The Sydney Taylor Shmooze

Hidden Powers: Lise Meitner's Call to Science by Jeannine Atkins Atheneum Books for Young Readers (imprint of Simon & Schuster), 2022 Category: Middle Grade Reviewer: Merle Eisman Carrus Buy at Bookshop.org Young people who are interested in science will find a wonderful role model in Lise Meitner, and girls may be especially inspired. This book, written in a beautiful poetry style, easily explains the life of Lise Meitner and her critically important contribution to science. Each chapter is written in a simple poetic style that makes it easy to understand the complicated science that Lise and her fellow laboratory partners discovered. The story of Lise’s life and how she worked her way through many obstacles is amazing as well as inspiring. Lise Meitner wanted to be a scientist from a very young age. She lived at a time in history when women were not offered an education and certainly not encouraged to attend university, get a doctorate, or become a professor. She overcam...

Peek-A-Boo Passover  by Pamela Mayer, illustrated by Viviana Garofoli Kar-Ben Publishing (imprint of Lerner Publishing Group), 2022 Cateogry: Picture Books Reviewer: Mirele Kessous Buy at Bookshop.org Peek-A-Boo Passover by Pamela Meyer and illustrated by Viviana Garofoli is a very simple board book about Passover for the youngest readers. It introduces the holiday through the sights, sounds, and tastes that a young child experiences in his house. There are some Hebrew terms ("Haggadah"), but other holiday items ("parsley") are only mentioned in English. The peek-a-boo theme would have leant itself well to a lift-the-flap format, but in this case each item is hinted at before being fully revealed by a page turn. Garofoli’s illustrations will be familiar to PJ Library readers from the [Holiday] Is Coming series – complete with the bright colors and cheerful faces. This is a good option for 0-3 year olds to learn about the holiday. All the characters are white, ab...

Time for Bed by Vicki L. Weber, illustrated by Shirley Ng-Benitez Apples & Honey Press (imprint of Behrman House), 2022 Category: Picture Books Reviewer: Shirley Vernick The six full-page spreads in this upbeat board book show increasingly drowsy babies and toddlers getting ready for bed before wishing each other lailah tov (good night). The full-color illustrations and a handful of rhyming lines take the babies through bathtime, story reading, singing, and goodnight hugs and cuddles. The adults and children have white, brown and black skin, adding appreciated diversity to the book. Time For Bed models a happy bedtime routine – including the Hebrew goodnight wishes – followed by a peaceful sleep. Babies and toddlers will enjoy its cheerful, comforting content, plus the opportunity to practice a sweet Hebrew phrase.  While this book is a welcome addition to libraries for the youngest Jewish children, the only Jewish-specific content is the term lailah tov , which appears once i...

Raquela's Seder by Joel Edward Stein, illustrated by Sara Ugolotti Kar-Ben Publishing (imprint of Lerner Publishing Group), 2022 Category: Picture Books Reviewer: Arlene Schenker   Buy at Bookshop.org This is a moving story that takes place in Spain at the time of the Inquisition and its prohibition on practicing Judaism. Raquela and her parents celebrate Shabbat each Friday evening in their cellar so as not to be discovered by the Spanish authorities. Raquela’s parents tell her about Passover, and she wishes she could have a seder. Her mama tells her it is too dangerous, but her papa asks Mama to bake matzoh and mix dried fruit, nuts, and spices. He charges Raquela with gathering parsley, an egg, and other items needed for a seder.  Papa is the best fisherman in town, and he knows the best hiding place for fish. It turns out that this is also the best hiding place for Raquela’s family to observe Passover. Raquela gets her seder on the water in a heart-warming ending. Her pap...

