The Sydney Taylor Shmooze

Hanukkah Hippity-Hop by Barbara Kimmel, illustrated by Ana Zurita Kar-Ben Publishing (imprint of Lerner Publishing Group), 2024 Category: Picture Books Reviewer: Arlene Schenker Buy at Bookshop.org Hanukkah Hippity-Hop is a perfect board book for the little ones just learning about every Jewish child’s favorite holiday. Barbara Kimmel’s short, memorable rhyming lines will get the kids chiming in after a couple of readings. Each page celebrates a different aspect of the holiday: jelly doughnuts, latkes, the Maccabees and more. In the kinetic illustrations by Ana Zurita, a diverse group of kids practically jump off the page. They will have the readers hippity-hopping along with the story. The bright, saturated colors will be appealing to this youngest set of readers, and the smiles on the children’s faces are contagious. The expressive kitty adds to the fun. Of course, the Jewish content is on every page, and can be enjoyed by Jews of every stripe. Learning about Hanukkah, singing and...

We Celebrate the Light by Jane Yolen and Heidi E.Y. Stemple, illustrated by Jieting Chen RISE x Penguin Workshop (imprint of Penguin Random House), 2024 Category: Picture Books Reviewer: Rinat Hadad Siegel Buy at Bookshop.org The concept of light, with its many facets, has long fascinated humanity. It's a theme that resonates across cultures and is at the heart of numerous traditions and celebrations worldwide. In this universal and uplifting book, We Celebrate The Light , we glimpse some of these light celebrations worldwide. The story moves from one light celebration to another, starting with Diwali and continuing with the Winter Solstice, Christmas, Chanukah, Kwanzaa, and Bodhi Day, and ending with the Lunar New Year. Each holiday is defined very briefly on the story pages, plus there is a more detailed glossary for each holiday at the end of the book. The words describing each celebration form a lyrical poem of hope, unity, and togetherness. Jane Yolen and Heidi E. Y. Stemple h...

Little Dreidel Learns to Spin by Rebecca Gardyn Levington, illustrated by Taryn Johnson Cartwheel Books (imprint of Scholastic), 2024 Category: Picture Books Reviewer: Julie Ditton Buy at Bookshop.org Every Jewish child knows how frustrating it can be to learn how to spin a dreidel. Older kids make it look so simple, but it takes persistence to get the knack to make that dreidel twirl. But, how does the dreidel feel? Rebecca Gardyn Levington has spun a sweet story about persistence that is absolutely adorable and very funny. Little Dreidel wants to spin like her older cousins. She feels like giving up. But with love and encouragement from her Bubbie, she persists and eventually feels pride in her accomplishment. The author tells the story in clever, smooth flowing rhyme. She adds lots of humor with quotes from Hanukkah sources and one very cute pun. In the very first page, we meet "Little Dreidel, made of clay, at last is dry and ready!" I loved the cute illustrations by Tary...

Two Pieces of Chocolate by Kathy Kacer, illustrated by Gabrielle Grimard Second Story Press, 2024 Category: Picture Books Reviewer: Karen Shakman Buy at Bookshop.org Two Pieces of Chocolate tells the story of an act of kindness between a woman and a child in Bergen Belsen Concentration Camp at the end of the Holocaust. The story is ultimately one of survival and hope, despite the desperate circumstances of the characters. The author does not shy away from describing the conditions of the camp, including powerful sensory details, such as the smell of “rotting eggs and bad feet and human sweat”, and the sight of humans “stumbling past like sleepwalkers.” Thus, the author paints a picture of a dark time in history without sugar coating the circumstances. However, the story conveys how people, in the face of such inhumanity, may act with selflessness, as does the child when she encounters a fellow prisoner, late in pregnancy and terribly weak. This act of kindness is at the center of the ...

"My First Tanakh Stories" Avraham Teaches Others | Miriam Finds Her Voice | Eliyahu Finds Hashem | Ruth Makes a Promise by Shira Greenspan, illustrated by Rinat Gilboa Koren Publishers, 2024 Category: Picture Books Reviewer: Ronda Einbinder Buy at Bookshop: Avraham | Miriam | Eliyahu | Ruth | whole set In this series of rhyming board books, children are introduced to the Hebrew bible with four stories that bring characters from the Torah to life. The first book, Avraham Teaches Others , is written in rhyme and illustrated with green, yellow, orange, and blue pastels, telling the story of Avraham who helps three men who need food and rest. The three men bless him and Sara with a son.  The second book, Miriam Finds Her Voice , tells the story of Miriam who hides her brother in a basket, sending him down the river for safety. Pharaoh’s daughter finds the basket and raises the baby as her own. Eighty years pass and the slaves are set free. Miriam uses her voice to lead her pe...

Uri and the King of Darkness: A Hanukkah Story by Nati Bait, illustrated by Carmel Ben Ami Kalaniot Books (imprint of Endless Mountain Publishing), 2024 Category: Picture Books Reviewer: Doreen Robinson Buy at Bookshop.org As siblings Uri and Shir await Dad's arrival on a dark winter’s night, Uri ponders why his father is late. Mom assures Uri that Dad will come and together they’ll light the first candle for Hanukkah. Looking out the window, Uri sees shadows and envisions an enemy army with spear and shield approaching, a parallel to the Hanukkah story of King Antiochus. The story continues with Uri worrying and wondering about his Dad, while the enemy king of darkness approaches. In a nod to Judah and the Maccabees, Uri finds the courage to be brave, and together with Shir, they proclaim that they’ll fight to fend off the darkness. And then, the door opens and…surprise! Spoiler alert: it’s Dad with a yummy, sweet jelly-filled treat! The story ends with the family celebrating Hanu...

My First Dino-Hanukkah by Lisa Wheeler, illustrated by Barry Gott Carolrhoda Books (imprint of Lerner Publishing Group), 2024 Category: Picture Books Reviewer: Ann D. Koffsky Buy at Bookshop.org Toddlers and the youngest readers will love Lisa Wheeler’s bouncy, spare story about dinosaurs celebrating Hanukkah, in My First Dino- Hanukkah . All the key ingredients are covered: latkes, menorah, and dreidels in rhyming impactful sentence that are sure to make for an inviting read-aloud.  Barry Gott’s vivid, exuberant and colorful dinosaurs grin and dance as they go through each of the traditional rituals. I particularly appreciated the detail in Gott’s illustrations-especially that these dinosaurs have a sophisticated potato peeler that turns with a crank. (Potato peeling is always the toughest part of latke making, and I like the dinosaurs have found and easier way!) The Jewish representation of the holiday is accurate and charming. Children will find the dinosaurs highly appealing. ...