The Sydney Taylor Shmooze

Benji Zeb Is a Ravenous Werewolf by Deke Moulton Tundra Books, 2024 Category: Middle Grade Reviewer: Stacy Mozer Buy at Bookshop.org Benji Zeb is stressed about his upcoming Bar Mitzvah and worried about the local bully, Caleb, who he secretly likes. He discovers that Caleb's stepfather, Mr. Rutherford, is plotting to shut down his family's kibbutz and wolf sanctuary by releasing the wolves, unaware that the wolves are actually Benji's family, descendants of the first werewolf from the Torah. As it says, "Benjamin is a wolf, he will prey; in the morning he will devour plunder, and in the evening he will divide the spoil." (Genesis 49:27). When Caleb turns into a wolf and arrives at the sanctuary, Benji's new priority becomes saving Caleb from his stepfather. The more they work together and learn about the motivation behind Mr. Rutherford's attack on their community, the more Benji learns to overcome his anxiety and find his own voice. While the book is a ...

The Secret of the Dragon Gems by Chris Baron & Rajani Larocca, illustrated by Sam Dawson Yellow Jacket (imprint of Simon and Schuster), 2023 Category: Middle Grade Reviewer: Stacy Mozer Buy at Bookshop.org When Sam and Tripti find two special rocks during a meteor shower at sleepaway camp, they cannot imagine how life changing the moment will be for both of them and the "rocks" they've found. But Sam and Tripti are not the only ones interested in the rocks. The sleepaway camp owner, Sanford P. Dilloway, is also after the stones and he has his mind set on getting them. As Sam and Tripti learn more about the mysteriously active stones, which they've named Jasper and Opal after the living rocks in their favorite book series, The Dragon Gems, they also learn more about each other and what it means to be a true friend.  While Judaism is not the main focus of this book, it is woven into each of Sam's communications. Sam's Bubbe is an important supporting charact...

Pinky Bloom and the Case of the Silent Shofar by Judy Press, illustrated by Erica-Jane Waters Kar-Ben Publishing (imprint of Lerner Publishing Group), 2022 Category: Middle Grade Reviewer: Stacy Mozer Buy at Bookshop.org Pinky Bloom and the Case of the Silent Shofar is the second Pinky Bloom book I have reviewed for this blog, and it's just as much fun as the first. It's about a Jewish Brooklynite girl named Pinky (short for Penina) who solves crimes with the help of her little brother Ari. This series continues to be a good example of this genre, with Pinky taking on pet sitting duties, mysterious goings on at the pet shop, and her dad's inexplicably silent shofar. It would definitely be enjoyed by 6-8 year olds who enjoy mystery series such as A to Z Mysteries, Cam Jansen mysteries, or Ballpark Mysteries. This book has positive and authentic Jewish religious or cultural content and is appropriate for the intended grade level in style, vocabulary, format, and illustratio...

My Fine Fellow: A Delicious Entanglement by Jennieke Cohen HarperTeen, 2022 Category: Young Adult Reviewer: Stacy Mozer Buy at Bookshop.org My Fine Fellow is a thoughtful retelling of My Fair Lady that takes on issues of gender norms and the treatment of Jewish people in England, with the feel of The Great British Bake-Off . It's the story of Elijah Little, a poor boy who is hawking food in an 1830s England where going to culinary school and becoming a gentleman chef is as revered as being royalty. When Helena Higgins discovers Elijah, she decides to make him her project in order to graduate from high honors from the Royal Academy. She bets her friend, Penelope Pickering, that she can turn Elijah from a street hawker to a gentleman. But Helena doesn't know that Elijah is Jewish and that makes a difference in 1830s England. My Fine Fellow is a fun read, especially if you know the story of My Fair Lady and love cooking. The story feels true to the time period in language and...

 The Renegade Reporters by Elissa Brent Weissman Dial Books (Penguin Random House) Category: Middle Grade Reviewer: Stacy Mozer Buy at Bookshop.org When Ash and her best friend Maya are suspended from the school news team for accidentally sharing an inappropriate report, they know in their hearts they can't stay away from the news. They decide to become renegade reporters, and create their own online news program. When a story about the company that gives the school its software falls in their laps, they have to decide whether they will continue to report alone or if they will do what is best for the story. This book would be a perfect addition to a library media curriculum that explores online safety and digital citizenship. The Judaism in this story is built into the character. As Ash is following her news story, she is also celebrating Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur and sharing her family's traditions. The book has positive and authentic Jewish religious or cultural content, i...

 The Backyard Secrets of Danny Wexler by Karen Pokras Kar-Ben Publishing (imprint of Lerner Publishing Group) Category: Middle Grade Reviewer: Stacy Mozer Buy at Bookshop.org Growing up in a factory town in the 1970s, eleven year old Danny Wexler has always known he was the only Jewish kid in town, but it hasn't really affected him. That is, until his father gets a promotion and some of the other workers don't think he deserves it because he's Jewish. Fortunately, Danny's two good friends stand with him and support him and together they try to solve a mystery inspired by a movie about the Bermuda Triangle and a white van. This book meets the Sydney Taylor criteria because it is appropriate for the intended grade level in style, vocabulary, format, and illustration, is solidly rooted in authentic and accurate detail through scholarship and research by the author, and it has positive and authentic Jewish religious or cultural content. I particularly liked how the author e...

