The Sydney Taylor Shmooze

Awe-Some Days: Poems About the Jewish Holidays by Marilyn Singer, illustrated by Dana Wulfekotte Dial Books (imprint of Penguin Random House), 2022 Category: Picture Books Reviewer: Dina Herbert Buy at Bookshop.org Awe-Some Days is a collection of short, delightful poems about each of the major and minor holidays of the Jewish year, with accompanying text explanations. The poems and text provide helpful history and traditions for the holidays. The book follows a white-presenting family celebrating with extended family and friends at synagogue and school. Celebrants include diverse faces and abilities. The narrator of the poems, one of the children, also compares notes with cousins in Israel for holidays: Tu B’Shevat has almond blossoms in Israel, while it’s still cold in United States; the cousins trade pictures of flags on their respective Independence Days; the narrator learns that during Lag B’Omer they shoot bows and arrows in Israel. It’s a lovely connection, and relatable for re...

Alte Zachen / Old Things by Ziggy Hanaor, illustrated by Benjamin Phillips Cicada Books, 2022 Category: Middle Grade  Reviewer: Dina Herbert Buy at Bookshop.org At first, Alte Zachen seems like a story of a stereotypical Bubbe shopping for Shabbat with her grandson, Benji. Bubbe, living in New York City, constantly reprimands Benji for living in the now: bringing reusable shopping bags, not understanding what it means to be Jewish. Benji takes this all in stride; it seems Bubbe is getting forgetful and rude in her old age. She expects time to stand still in 1950s New York City. Bubbe cannot accept that things have changed in the world and keeps throwing in Yiddishisms and stereotypical Jewish ideas. When Bubbe calls the butcher a ganef (thief) after being told brisket is $20 a pound, Benji reminds her that’s what things cost these days. He apologizes to the butcher and everyone else Bubbe is rude to that day. By the end, it is a warm story between a modern grandson and his aging B...