.
Ellie's Deli
Wishing About Matzo Ball Soup!
Published in 2023
When Ellie accidentally overhears that her family deli is most likely going to close, she does the only thing she can think of. She makes a wish on matzo ball soup. Eleven-year-old Ellie is feisty, determined, and a little bit anxious. She considers Lukshen Deli part of the family--after all, it's been around for four generations, ever since her great-grandmother opened it. Along with her BFF, Ava; her sisters, Anna and Mabel; her lunch buddies, Aanya, Brynn, Nina, and Sally; and her grandparents, Bubbie and Zeyda, Ellie is determined to prove that old fashioned Jewish delis can get with the times--but if her plan doesn't work, the deli will be sold for good.
The Color of Sound
Published in 2024
"Musical prodigy Rosie stops playing the violin, upsetting her ambitious mother but making room in her life for new experiences, including a glitch in space-time that lets her meet her mom as a twelve-year-old"-- Provided by publisher.
Shira & Esther's Double Dream Debut
Published in 2023
"The switcheroo fun of The Parent Trap meets the showbiz spirit of The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel in this timeless coming-of-age story about family, friendship, and following your dreams. When Shira and Esther first meet, they can hardly believe their eyes. It's like looking in a mirror! But even though they may look identical, the two girls couldn't be more different. Shira dreams of singing and dancing onstage, but her father, a stern and pious rabbi, thinks Shira should be reading prayers, not plays. Esther dreams of studying Torah, but her mother, a glamorous stage performer, wishes Esther would spend more time rehearsing and less time sneaking off to read books. Oy vey! If only the two could switch places . . . Would Shira shine in a big-time televised talent show? Would Esther's bat mitzvah go off without a hitch? What's a little deception, when it means your dreams might finally be within reach? One thing is certain: Shira and Esther are going to need more than a little chutzpah to pull this off. But if they do, their double dream debut is sure to be the performance of a lifetime" -- Provided by publisher.
Do Not Eat This Book!
Fun with Jewish Foods & Festivals
Published in 2023
"Rhyming text takes readers through Jewish holidays, including Tu B'Shevat, Purim, and Chanukah, and their related special dishes. Back matter includes a glossary describing each holiday, along with easy, kid-friendly recipes of the featured dishes"-- Provided by publisher.
Debbie's Song
The Debbie Friedman Story
Published in 2023
"Debbie Friedman always had music inside of her, and she had a dream. She thought music could heal the world and bring people closer. She did something radical and new-created Jewish music that brings the whole Jewish community together"-- Provided by publisher.
The Jake Show
Published in 2023
"For TV-obsessed Jake Lightman, his parents' divorce is like his favorite show getting canceled: The worst. Now he's stuck between playing the role of 'Yaakov' for his mother and 'Jacob' for his father. On Jake's first day at a new school, Caleb and Tehilla barrel into his life. Suddenly, he has two friends who seem to like the real Jake. And when they invite him to Camp Gershoni for the summer, Jake knows he has to go--even if his parents won't let him. With help from Caleb and Tehilla, Jake concocts a web of lies to get to camp. But he struggles to keep up the ruse--and be a good friend at the same time. As the cost of lying grows, he must decide what's truly important, or risk losing the people he cares about the most."-- Provided by publisher
Aviva Vs. the Dybbuk
Published in 2022
A long ago "accident." An isolated girl named Aviva. A community that wants to help, but doesn't know how. And a ghostly dybbuk, that no one but Aviva can see, causing mayhem and mischief that everyone blames on her. That is the setting for this suspenseful novel of a girl who seems to have lost everything, including her best friend Kayla, and a mother who was once vibrant and popular, but who now can't always get out of bed in the morning. As tensions escalate in the Jewish community of Beacon with incidents of vandalism and a swastika carved into new concrete poured near the synagogue, so does the tension grow between Aviva and Kayla and the girls at their school, and so do the actions of the dybbuk grow worse. Could real harm be coming Aviva's way? And is it somehow related to the "accident" that took her father years ago? Aviva vs. the Dybbuk is a compelling, tender story about friendship and community, grief and healing, and one indomitable girl who somehow manages to connect them all.
The Dubious Pranks of Shaindy Goodman
Published in 2023
Helping her popular next-door neighbor Gayil set up what she thinks are harmless pranks, 12-year-old Orthodox Jewish girl Shaindy must figure out how to stop them before she becomes the next target when the pranks escalate and turn malicious.
A Synagogue Just Like Home
Published in 2022
"Rabbi Ruben loves his synagogue. But he doesn't love the creaking floorboard, leaking sink, or drafty windows. Surely, he thinks, he can fix it up so it feels cared for, like a happy home! But Rabbi Ruben doesn't know much about home repair, so when his creative fixes--challah dough plugging a drippy faucet, tablecloths blocking a window draft--make things humorously worse, it'll take his whole congregation banding together to remind him what really makes a place feel like a happy home."-- Front jacket flap.
I Am Ruth Bader Ginsburg
Published in 2024
"Before Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg was the judge, she was a young Jewish girl growing up in Brooklyn, inspired by books, past female trailblazers, and her mother to make the world a better, more just place to be. So even when people turned her away—for being a girl and for being Jewish—she never stopped fighting for equal treatment for everyone by pushing back against unjust laws and the beliefs around them. This friendly, fun biography series inspired the PBS Kids TV show Xavier Riddle and the Secret Museum. One great role model at a time, these books encourage kids to dream big." -- Publisher's description.
