The Sydney Taylor Shmooze

What Jewish Looks Like by Liz Kleinrock and Caroline Kusin Pritchard, illustrated by Iris Gottlieb HarperCollins, 2024 Category: Middle Grade Reviewer: Rochelle Newman-Carrasco   Buy at Bookshop.org Both The Table of Contents and Introduction of the collective biography What Jewish Looks Like provide a road map for the way this much-needed book brings together a wide spectrum of individuals and organizations, identities and philosophies, beliefs, values, and causes. There are “Big Question” pages that add to the rich learning experience one can have with this book, no matter your own depth of involvement in all things Jewish. The authors do a good job of taking on the complexity of their topic. We are introduced to individuals and organizations in a thematic way. Tikkun Olam, for example, brings us those who are known for Repairing a Broken World. In this section alone we meet Jews from Ethopia, to Austria to Los Angeles, California. A chapter named Adam Yachid, Unique Value of Ev...

Come and Join Us! 18 Holidays Celebrated All Year Long by Liz Kleinrock, illustrated by Chaaya Prabhat Harper (imprint of Harper Collins Publishers), 2023 Category: Picture Books Reviewer: Lila Spitz Buy at Bookshop.org   Come and Join Us by ant-bias and ant-racist educator Liz Kleinrock invites readers to listen and learn from a diverse group of students about eighteen holidays celebrated throughout the year. Each holiday is introduced by a student whose family participates in its traditions. Important clothes, foods, and activities integral to the holiday are described and their importance is explained. The book concludes with the message that celebrating holidays with loved ones is the best part of all. Vibrant digital illustrations appropriately complement the themes of celebration. Word color alternates between black and white to provide contrast with the colorful background. The glossary provides helpful and accurate definitions of terms related to specific holidays for ref...