The Sydney Taylor Shmooze

Hillel Builds a House by Shoshana Lepon, illustrated by Ángeles Ruiz Category: Picture Books Reviewer: Laurie Adler Buy at Bookshop.org Hillel builds houses everywhere- out of boxes, pillows, sheets, or whatever is on hand. This book by Shoshana Lepon takes us on a tour through the Jewish year as Hillel seeks out the perfect Jewish holiday in which to indulge his passion. No festival is quite right until, predictably, the holiday of Sukkot arrives, and Hillel can construct a sukkah, or temporary dwelling. Sukkot is indeed the perfect time to build a house. This straightforward story has enough details about each Jewish holiday to save it from being a niche book about Sukkot. The standout illustrations by Ángeles Ruiz, full of soft blues and vivid oranges, keep the reader engaged by showing Hillel's interactions with his family and his multiracial Jewish community. Hillel Builds a House was originally published in 1993, but was redesigned this year with new ...

A Zombie Vacation by Lisa Rose, illustrated by Ángeles Ruiz Category: Picture Books Reviewer: Lila Spitz Buy at Bookshop.org Everyone needs a break from their daily routine now and then, especially when you are not yourself. That’s why you might go on a vacation. But sometimes it is hard to know where to go to rejuvenate yourself. In A Zombie Vacation by Lisa Rose, the undead Israeli narrator takes readers on a tour throughout Israel to find the perfect place to relax. The zombie visits tourist destinations in Israel such as the Sea of Galilee, the Israel Museum and Luna Park in Tel Aviv. But they are all too beautiful or joyful for the Zombie to relax. Then, the undead traveler sees an advertisement for the Dead Sea in a tourist magazine, and eureka, the perfect vacation destination has been found. Upon arriving at the Dead Sea, the zombie delights in the decay of his temporary dwelling when he describes, “The hotel was crumbling into a sinkhole. Roaches roamed the lobby. My bed was...