The Sydney Taylor Shmooze

The Midnight Mitzvah by Ruth Horowitz, illustrated by Jenny Meilihove Barefoot Books, 2024 Category: Picture Books Reviewer: Ann D. Koffsky Buy at Bookshop.org Ruth Horowitz has done a beautiful job of sharing the idea of giving tzedakah, charity, with embarrassing the recipient. The Midnight Mitzvah follows Hanina Chipmunk, who loves to share the nuts she gathers with friends. The only one who doesn’t like accepting her generous gifts is Mathilda Squirrel. Mathilda, we are told, used to be a champion nut gatherer herself. But now that she’s too elderly to continue, she’s embarrassed to accept help. Kind hearted Hanina solves this problem by deciding to share her nuts with Mathilda secretly, at night. She has to journey out into the dark and face an intimidating owl—but ultimately is successful in her mission. Mathilda receives her nuts and will be hungry no more—all without embarrassment. The illustrations are vivid and evocative. The nighttime pictures especially are beautiful combi

One of a Kind: The Life of Sydney Taylor by Richard Michelson, illustrated by Sarah Green Calkins Creek (imprint of Astra Books for Young Readers), 2024 Category: Picture Books Reviewer: Heidi Rabinowitz Buy at Bookshop.org As readers of The Sydney Taylor Shmooze blog know, Sydney Taylor was the author of the All-of-a-Kind Family series, the first popular mainstream books to feature Jewish characters. The Association of Jewish Libraries' children's book award is named in Taylor's memory. One of a Kind is a picture book biography of Sydney Taylor, detailing her childhood, relationships, influences, career moves, and the fulfillment of her dream to become an author. Taylor's complex and active lifetime has been skillfully simplified here, with straightforward language and a thematic throughline of Syd's desire for social justice, manifested at last in the publication of All-of-a-Kind Family . The facts are based closely upon Taylor's own writings and family reco

Remember My Story: A Girl, A Holocaust Survivor, and a Friendship That Made History by Claire Sarnowski with Sarah Durand Little, Brown Books for Young Readers, 2024 Category: Middle Grade Reviewer: Sandy Wasserman Buy at Bookshop.org This book is a treasure! It’s the story of the unlikeliest of friendships. The author, Claire Sarnowski, a Christian girl, started a friendship with Alter Wiener when she was only 9 years old, invited by her aunt to hear a Holocaust survivor who was then 89 years old, speak in their very non-Jewish community in Oregon. Soon after they meet, a bond forms between Claire and Alter, a survivor of five work camps and concentration camps. He shares his life story with Claire through their meetings during her middle and high school years, and during those visits she shares her own daily issues with him, speaking frankly as best friends would. She learns from him that just as her education is beginning, it coincides with the time when Alter’s formal education

Just Shy of Ordinary by A.J. Sass Little, Brown Books for Young Readers, 2024 Category: Middle Grade Reviewer: Kathryn Hall Buy at Bookshop.org Shai is the only child of a single mother, living in a warm communal household in Wisconsin. In addition to the usual problems of adolescence, Shai has an anxiety disorder, and change is difficult for them. Shai enters public school for the first time after being home-schooled, is skipped a grade due to academic achievement, starts high school, misses their best friend, gets a new haircut, makes new friends, starts to understand their gender identity and sexuality, develops disfiguring eczema, and worries. So much worry. Their mother doesn't seem to want to answer Shai's questions about their past, and mom’s new career will likely mean that they will have to move. An antisemitic incident occurs, but Shai has supportive family, friends, and teachers as well as personal strengths. Shai enjoys writing and poetry and is able to understand w

A Turkish Rosh Hashanah by Etan Basseri, illustrated by Zeynep Özatala Kalaniot Books, 2024 Category: Picture Books Reviewer: Rinat Hadad Siegel Buy at Bookshop.org A Turkish Rosh Hashanah gives us a glimpse into the traditions and flavors of Rosh Hashanah as it was celebrated by one branch of Sephardic communities. The community mentioned in this story was expelled from Spain in 1492 and found refuge in Constantinople, under the rule of the Ottoman Empire, hence the abundance of Ladino words throughout the story. The narrative of a Rosh Hashanah experience unfolds in the markets and sights of Constantinople, now known as Istanbul. This rich historical backdrop anchors the story and allows the reader to connect with the cultural and historical roots of this community. We meet our characters at the beginning of the story as they plan their shopping spree to get all the ingredients they need to make the dishes in time for Rosh Hashanah seder, as described in the story, the "yehi re

Not Nothing by Gayle Forman Aladdin (imprint of Simon & Schuster), 2024 Category: Middle Grade Reviewer: Mindy Civan Buy at Bookshop.org Not Nothing tells the story of a non-Jewish twelve year old boy named Alex, from the point of view of Joseph Kravitz, a Jewish 107 year old Holocaust survivor. This unlikely friendship was set into motion by a judge, who ordered Alex to volunteer at Shady Glen Retirement Home, after “the incident”. Alex was recently removed from his mother’s care and placed with his aunt and uncle, where he sleeps on a lumpy couch and is fed bland, rubbery chicken each night. Shady Glen is the last place that Alex wants to be for the summer, with its elderly residents, especially since the only other kid around is the bossy Maya-Jade. Things start to change for Alex when a case of the stomach flu spreads, and Alex has to help by delivering meals to residents in their rooms. On his delivery rounds, Alex slowly begins to converse with the residents, and get to know

An Etrog From Across the Sea by Deborah Bodin Cohen and Kerry Olitzky, illustrated by Stacey Dressen McQueen Kar-Ben Publishing (imprint of Lerner Publishing Group), 2024 Category: Picture Books Reviewer: Suzanne Grossman Buy at Bookshop.org Two children and their mother anxiously await their father’s return from his perilous journey on business from New York to Corsica in the 1700’s. Will he be home in time for Sukkot, bringing the special etrog as promised? Or will he be shipwrecked, lost at sea, or attacked by pirates? While he’s delayed, his family travels from their northern homestead amidst the Native American tribes to celebrate Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur with their grandfather in the city. When they must head home without their father, their grandfather gifts them a valuable etrog holder along with the gift of faith that their father will return safely in time. With a smattering of sibling rivalry and moments of worry and fear, the love of the family always shines through. As