The Sydney Taylor Shmooze

The Pirate Rabbi by David Sherrin, illustrated by Barbara DiLorenzo Apples & Honey Press (imprint of Behrman House), 2025 Category: Picture Books Reviewer: Rachel J. Fremmer   Buy at Bookshop.org The Pirate Rabbi is based on the life of Samuel Pallache, a real Sephardic rabbi… and pirate! Sherrin’s adaptation of his life story focuses on Rabbi Sam’s good deeds rather than any true acts of piracy. In his telling, he is not so much a “pirate” as a sailor who rescues many of his co-religionists. Rabbi Sam even convinces a real pirate, a bit unrealistically, that “there is no need to steal… when we can all share.” With its illustrations of big ships, billowing sails, and vast oceans, The Pirate Rabbi is sure to appeal to those who like a good adventure. In addition to its emphasis on helping people, its subtler message is that people can combine seemingly disparate interests and callings. The backmatter does address the darker side of pirate life, acknowledging that “most pirate...

Finding Forgiveness by Rebecca Gardyn Levington, illustrated by Diana Mayo Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 2025 Category: Picture Books Reviewer: Rochelle Newman-Carrasco   Buy at Bookshop.org Finding Forgiveness might be called a Rosh Hashanah story, but the magic of this moving picture book in rhyme is the way it centers two key relationships – one between two sisters, and the other between the oldest sister and her own sense of self. It opens with a quick verse about Rosh Hashanah. Diana Mayo’s soft but powerful illustrations, a blend of soft pastels and brighter pops of color, set the tone and introduce us to a congregation of a diverse Jewish community. Gardyn Levington immediately zooms in on the sisters, and we realize our narrator is the older of the two young girls. There was a fight the night before and the older sister is processing how she might make things right. The narrator’s internal personal journey also includes observations about the Rosh Hashanah rituals – shofar b...

Lily's Hong Kong Honey Cake by Erica Lyons, illustrated by Bonnie Pang Apples & Honey Press (imprint of Behrman House), 2025 Category: Picture Books Reviewer: Amy Brook Cohen   Buy at Bookshop.org Lily’s Hong Kong Honey Cake is a beautiful book which follows a young Jewish girl and her family who move from Vienna to Shanghai in 1939, and then later to Hong Kong. The book is set over a decade, and Lily’s story echoes the stories of other Jewish refugees who left Europe for Asia during the Second World War. When Lily is three, she and her family leave Austria, where they run a bakery. Eating their honey cake on a ship bound for China, Lily’s mother says, “For a sweet year, my sweet one.” This refrain repeats throughout the book. For the next few years, Lily and her family run a successful bakery in downtown Shanghai: “But the honey cake still tasted like home.” War is hard, and by Lily’s eighth Rosh Hashanah, there are no ingredients available to make honey cake. Soon, Lily and h...

Ellie the Eggspert by Danielle Sharkan, illustrated by Alexandra Colombo Apples & Honey Press (imprint of Behrman House), 2025 Category: Picture Books Reviewer: Jodie Sadowsky   Buy at Bookshop.org Ellie is an expert at many things, especially cooking. At school, Ellie’s teacher hands out seeds for the children to grow into plants which will be used in recipes for the class cooking competition. Ellie’s friends instantly know how they’ll prepare their tomato, cucumber and garbanzo bean seeds, but Ellie is stumped with her eggplant seeds. She thought eggs came from chickens, not plants! Amelia Bedelia-style silliness ensues around her misunderstanding (which might fall flat for kids similarly unfamiliar with eggplant): Ellie builds a nest, sets up an incubator, waits for her egg(plant)s to hatch, then tries to use her eggplant in traditionally egg-based dishes, like omelet, souffle and cake. When all fails, Ellie seeks help from her friends, who arrive with their newly harvested...

And Eddie Had an Egg by Dina Leifer, illustrated by Sharon Spitz Green Bean Books, 2025 Category: Picture Books Reviewer: Jodie Sadowsky   Buy at Green Bean Books For Eddie, Dad’s salmon is “too fishy,” Mum’s barley soup is “yuck,” and her spinach lasagna, “[t]oo green, too cheesy.” Eggs are safe for this “fussy eater,” and the only food Eddie eats while his family enjoys special meals on Rosh Hashanah, Sukkot, Hanukkah and Shavuot. Admirably, Eddie’s family patiently accept his fussiness, without nagging or nudging, pushing or prodding. To their surprise, Eddie decides to try eggplant during one Shabbat dinner, and to their greater shock, Eddie likes it! When Eddie’s mom congratulates him for trying something new, Eddie realizes that the new dish only shares a name with his favorite food and is not actually an “egg plant.” Still, he feels proud for trying something new, and bravely continues trying new foods with satisfying results. By the time Passover arrives, Eddie enjoys...