A Sky Full of Song
Published in 2023
In 1905 North Dakota, eleven-year-old Russian immigrant Shoshana is bullied for being Jewish, but after listening to the music of her homeland, she is reminded of the resilience and traditions her people have brought all the way to the prairie.
One of a Kind
The Life of Sydney Taylor
Published in 2024
"Sarah Brenner was always one of a kind, even with four sisters who dressed just like her. Growing up in an immigrant family on New York City's imporverished Lower East Side, Sarah's life was full of things that weren't fair. It wasn't fair that her parents had to leave Europe because of their religion. It wasn't fair they worked hard all day and the family barely had enough to eat. It wasn't fair how girls were treated in her school. When she grew up, Sarah gave herself a modern, boyish name, Sydney, just right for a woman who was going to forge her own path and continue to fight for a fairer world. When Sydney's daughter complained that it wasn't fair that there were no books about Jewish children like her, Sydney dreamed up a one-of-a-kind children's book called All-of-a-Kind Family, which is still beloved today."-- Front jacket flap.
The Very Best Sukkah
A Story from Uganda
Published in 2022
"Sukkot is Shoshi's favorite Jewish holiday. She and her brothers love to decorate their sukkah, the hut where her family will celebrate. But who will win the Ugandan Abayudaya community's annual sukkah contest? While only one sukkah can be the best, everybody wins when neighbors work together."-- Dust jacket.
The Babka Sisters
Published in 2023
"Dueling baker sisters Esther and Hester meet their new neighbor Sylvester, who gladly becomes their babka tester, determining which shvester's (sister's) babka is the best"-- Provided by publisher.
Not So Shy
Published in 2023
Twelve-year-old Shai hates having to move to America and is determined to find a way get back home to Israel--until she starts opening up to new experiences and friendships.
Challah Day!
Published in 2023
Follows a family as they make homemade challah bread from the heart. Includes information about challah and a recipe.
Miryam's Dance
Published in 2023
"It's Friday and Miryam has lots of chores to prepare for her family's Shabbat evening meal--collect fruit, borrow an egg, and fill a jug of water from the well. But it's hard to focus when the drums in the next village keep calling to her...She discovers drummers and dancers practicing in a field. Before long, Miryam joins them, filled with an energy she can't resist--and finds a way to bring a new twist to her family's Shabbat celebration."-- Front jacket flap.
Black Bird, Blue Road
Published in 2022
"Pesah has lived with leprosy for years, and the twins have spent most of that time working on a cure. Then Pesah has a vision: The Angel of Death will come for him on Rosh Hashanah, just one month away. So Ziva takes her brother and runs away to find doctors who can cure him. But when they meet and accidentally free a half-demon boy, he suggests paying his debt by leading them to the fabled city of Luz, where no one ever dies--the one place Pesah will be safe."-- Adapted from front jacket flap.
Ring of Solomon
Published in 2023
The little beachside town of San Pancras is not known for anything exciting, but when Zach Darlington buys a mysterious ring at the local flea market, his quiet little hometown is turned topsy-turvy by monsters straight from Jewish folklore and a nefarious secret society focused on upholding an apocalyptic prophecy. Zach discovers that the ring grants him strange powers, and he's intrigued; maybe he can use the ring's strengths to halt the slew of anti-Semitic and homophobic bullying he's experiencing at school. But soon the ring brings unexpected visitors, Ashmedai, King of Demons, in the guise of a preteen boy named Ash, and the local chapter of the Knights of the Apocalypse, a secret society intent on completing a creepy prophecy that will bring three monsters to Earth to start the events of the end of times. Now responsible for the ring and its consequences, will Zach and his friends, with the help of Ash, be able to stop the Apocalypse and save the world?
Bubbie and Rivka's Best-ever Challah (so Far!)
Published in 2022
Bubbie and Rivka's new Friday tradition is to bake a loaf challah, and while each week presents a new challenge, they learn that practice makes progress and persistence makes for some very special together time and delicious bread.
Just Shy of Ordinary
Published in 2024
Shai, a thirteen-year-old nonbinary homeschooler, attempts to find a "new normal" post-pandemic as they start public school, meet new friends, and learn about their Jewish identity.
P is for Pastrami
The ABCs of Jewish Food
Published in 2024
"From apples and honey all the way to zhug, Alan Silberberg brings his...humor to this alphabet of Jewish food. It's perfect for...anyone who wants to celebrate the wide range of delicious bites Jews eat all over the world"-- Provided by publisher.
My Family Haggadah
Published in 2023
"A colorful board book Haggadah for the youngest seder-goer highlighting the main parts of the seder"-- Provided by publisher.
1, 2, 3, Nosh with Me
Published in 2023
Count from 1 to 10 with Buckwheat the dog! Buckwheat is hungry! Help him count matzo balls, hamantaschen, latkes, and other traditional treats in this delightful romp through the delicious foods of Jewish holidays, family gatherings, and Shabbat dinners. If all this counting makes you hungry too, use the Simple Challah recipe included to make your own tasty loaf!
Rivka's Presents
Published in 2023
In 1918 New York City, little Jewish girl Rivka, who lives on the Lower East Side, trades chores with people in her neighborhood for lessons until she can finally attend school.
Bring Back the Babka!
Published in 2023
Sammy, Sol, and their dog Mazel search for Mama's missing babka and discover delicious life lessons along the way. Includes a recipe for Mama's missing babka.