The Sydney Taylor Shmooze

Debbie's Song: The Debbie Friedman Story by Ellen Leventhal, illustrated by Natalia Grebtsova Kar-Ben Publishing (imprint of Lerner Publishing Group), 2023 Category: Picture Books Reviewer: Belinda Brock Buy at Bookshop.org When the readers are introduced to little Debbie Friedman, we learn that she always had music inside of her—in fact, it was her superpower. We follow along on her sometimes challenging journey as she expresses that superpower with her family, at Jewish summer camps, on a kibbutz in Israel, in synagogues, Carnegie Hall, and ultimately, the world at large. Debbie accomplished what she set out to do: create community while writing "Jewish music that would welcome, include, and honor the voices of everyone." The author and illustrator have accomplished their goal of creating a book that celebrates Debbie Friedman and honors her legacy. Their passion for their subject shines through and makes this book sing. The lovely lyrical text, the pacing, the flow, th