The Sydney Taylor Shmooze

Rivka's Presents by Laurie Wallmark, illustrated by Adelina Lirius Random House Studio (imprint of Penguin Random House), 2023 Category: Picture Books Reviewer: Shirley Reva Vernick Buy at Bookshop.org Rivka, a girl growing up with her (presumably immigrant) family in the tenements of New York City, can’t wait for her first day of school. But since her father is ill from the flu pandemic of 1918, and her mother is forced to go back to work in a factory, she has to stay home to watch her little sister. Hungry to learn, Rivka resourcefully trades chores for reading, arithmetic, and history lessons from her neighbors. When Papa is well again, her "teachers" throw her a party as a send-off to her long-awaited first day at school. This moving tale blends a family story with accurate historical context to illustrate the importance of family, community, and education. The text, combined with the detailed, realistic illustrations, gently transports readers to Jewish life on the L

Margo Zimmerman Gets the Girl by Brianna R. Shrum & Sara Waxelbaum Inkyard Press (imprint of HarperCollins Publishers), 2023 Category: Young Adult Reviewer: Dena Bach Buy at Bookshop.org Margo Zimmerman thought she knew who she was and who she would be. She was the popular, high-achieving, fashion-loving, student council president, champion swimmer, and future veterinarian, who's dating the quarterback of the football team. That was until a game of spin the bottle sends her into a tailspin. When Margo ends up kissing a girl, she has an epiphany — she’s gay. Margo has always been well prepared for every aspect of her life, but she has no idea “how to be gay.” After failing with the advice given to her by her queer brother Mendel, Margo approaches Abbie Sokoloff, a fellow swim team member who is decidedly not one of her many friends. Uncharacteristically awkward, Margo says to Abbie “You’re gay…I want you to teach me…how to be gay.”  In this zippy, readable, queer rom-com, once A

Ruth First Never Backed Down by Danielle Joseph, illustrated by Gabhor Utomo Kar-Ben Publishing (imprint of Lerner Publishing Group), 2023 Category: Picture Books Reviewer: Jeanette Brod Buy at Bookshop.org In this picture book biography, Danielle Joseph tells a seminal story from her own birthplace in South Africa. Ruth First was a South African social justice warrior in the early days of the anti-apartheid movement. She was a journalist, writer, lecturer and professor who used her voice at great personal peril to speak out against racism and injustice. An illustration depicts a young Ruth eavesdropping on the anti-Black racism meetings that took place in her parents’ home. A teenage Ruth started a secret book club with friends to discuss inequality. In high school, Ruth goes public with her beliefs at protests. At university, she begins to write for the college newspaper and meets others, including Nelson Mandela, who will become leaders in the anti-apartheid movement. Ruth’s early i

The Secret of the Dragon Gems by Chris Baron & Rajani Larocca, illustrated by Sam Dawson Yellow Jacket (imprint of Simon and Schuster), 2023 Category: Middle Grade Reviewer: Stacy Mozer Buy at Bookshop.org When Sam and Tripti find two special rocks during a meteor shower at sleepaway camp, they cannot imagine how life changing the moment will be for both of them and the "rocks" they've found. But Sam and Tripti are not the only ones interested in the rocks. The sleepaway camp owner, Sanford P. Dilloway, is also after the stones and he has his mind set on getting them. As Sam and Tripti learn more about the mysteriously active stones, which they've named Jasper and Opal after the living rocks in their favorite book series, The Dragon Gems, they also learn more about each other and what it means to be a true friend.  While Judaism is not the main focus of this book, it is woven into each of Sam's communications. Sam's Bubbe is an important supporting charact

The Year My Life Went Down the Toilet by Jake Maia Arlow Dial Books for Young Readers (imprint of Penguin Random House), 2023 Category: Middle Grade Reviewer: Kathryn Hall Buy at Bookshop.org There is a lot of poop in this book. Like, really a lot. But what is a middle grade novel without poop jokes? Al lives with her mom next door to her best friend Leo and his mom. She is anxious and embarrassed by everything, especially the abdominal pain and frequent urgent bloody stools which disrupt her life. The diagnosis of Crohn's disease coincides with her mother starting a romantic relationship and her best friend joining drama club and being much less available. Al comes to terms with having a chronic disease and learns to trust and communicate better with family and friends. The author has Crohn's disease, and the depiction of the the effect of the disease and the medical care is authentic and much needed representation. There are many LGBTQ+ characters, but being lesbian, gay, bis

