Year #5 of The Sydney Taylor Shmooze

As we begin another year of reviewing juvenile books of Jewish content, we want to take a moment to reflect on why we do this work. 

We know that representation is important in our diverse society. As Dr. Rudine Sims Bishop helped us understand, window books break down stereotypes and mirror books provide validation and support. With antisemitism on the rise, it's more important than ever that Jewish readers have books that remind us of our rich heritage, beautiful traditions, and culture that developed in diverse areas and countries, and that non-Jewish readers have books that demystify Judaism, educate about the Jewish experience, and build empathy and respect for our common humanity.

Some of the books reviewed on this blog are great candidates for the Sydney Taylor Book Award. Others are not, but may still offer important Jewish representation. We hope our critiques will lead readers to better books, provide publishers with constructive feedback, and aid reviewers in identifying appropriate choices.

You can help us bring Jewish books to more readers. If you read a review on The Sydney Taylor Shmooze that excites you, please share it! Every post has a share link in the upper right corner. It's a tiny act of tikkun olam (repairing the world), but every little bit helps.

Happy Reading!

Susan & Chava & Heidi

Sydney Taylor Shmooze Editors