 The Woodcarver's Daughter by Yona Zeldis McDonough Kar-Ben Publishing (imprint of Lerner Publishing Group) Category: Middle Grade Reviewer: Stacy Mozer Buy at Bookshop.org The Woodcarver's Daughter is the story of a Russian Jewish family that is forced to immigrate because of pograms in Russia. But Batya's story isn't about the challenges of immigration or fitting into a new world, it's about the difficulties of being a girl in this time period. Batya's love of woodcarving, and the way society prevents her from enjoying her passion, is contrasted with her older brother who is forced into that apprenticeship even though he has no interest. Batya's willingness to continue to push her elders to see how capable she is a good lesson for anyone who is being told they cannot do something. I hope this book will be considered for a Sydney Taylor book honor because the book has literary merit. It has a positive and authentic Jewish religious or cultural content. Th...

Reeni's Turn by Carol Coven Grannick Category: Middle Grade Reviewer: Stacy Mozer Buy at Bookshop.org Reeni's Turn is a disturbing but important look at an eleven-year-old dancer's spiral into self-doubt and body shaming, which leads to a crippling eating disorder. Told in verse, readers enter Reeni's mind as she deals with important issues faced by pre-teens. Thanks to a good friend and her family, Reeni gets the help she needs to be able to see herself and her relationship with food differently in order to become the healthy, confident dancer she needs to be to get on stage and perform. The Jewish content in Reeni's Turn is woven into the story as part of Reeni's experience. So much of Judaism's celebration focuses on food so Shabbat dinners and Passover Seders are part of the backdrop of Reeni's thoughts about food and her own body. The book has literary merit and is appropriate for the intended grade level in style, vocabulary, format, and illustra...

Going Rogue (at Hebrew School) by Casey Breton Category: Middle Grade Reviewer: Stacy Mozer Buy at Bookshop.org Going Rogue (at Hebrew School) is a heartfelt look at the age old question asked by many modern Jewish children, "Why do I have to go to Hebrew school?" Ten-year-old Avery has spent years wondering why he has to skip out on "fun" things, like football league, in order to be one of the few kids he knows who has to spend his Sunday and weekday afternoons at his synagogue learning about being Jewish. When a new interim Rabbi uses the ways of the force and a love of Star Wars to connect with Avery, he begins to learn that Hebrew School is not just about learning old traditions, it's also about learning how to be a good person and a better friend to those around you. The book meets the Sydney Taylor Book Award criteria because it has positive and authentic Jewish religious or cultural content and is appropriate for the intended grade level in style, vocabu...

No Vacancy by Tziporah Cohen Category: Middle Grade Reviewer: Stacy Mozer   Buy at Bookshop.org No Vacancy is the story of eleven-year-old Miriam Brockman whose family moves to upstate New York to run a motel. Unfortunately, they learn pretty quickly that the previous owners had overvalued the hotel's income potential. The book is set against a backdrop of religious identity and acceptance. Miriam and her family are Jewish and have some religious practices, such as not eating pork and celebrating Shabbat with Friday night dinner, and her uncle who comes to visit is shomer shabbat . However, the area of New York they have moved to has seen few Jews. When Miriam and her new friend, Kate, find an image at the run-down drive in movie theater that looks like the Virgin Mary, the town is suddenly in the midst of miracle mania. When this leads to antisemitic vandalism on the hotel, the predominantly Christian town has to stand together with their new Jewish neighbors. I think this book s...

...Too Far From Home by Naomi Shmuel, illustrated by Avi Katz Category: Middle Grade Reviewer: Stacy Mozer Too Far From Home is about a Jewish girl named Meskerem who lives in the Golan Heights. Meskerem's mother is an Ethiopian Jew who has just gotten an important job helping the country transition when Operation Solomon brings a large number of Ethiopian Jews to Israel. When the family moves to be closer to the center of Israel for her mother's job, Meskerem is surprised by the racist comments of her new classmates and finds herself telling everyone she's an American, like her father, instead of admitting her real background. With help from her grandmother, Meskerem has to find a way to appreciate and love her heritage before she can help people at her new school get to know the real her. Meskerem's story is relatable to anyone who has experienced any kind of bullying. As an American Jew who only knows a small amount about what happened in Israel with Oper...

The Light in Hidden Places by Sharon Cameron Category: Young Adult Reviewer: Stacy Mozer In The Light in Hidden Places, sixteen-year-old Stefania has to decide whether to risk her life and the life of her six-year-old sister Helena to hide a group of Jewish people when the Germans invade her town. Based on a true story, Stefania, who had been living and working with a Jewish family before the war, knows that the way the Jews in her town are being treated is not right. So when the son of her former boss shows up broken at her door after jumping off a moving train, Stefania knows that she has to help any way she can. She never expected that would lead her and her sister to hide thirteen Jews during her town's occupation, but even when things are at their worst, she never regrets her choice. The Light in Hidden Places is a story of heroism and hope when people and life is at its worst. It's about standing up for what you believe is right. I love how the author uses small...