Three Jumps to Sorry: A Yom Kippur Story by Amy Novit, illustrated by Ana Zurita Kar-Ben Publishing (imprint of Lerner Publishing Group), 2023 Category: Picture Books Reviewer: Karin Fisher-Golton Buy at Bookshop.org In Three Jumps to Sorry , author Amy Novit introduces Hannah, the protagonist, as someone who “was pretty delightful. Except when she wasn’t.” Sound familiar? After Hannah makes a big mistake, breaking her mother’s favorite Rosh Hashanah decoration, the story provides something we all could use—tangible steps to apologize. I know I’m not alone in seeing that our culture has a lot of confusion around apologies. Many of us have felt our stomachs knot as we watch young children making empty apologies. Hannah tries one herself. But her mother has another idea. She makes three numbered squares that Hannah can jump on for a physical manifestation of the steps in a real apology. Not only does this clarify that a real apology is not just about the words “I’m sorry,” but jumping fo

Bob Marshall: Defender of the Wilderness by Linda Elovitz Marshall, illustrated by Jeanne Bowman South Dakota Historical Society Press, 2023 Category: Picture Books Reviewer: Stacey Rattner   Buy from the publisher As a very aspiring 46er (41 peaks to go), I am embarrassed to say that I had never heard of Bob Marshall. How wonderful to learn about this man who, in only 38 years of his life, did so much to preserve wilderness in our country. One of the peaks is his namesake. I look forward to reaching that summit and declaring to all who want to know that it is named after a Jewish man! Bob was born in New York City but visited the Adirondacks with his family in the summer. He and his brothers explored, took notes and played “Lewis and Clark” among the peaks. As an adult, Bob worked hard to ensure that wilderness areas were preserved and could be utilized by all, regardless of race or religion. Since this is a picture book biography, the illustrations play a significant role with the t

A Warning About Swans by R.M. Romero Peachtree Teen (imprint of Penguin Random House), 2023 Category: Young Adult Reviewer: Heather J. Matthews Buy at Bookshop.org Set in Bavaria in 1880, this is the story of Hilde and her five sisters. Norse god Odin, their father and creator, has gifted each of the six sisters with the ability to bring dreams to life. Beyond this gift, Odin gives each sister a cloak which grants them a unique skill, in addition to allowing the girls to take the shape of a swan when wearing the cloak. Hilde’s unique gift is the ability to comfort and usher newly-deceased souls into the afterlife. Six years after gaining her talent, Hilde has struggled under the weight of her task and seeks to experience the human world in her human shape, away from constant death and suffering. Meeting a young man named Baron Maximillian von Richter, Hilde finds an opportunity to put aside her responsibilities and live amongst the humans in her human form. Hilde spends the next few mo

The Witch of Woodland by Laurel Snyder Walden Pond Press (imprint of HarperCollins Publishers), 2023 Category: Middle Grade Reviewer: Judy Greenblatt   Buy at Bookshop.org   Zipporah Chava McConnell, better known as Zippy, age 12, is a witch – or at least she has magical powers. It’s obvious, from the long dark hair streaming down her back to her all-black clothing. However, no one else believes that she has powers, contributing to her sense of isolation in the midst of the changes that being 12 and beginning middle school bring. For instance, Zippy and her friend forever Bea are no longer in sync, and Zippy’s mother surprises her with plans for a bat mitzvah, unexpected because of the unorthodox Judaism practiced by her family. Completely confused and miserable, Zippy turns to the element that sets this book apart: magic. Zippy calls forth a spirit, a girl who could be her reverse image, who becomes her best friend. The book is narrated by Zippy, who tries to get the amazing events of