My Body Can By Laura Gehl, illustrated by Alexandra Colombo Apples & Honey Press (imprint of Behrman House), 2025 Category: Picture Books Reviewer: Claire Freeland   Buy at Bookshop.org This thoughtful book affirms that all bodies are beautiful no matter their size, shape, skin color, ability, gender, or any number of ways in which we are each unique. We see a child in a wheelchair, a nonbinary child, and a child in a hat who may have alopecia or have lost their hair due to chemotherapy. Children proclaim what their bodies can do – ride, climb, throw, spin, and so forth - in an inclusive way. The actions and the art move through the Jewish year and hence the seasons as well - for example "my body can spin" like a dreidel during the winter holiday of Hanukkah. What a joyful, multilayered experience! Laura Gehl’s rhyming text is energetic and fun. At the end, the author invites the reader to go back and identify each Jewish holiday depicted as well as other items, like a sc...

One Day: A True Story of Survival in the Holocaust by Michael Rosen, illustrated by Benjamin Phillips Candlewick Studio, 2025 Category: Picture Books (sophisticated picture book for mature readers) Reviewer: Jeanette Brod   Buy at Bookshop.org The picture book One Day uses its title to propel the reader on a journey through the brutality and unexpected humanity found in the experiences of French Jews during the Holocaust. The theme was chosen for acclaimed children’s literature author and authority Michael Rosen as part of the Holocaust Memorial Commemoration in 2022. He tells the story of a father and son through the voice of Eugene Handschuh, the son. The author’s family has a second-hand connection to the story of the Handschuh family. In the Author’s Note, Michael Rosen admits to taking some artistic license with the protagonist’s interviews and book. The story takes place roughly over the course of one year, from late 1942 to late 1943. Amazingly, the story is circular. The ...

Shira the Singing Puppy by Ilana R. Wieder, illustrated by Alexandra Colombo Kar-Ben Publishing (imprint of Lerner), 2025 Category: Picture Books Reviewer: Cindy Rivka Marshall   Buy at Bookshop.org We first meet the puppy, Shira, in a colorful garden with musical notes floating across the landscape. Shira - whose name appropriately means "song" in Hebrew - loves to sing and howl. The opening pages of nature imagery, with flowers, ladybugs, snail and bee, immediately conveys Shira’s joy in life. Each day of the week, the puppy tries to sing for her human family. But repeatedly, they say, “Hush and shush, Shira. Not today.” The children are doing homework or have music lessons. They are watching TV or have playdates. The puppy’s howls are not appreciated, but the reproach is gentle. The repetition of “sh” sounds in the refrain, “Hush and shush, Shira,” reminding one of comforting a baby. The book has an added layer of teaching the days of the week, with Shabbat and Havdalah a...

Eve and Adam Discover the World by Leslie Kimmelman, illustrated by Irina Avgustinovich Apples & Honey Press (imprint of Behrman House), 2025 Category: Picture Books Reviewer: Karin Fisher-Golton   Buy at Bookshop.org   Author Leslie Kimmelman and illustrator Irina Avgustinovich, whose talents came together in 2023 for Eve and Adam and Their Very First Day , return with this sequel, Eve and Adam Discover the World . This story recounts Eve and Adam’s actions around the Tree of Knowledge and what follows. As in the first book, Eve is portrayed with a lively intellect. Here, her curiosity is emphasized, so the Tree of Knowledge is alluring. Adam is grateful and trusting, and God is portrayed with a kind-parent energy. Kimmelman shows Eve’s thought process as she is tempted by the snake, as well as all the characters’ interpretations of what results. Through these portrayals of good-intentioned but imperfect humans, Kimmelman deftly provides a safe and positive container for ...

Live Your Dream: The Story of a Jewish Basketball All-Star by Tamir Goodman, illustrated by Jim Madsen PJ Publishing, 2025 Category: Picture Books Reviewer: Suzanne Grossman Buy at Amazon.com Written by Tamir Goodman himself, this is the story of a real Jewish basketball hero. Tamir struggled to read all the way through high school until he was finally diagnosed with dyslexia. Despite this, he was able to master basketball, understanding what was happening on the court instantly and developing expert skills. As he had more success in the game, his father constantly reminded him to stay humble. Endless practice, teamwork, and always being respectful of the referee increased his outstanding performance. He became famous worldwide, but passed up many opportunities by always putting Shabbat observance first. Choosing Team Maccabee Tel Aviv’s offer of a spot, he could live fully as a Jew and a professional basketball player.  Tamir suffered many injuries while playing and was disappoin...

