The Sydney Taylor Shmooze

Albert Einstein: Genius of Space and Time! by Mark Shulman, illustrated by Kelly Tindall Portable Press, an imprint of Printers Row Publishing Group Category: Middle Grade Reviewer: Jane Kohuth Buy at Bookshop.org Albert Einstein: Genius of Space and Time! is part of the “Show me History!” graphic biography series. It presents a largely chronological overview of Einstein’s whole life rather than focusing on one particular time period or aspect of his work. The story, aimed at middle grade readers, is narrated by two characters based on Uncle Sam and the Statue of Liberty, who guide the reader through Einstein’s childhood, education, rocky marriage, scientific breakthroughs, fame, escape from Nazi Germany, reluctant encouragement to FDR to develop nuclear weapons ahead of the Germans, and later life working at the Institute for Advanced Study at Princeton University.    Despite dealing with sometimes very serious subject matter, the book takes an overall humorous (b...

Rip to the Rescue by Miriam Halahmy Category: Middle Grade Reviewer: Jane Kohuth   Buy at Bookshop.org Thirteen year-old Jack Castle has been bullied for years because he us deaf in his left ear. It is 1940 and London is reeling from the Blitz. Jack’s father, a disabled veteran of World War I has been moody and angry since the war began, often reprimanding Jack and telling him how useless he is. In order to prove his worth, Jack, who is tall, has lied about his age in order to join the Messengers, teenage boys who ride their bikes through air raids to deliver critical messages. He keeps this job from his parents, who believe Jack is guiding his grandfather to a shelter and staying with him during raids. During one air raid, Jack is injured, and help comes in the form of twelve-year-old Paula, who takes him home to her father, who is a doctor. Soon Jack also finds a stray dog with a ripped ear, whom he names “Rip.” Jack’s father, like many people at the time, had Jack’s pet cats eut...

A Persian Princess by Barbara Diamond Goldin, illustrated by Steliyana Doneva Category: Picture Books Reviewer: Jane Kohuth In this book, Raya, a contemporary young Persian American Jewish girl, celebrates Purim with her family and friends from her neighborhood. Raya bakes koloocheh, traditional Persian Purim cookies with her stylish grandmother Maman joon, who recounts eating the crunchy cookies shaped like little “Hamans,” (the Purim villain) when she was a child in Hamadan, Iran. Raya is disappointed that she is not old enough to be in the Religious School Purim play like her brother Nati, who is playing the important role of Mordecai, Queen Esther’s cousin. Raya wants to be a sparkly princess for Purim, so, to cheer her up, Maman joon takes her up to her bedroom, which is decorated with colorful Persian items, perhaps brought from Iran. Maman joon wraps Raya in layers of colorful scarves and strands of gold coins to create a Persian princess costume. Raya is delighted ...