Two New Years by Richard Ho, illustrated by Lynn Scurfield Chronicle Books, 2023 Category: Picture Books Reviewer: Ann D. Koffsky Buy at Bookshop.org In Two New Years , a family that is both Chinese and Jewish celebrates Rosh Hashanah in the Fall and the Lunar Year in the Spring. Both holidays are shown as parallel in their meanings and symbolism, and each spread displays Jewish customs alongside the Chinese ones. The rich backmatter gives a full and complete description of each of the practices from both traditions. I was particularly struck by how effectively Ho finds universal meaning and values across the two holidays. For example, the text shares how, “We prepare foods that symbolize togetherness and the heartfelt sharing of good wishes.” The illustrations accompanying the words show the traditional Jewish Rosh Hashanah foods on one side, like apples and honey, and a Chinese traditional sectioned platter, with nuts and fruits on the other. Beautiful! The illustrations are exuberan

Out and About: A Tale of Giving by Liza Wiemer, illustrated by Margeaux Lucas Kalaniot Books, 2023 Category: Picture Books Reviewer: Shirley Reva Vernick Buy at Bookshop.org Daniel is bursting with curiosity when he sees his parents walking out of the house in the early morning hours, carrying boxes. When he asks his mother and older siblings where the parents have been, the only answer he gets is “out and about.” His imagination runs wild as he guesses what toys or treats the boxes might contain. Finally, Daniel figures out that his parents are secretly bringing boxes of needed items to the Cohens, neighbors who are going through hard financial times. Daniel joins in the tzedakah activities by bringing a box of gently used toys and clothing to the Cohen children’s door. This inspiring story elegantly illustrates the mitzvah of tzedakah. It also demonstrates the value of giving anonymously: namely, that it spares the Cohens from feeling embarrassed about needing assistance. The warm an

A Book About Bupkes by Leslie Kimmelman, illustrated by Roxana de Rond Kar-Ben Publishing, 2023 Category: Picture Books Reviewer: Rebecca Klempner Buy at Bookshop.org Leslie Kimmelman begins A Book About Bupkes with a brief explanation of the Yiddish word "bupkes." However, rather than delving into the usually negative connotation of this term (meaning "nothing"), she begs us to ask the question, "Where did everything go?" Sometimes, a place or a container is empty because their contents were relocated to a place where they can serve an important purpose. A bowl of chicken soup, for example, empties as its contents fill the belly of a patient. In addition to this heart-warming message, Kimmelman's joyful tone and delightful diction won me over. There are a couple of pages that are so well-written, I just sat with them a moment to enjoy the language. Roxana de Rond's playful art charmed me and suited the goofy tone of the book. I appreciated that t

Just a Hat by S. Khubiar Blackstone Publishing, 2023 Category: Young Adult Reviewer: Cheryl Fox Strausberg Buy at Bookshop.org As a thirteen year old kid growing up in the late 1970s in rural Texas, Joseph Nissan lives two lives. At school, he’s Joseph. He speaks English, he’s a math whiz, he just wants to fit in - not only to stop the persistent bullying from his white classmates but to be able to approach his first crush. At home, he’s Youssef. He speaks Farsi, he often translates for his Iranian immigrant mother who struggles with English, and he studies for his Bar Mitzvah. There’s a lot he doesn’t understand though, like why his parents are terrified of the police or why they never talk about their life in Iran. He follows their seemingly strict religious observance but wonders why he can’t play the piano on Shabbat, why he can only eat the food his mother cooks, and he wonders why, if community and religion is so important, they don’t live closer to the Iranian-Jewish community i

Sheep Says Shalom written & illustrated by Ann Diament Koffsky Green Bean Books, 2023 Category: Picture Books Reviewer: Claire Freeland Buy at Bookshop.org Set on a farm, this sweet board book introduces young listeners to three meanings of the Hebrew word, "shalom": hello, goodbye, and peace. A sheep greets each farm animal in the morning with a friendly "shalom" and receives the appropriate animal sound coupled with "shalom" in response. At the end of the day, each animal initiates a "shalom" and sheep responds in kind. Finally, sheep demonstrates a third meaning, peace, with a restful sleep. Children will enjoy hearing the familiar animal sounds now coupled with perhaps something new, the word "shalom," used in context. The bright, inviting illustrations are sure to delight the littles. The fold-out format is perfect for tummy time. The Jewish representation consists of using the Hebrew word, "shalom," in different w