Jason Belongs: The Story of Jason Schachter McKinney by Audrey Ades and Jason Schachter McKinney, illustrated by Isabel Mu ñoz Kar-Ben Publishing (imprint of Lerner), 2025 Category: Picture Books Reviewer: Doreen Robinson   Buy at Bookshop.org This is a beautiful true story that expresses the universal themes of embracing one’s identity and what it means to connect to your roots, no matter what other people say or think. It is especially relevant in a world where antisemitism is increasing and diversity equity and inclusion programs are decreasing. Jason Schachter McKinney is Jewish and Black. As a young boy, Jason attends a Jewish Day School. He is proud of his identity and loves to sing, pray, and celebrate Shabbat. Later, he faces doubts when people at school question his identity: can you be both Jewish and Black? Despite the rabbi and his teachers telling him that he does in fact belong, Jason disconnects. He leaves his Jewish school, stops going to synagogue, and stops carin...

Many Things at Once by Veera Hiranandani, illustrated by Nadia Alam Random House Studio (imprint of Penguin Random House), 2025 Category: Picture Books Reviewer: Linda Elovitz Marshall   Buy at Bookshop.org In poignant language, Many Things At Once is the story of a young girl whose mother is Jewish, father is Hindu, and ancestors are from India, Poland, and Russia. The main character sometimes feels that she is part of every place. She sometimes feels that she is not part of any place. But, how can that be? She watches a butterfly, recalling that her teacher taught that each butterfly is different. Like the butterfly, she, too, is different. She watches the butterfly sip nectar. The butterfly is part of the big, beautiful world. She, too, is part of the big, beautiful world. Different from everyone, yet part of the whole. Sometimes large, sometimes small, sometimes like nothing...at all. She is many things at once, as we all are. Exquisite illustrations by Nadia Alam beautifully ...

The House on the Canal: The Story of the House That Hid Anne Frank by Thomas Harding, illustrated by Britta Teckentrup Candlewick Press, 2025 Category: Picture Books Reviewer: Jeff Gottesfeld   Buy at Bookshop.org I write this review having visited the Anne Frank House in Amsterdam not even a month ago, for the first time since I was in my 20s. And also, as the author of a sometimes-loved, sometimes-criticized (not to worry, some of the criticizers are still good friends!) story of Anne Frank from the perspective of the horse chestnut tree in the courtyard behind the secret annex. In this beautiful volume, Thomas Harding and illustrator Britta Teckentrup show off a dazzling amount of research, deft and purposefully detached writing, and glorious artwork as they trace the course of 263 Prinsengracht (in whose Annex hid Anne Frank and others from Nazi persecutions, with a terrible outcome) from before it was built right through to today, where people "learn about the girl with the ...

Avi the Ambulance Goes to the Beach by Deborah Bodin Cohen, illustrated by C.B. Decker Apples & Honey Press (imprint of Behrman House), 2025 Category: Picture Books Reviewer: Ronda Einbinder   Buy at Bookshop.org Avi the Ambulance is the youngest and smallest ambulance in Jerusalem. His four shiny wheels take him everywhere. He is a cute white ambulance that giggles when Zach the med tech puts air in his tires. What Avi doesn’t expect is that Zach is taking him to the beach in Tiberias to meet his friend Esti and her new ambulance partner. Avi pictures himself wearing sunglasses and sipping a pink drink out of a straw on the beach. Avi loves the beach! Cohen delights readers with onomatopoeias of Zoom! Whoosh! and Zip! Esti greets Zach and Avi, but the ambulance partner is nowhere to be found. When questioned, Esti points to a yellow waterboat docked on the pier. Decker draws curious eyes and a tilted mouth on Avi, showing a bit of confusion. Avi doesn’t understand how Noah, t...

On the Wings of Eagles by Tami Lehman-Wilzig, illustrated by Alisha Monnin Apples & Honey Press (imprint of Behrman House), 2025 Category: Picture Books Reviewer: Leah Cypess   Buy at Bookshop.org On the Wings of Eagles is a beautifully written and gorgeously illustrated picture book. It tells the story of the evacuation of the Jews of Yemen in 1949, when they were flown to Israel in Alaksa Airline’s planes. By combining the narratives of two individuals—a Yemeni girl and an Alaskan Airline pilot—the author creates a story that is both tense and heartwarming. The exquisite illustrations not only complement the story but form an essential part of it. While reading, I wondered whether a certain incident in the picture book was actually true. The short but clear afterword answered all my questions about the historical facts. (And the incident I had wondered about was, in fact, true. It's a spoiler, so you'll have to read it for yourself.) This important and expertly-crafted ...

