The Sydney Taylor Shmooze

Abzuglutely! Battling, Bellowing Bella Abzug by Sarah Aronson, illustrated by Andrea D'Aquino Calkins Creek (imprint of Astra Books for Young Readers), 2024 Category: Picture Books Reviewer: Rochelle Newman-Carrasco Buy at Bookshop.org Trying to describe feminist Congresswoman Bella Abzug isn’t easy to do in a few conventional words. It requires an expansive, energetic, bold, statement-driven narrative, which is what you get in Aronson’s fun and fact-filled book. Designed for young readers, it can "abzuglutely" be enjoyed by readers of all ages. To start, D'Aquino's visual style for the book communicates a lot. The vibrant color palette establishes little Bella in pinks and reds, already wearing a hat, which would become Abzug’s trademark, and already looking like she’s up to good trouble. The combined use of colored pencil, ink and crayon saturate the expressionistic illustrations with the kind of vigorous attitude Bella Abzug possessed. In addition to the engagi...

One of a Kind: The Life of Sydney Taylor by Richard Michelson, illustrated by Sarah Green Calkins Creek (imprint of Astra Books for Young Readers), 2024 Category: Picture Books Reviewer: Heidi Rabinowitz Buy at Bookshop.org As readers of The Sydney Taylor Shmooze blog know, Sydney Taylor was the author of the All-of-a-Kind Family series, the first popular mainstream books to feature Jewish characters. The Association of Jewish Libraries' children's book award is named in Taylor's memory. One of a Kind is a picture book biography of Sydney Taylor, detailing her childhood, relationships, influences, career moves, and the fulfillment of her dream to become an author. Taylor's complex and active lifetime has been skillfully simplified here, with straightforward language and a thematic throughline of Syd's desire for social justice, manifested at last in the publication of All-of-a-Kind Family . The facts are based closely upon Taylor's own writings and family reco...

Facing the Enemy: How a Nazi Youth Camp in America Tested a Friendship by Barbara Krasner Calkins Creek (imprint of Astra Books for Young Readers), 2023 Category: Middle Grade Reviewer: Merle Eisman Carrus Buy at Bookshop.org Facing the Enemy is a book written in verse about a time in American history that should not be forgotten. Written in an easily readable poetic style, Krasner tells the story of two friends who are growing up near Newark, NJ during the rise in power of Adolf Hitler in Germany. It is the summer of 1937. Benjy is turning 14 this summer and looking forward to spending it with his best friend Thomas before they enter high school in the fall. Benjy is from a loving Jewish family, living with his mother and father. His father is a member of the Newark Minutemen, a group of former prize fighters who are working to dismantle the Nazi Bund growing around New Jersey. Thomas lives with his timid mother and his frustrated father, who misses Germany and the life he left behind...

Ethel's Song: Ethel Rosenberg's Life in Poems by Barbara Krasner Calkins Creek (imprint of Astra Books for Young Readers), 2022 Category: Young Adult Reviewer: Sarah Blattner Buy at Bookshop.org Ethel's Song is a collection of poems telling the story of Ethel and Julius Rosenberg, the notorious Jewish couple who were electrocuted in 1953 after being charged and later convicted for conspiracy to commit espionage by leaking atom bomb secrets to the Soviets. Ethel Greenglass’ story begins as a young girl in tenement housing on the Lower East Side of New York City, where her mother parented harshly and her father toiled over his sewing machine repairs. As a girl, Ethel dreamed of being an actress, and as a youth, she fell in love with singing. Ethel quickly put aside her girlish dreams to help support her family, working as a typist and later as a stenographer. Ethel turned to the fight for workers’ rights and found a like minded companion in Julius Rosenberg. Ethel and Julius...