The Sydney Taylor Shmooze

The Sydney Taylor Book Award will be showcasing its 2021 gold and silver medalists with a Blog Tour, February 8-12, 2021! Interviews with winning authors and illustrators will appear on a variety of Jewish and kidlit blogs. Interviews will appear on the dates below, and will remain available to read at your own convenience. Below is the schedule for the 2021 Sydney Taylor Book Award Blog Tour. Please follow the links to visit the hosting blogs on or after their tour dates, and be sure to leave them plenty of comments! MONDAY, FEBRUARY 8, 2021  Lesléa Newman and Susan Gal , author and illustrator of Welcoming Elijah Sydney Taylor Book Award in the Picture Book Category at A Fuse #8 Production at School Library Journal Sofiya Pasternack , author of Anya and the Nightingale Sydney Taylor Honor Book in the Middle Grade Category at 100 Scope Notes at School Library Journal   TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 9, 2021 M. Evan Wolkenstein , author of Turtle Boy Sydney Taylor Book Award in the Middle

The Real Sydney Taylor Book Awards were announced on January 25, 2021! Here is the press release , and below are the real winners, honors, and notable books for 2021! Listen to a podcast interview with awards chair Rebecca Levitan on The Book of Life .   Welcoming Elijah: A Passover Tale with a Tail by Lesléa Newman, illustrated by Susan Gal. Published by Charlesbridge. This warmly illustrated, poetic book parallels the experiences of a young boy at a Passover seder and a small white kitten outdoors. When the boy opens the door to welcome the prophet Elijah, he finds a furry friend instead. Simple text, diverse characters, and a timeless feel make this a story to be treasured.   I Am the Tree of Life: My Jewish Yoga Book by Mychal Copeland, illustrated by André Ceolin. Published by Apples and Honey Press, an imprint of Behrman House. Clear instructions on how to do different yoga poses are complemented by brief, boldly illustrated stories from the Bible. Back matter include

  We are pleased to announce the first-ever Mock Sydney Taylor Book Awards! The top Jewish juvenile books published in 2020 were chosen by popular vote, and over 1000 votes were cast. Thank you to the many people who helped us select these titles! Click on the links to read the reviews. PICTURE BOOKS Mock Winner: The Ninth Night of Hanukkah by Erica Perl Mock Honor: I Have a Jewish Name by Rochel Vorst Mock Notable: Sadie's Shabbat Stories by Melissa Stoller MIDDLE GRADE BOOKS Mock Winner: Fish Out of Water by Joanne Levy  Mock Honor: Turtle Boy by M. Evan Wolkenstein Mock Notable:  A Ceiling Made of Eggshells by Gail Carson Levine YOUNG ADULT BOOKS Mock Winner: The Assignment by Liza Weimer Mock Honor: Today Tonight Tomorrow by Rachel Lynn Solomon Mock Notable: Dancing at the Pity Party by Tyler Feder   The Real Sydney Taylor Book Awards will be announced on Monday, January 25, 2021 at the American Library Association's Youth Media Awards event. Tune in live at 9am ET

On January 6, 2021, the Association of Jewish Libraries held a Zoom event to do a deep dive into the history, practices, and significance of the Real Sydney Taylor Book Award (est. 1968) and of the new Mock Awards created in 2020. You can watch the hour-long program here.

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  Not sure which book should get your vote? Here are the reviews to help you decide: 28 Days: A Novel of Resistance in the Warsaw Ghetto by David Safier Reviewed by Michelle Falkoff The Assignment by Liza Wiemer Reviewed by Kathy Bloomfield Dancing at the Pity Party by Tyler Feder Reviewed by Judith S. Greenblatt Flowers in the Gutter by K.R. Gaddy Reviewed by Beth Gallego How to Pack for the End of the World by Michelle Falkoff Reviewed by Judith S. Greenblatt I Am Here Now by Barbara Bottner Reviewed by Rachel J. Fremmer It's My Life by Stacie Ramey Reviewed by Michelle Falkoff The Light in Hidden Places by Sharon Cameron Reviewed by Stacy Mozer The New Queer Conscience by Adam Eli Reviewed by Sylvie Shaffer Recommended for You by Laura Silverman Reviewed by Rachel J. Fremmer Sarah Bernhardt: The Divine and Dazzling Life of the World's First Superstar by Catherine Reef Reviewed by Beth Gallego They Went Left by Monica Hesse Reviewed by Meira Drazin Today, Tonight,