A Place Called Galveston by Andrea Shapiro, illustrated by Valerya Milovanova Apples & Honey Press (imprint of Behrman House), 2025 Category: Picture Books Reviewer: Shanna Silva   Buy at Bookshop.org   A Place Called Galveston showcases both Jewish hardship and triumph. Life for Russian Jewry was bleak; antisemitism and oppression occurred throughout generations. Nothing ever improved. Prospects of a better life in America (not without its own difficulties) tempted those who could scrape together the ship-passage fare. Galveston, Texas was believed to be a welcome refuge for Jewish immigrants, where there was an established Jewish community and trade work could be found. In this story, two young men make the arduous journey, leaving their families behind in Russia with promises for future reunions. After weeks at sea, the men are greeted by bicycle-riding Rabbi Henry Cohen in Galveston. The Jewish community there welcomed them with lodging, food, and job prospects. The t...

Amazing Annie: The Spectacular and True Adventures of Annie Kopchovsky by Stephen Krensky, illustrated by Adriana Predoi Apples & Honey Press (imprint of Behrman House), 2025 Category: Picture Books Reviewer: Amy Brook Cohen   Buy at Bookshop.org Amazing Annie tells the remarkable story of Annie Kopchovsky's 1894-1895 journey around the world on a bicycle. Setting off from Boston and heading eastward, she completed the trip in just over 14 months, becoming the first woman in history to circumnavigate the globe by bike. Annie faced all kinds of challenges, such as when her skirt kept getting entangled in her bike wheels. But she always found a solution for every problem. For this one, Annie went out and bought pants - not the done thing for a woman in 1894! All along her journey, Annie regaled the people she met with stories about her journey - many of them full of hyperbole or pure fabrication - she loved to spin a great story! Early in the story, we learn that Annie, a Jewi...

Just Say Welcome! by Emily Raij, illustrated by Nathalia Takeyama Kar-Ben Publishing (imprint of Lerner), 2025 Category: Picture Books Reviewer: Claire Freeland   Buy at Bookshop.org Emily Raij’s story of welcoming immigrants is a straightforward description of one family, with assistance from the community, helping another family. A mother and her two children from Iraq come to stay with Tilly’s Jewish family for a week before moving into their own place. Tilly and her brother pitch in to prepare for the guests. The community helps by bringing clothes collected at a synagogue and a stew from a neighbor. Tilly’s family serves typical Middle Eastern food so the new family will feel more at home. Tilly’s brother and the Iraqi boy find a common interest in soccer. By the end of the week, both families have grown attached to one another. Brief backmatter describes the value of welcoming the stranger. Nathalia Takeyama’s art is soft and appealing, using a pleasing color palette. The ch...

Hallelujah! The Story of Leonard Cohen by Alicia Jo Rabins, illustrated by Gene Pendon Apples & Honey Press (imprint of Behrman House), 2025 Category: Picture Books Reviewer: Belinda Brock   Buy at Bookshop.org Hallelujah! takes the reader along on the life journey of talented singer-songwriter-poet Leonard Cohen. In particular, the book highlights Leonard’s tenacity in writing his masterpiece "Hallelujah" and his efforts to get the song released and recognized. And eventually, “the song that was inside Leonard’s heart is inside hearts all over the world.” We are introduced to Leonard as a young boy growing up in Montreal in an observant Jewish family. Music is very much a part of his life at home and at synagogue, where his grandfather is the Rabbi. Leonard is open and observant and sees both the heartbreaking beauty and pain in the world. Soon after he learns to play the guitar, he writes his first song. Writing and performing gives him the creative outlet to express h...

Kai and the Golem by Carol Matas, illustrated by Elisa Vavouri Kar-Ben Publishing (imprint of Lerner), 2025 Category: Picture Books Reviewer: Susan Tarcov   Buy at Bookshop.org In this clever twist on the golem story, a boy lives with his father and his grandmother, but his grandmother is in the hospital, and without her nothing goes right, not even the weather. Then the boy remembers stories about a golem that his grandmother told him. He becomes convinced that his troubles are all due to a golem. After talking to his grandma on the phone he realizes things aren’t so bad after all. Even the golem isn’t so bad. The boy is able to make friends with him. Particularly clever is how the size of the golem in the illustrations varies according to the boy’s emotions, from monster to pet. This golem doesn’t help the Jewish people in need, he helps one little boy whose religion is unspecified. This story introduces the golem into ordinary contemporary life. Thus the golem story becomes re...