The Melody by Oded Burla, illustrated by Assaf Benharroch, translated by Ilana Kurshan Kalaniot Books, 2022 Category: Picture Books Reviewer: Suzanne Grossman Buy at Kalaniot A breezy melody drifts through the air, seeking another creation to share its existence. Personified elements give a variety of excuses for rejecting the connection, Mountains give no reply, stones try but fail to join the singing, river can’t slow down, crow is afraid he will be transformed, mole prefers isolation and horse fears ridicule. Melody asks itself universal questions, “What is my purpose if no one will listen? Why am I here? Whose am I?” Finally, a mother shares the melody with her baby as a lullaby. This is a lovely parable of the midrash of many nations being offered but refusing the gift and responsibilities of the Torah, with the final acceptance by the Jewish people. It is also a parable for seeking friendship in the face of rejection, as well as transmission of heritage through the generations. T...

The Desert Unicorn by Bonnie Grubman and Kerry Olitzky, illustrated by Amberin Huq Apples & Honey Press (imprint of Behrman House), 2022 Category: Picture Books Reviewer: Rebecca Klempner Buy at Bookshop.org Two siblings, Abigail and Zachary, are "every kid" characters who are part of the Exodus of the Jewish people out of Egypt. Sure there's manna to eat and miraculous springs to drink from--even their clothing doesn't wear out. But when will they finally reach Israel? Eventually, a mysterious tachash–a legendary creature here depicted as a unicorn–shows up to entertain the children during their journey and to bring them comfort and hope.    The illustrations are cheerful and vibrant, and I liked that the Jews are shown in warm hues -- these are clearly MENA (Middle East and North African) people who have spent a lot of time in the sun. I appreciated the details about leaving Egypt, the mention of Moses and Miriam's role as the Jewish people's leaders a...

Meet the Hamantaschen: A Purim Mystery written and illustrated by Alan Silberberg Viking (imprint of Penguin Random House), 2022 Category: Picture Books Reviewer: Freidele Galya Soban Biniashvili Buy at Bookshop.org Three hamantaschen detectives – chocolate, poppy seed and jelly-filled, of course – receive a mysterious call to find a megillah that has gone missing from a Purim party, leading them to work on The Case of the Purim Problem. Such is the premise of Alan Silberberg’s latest title Meet the Hamantaschen: A Purim Mystery . In disguise as a cake, a cookbook, and a cactus, the three detectives arrive at the party and question the prime suspects in the play: Beth the lox (Vashti), Melvin the matzah ball (King Ahasuerus). Sam the blintz (Mordecai), Barry the kreplach (Haman) and Zelda the rugelach (Queen Esther). Eventually, the mystery of the missing megillah is solved after the play is performed, followed by a Purim party complete with singing and dancing. A glossary of terms, co...

Big Dreams, Small Fish written and illustrated by Paula Cohen Levine Querido, 2022 Category: Picture Books Reviewer: Sarah Aronson Buy at Bookshop.org In Paula Cohen’s Big Dreams, Small Fish , Shirley and her family have big dreams for their new family store. The problem is: all the adults think Shirley is too young to work. They think she should spend her time playing. But Shirley is full of big ideas, and when her family leaves her and Mrs. Gottlieb to mind the store, she includes a free sample of gefilte fish with every purchase. Her parents are upset until the next morning, when members of their ethnically inclusive neighborhood line up to buy more of the new neighborhood delicacy. I loved this picture book. Shirley is plucky and resourceful. She doesn’t accept that she is too young to work at the family store. When she seizes the moment and gets to work in the store, I turned pages to see how she would sell that fish! This girl doesn’t just have big dreams. She has great ideas! (A...

My Hands Make the World written and illustrated by Amalia Hoffman PJ Publishing, 2022 Category: Picture Books Reviewer: Dena Bach There are many, many books that depict the creation story that begins the Torah, the first chapter of Bereshit, the Book of Genesis. Yet the approach of this board book is a novel one. Board books often use simple drawings to explain simple concepts, yet this book aims to do more. The deceptively simple narrative and artwork here tell more than just the story of Genesis, they tell about creation and about creating, reaching children at their level, in a child-friendly and inspiring way. As Hoffman explains in the endnotes, everyone, including children, are created “B’tzelem Elokim” in the divine image. Therefore everyone, including children, are participants in the act of creation. The medium of colorful finger painting, a common way that a young child begins to delve into art and storytelling, is an excellent choice. On every page a child’s handprint is an ...