The Sydney Taylor Shmooze

The Real Sydney Taylor Book Awards were announced on January 27, 2025. Below are the real winners, honors, and notable books for 2025. We've linked to the Shmooze reviews, but you'll notice that there are a few books we didn't review. We try to cover all the Jewish books published each year but sometimes we miss a few.  Listen to a podcast interview with awards chair Aviva Rosenberg on The Book of Life about this year's winners! Picture Book Winner: An Etrog from Across the Sea by Deborah Bodin Cohen and Kerry Olitzky, illustrated by Stacey Dressen McQueen, published by Kar-Ben Picture Book Honors Joyful Song by Lesléa Newman, illustrated by Susan Gal, published by Levine Querido Rising by Sidura Ludwig, illustrated by Sophia Vincent Guy, published by Candlewick Amazing Abe: How Abraham Cahan's Newspaper Gave a Voice to Jewish Immigrants by Norman H. Finklestein, illustrated by Vesper Stamper, published by Holiday House The Tree of Life: How a Holocaust S...

We are pleased to announce our fifth year of Mock Sydney Taylor Book Awards! The top Jewish juvenile books published in 2024 were chosen from our shortlist by popular vote. Thank you to the many people who helped us select these titles! Links to more information below.  Titles are linked to Bookshop.org for your convenience. Authors and illustrators are linked to their websites. The Sydney Taylor Shmooze review for each book is provided. PICTURE BOOKS MOCK PICTURE BOOK WINNER Ping-Pong Shabbat   by Ann Koffsky , ill. Abigail Rajunov Little Bee Books, 2024 Review: Sydney Taylor Shmooze   MOCK PICTURE BOOK HONOR A Feather, A Pebble, A Shell   written & illustrated by Miri Leshem-Pelly Kar-Ben Publishing, 2024 Review:  Sydney Taylor Shmooze MOCK PICTURE BOOK NOTABLE Workitu's Passover by Zehava Workitu Goshen & Maayan Ben Hagai , ill. Eden Spivak Green Bean Books, 2024 Review: Sydney Taylor Shmooze MIDDLE GRADE   MOCK MIDDLE GRADE WINNER Finn and Ez...

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We want to thank our dedicated team of volunteer book reviewers! They've been doing an incredible job evaluating Jewish children's and YA books for The Sydney Taylor Shmooze throughout 2024. Read their reviews so you'll be ready to VOTE for the Mock Sydney Taylor Book Awards, starting January 8, 2025! If you're interested in joining our reviewing team, CLICK HERE . Todah Rabah to: Laurie Adler Sarah Arnold Rachel Aronowitz Sarah Aronson Dena Bach Freidele Biniashvili Amy Blaine Belinda Brock Jeanette Brod Merle Carrus Mindy Civan Leah Cypess Julie Ditton Judy Ehrenstein Ronda Einbinder Karin Fisher-Golton Claire Freeland Rachel Fremmer Beth Gallego Jeff Gottesfeld Judy Greenblatt Suzanne Grossman  Kathryn Hall Jacqueline Jules Mirele Kessous Rebecca Klempner Ann Koffsky Melissa Lasher Cindy Marshall Linda Marshall Heather Matthews Stacy Mozer Rochelle Newman Stacy Nockowitz Chava Pinchuck Heidi Rabinowitz Stacey Rattner  Doreen Robinson Marcia Rosenthal  Denise Ros...

Upside-Down Summer (A Fun-to-Read Book) by Libby Herz, illustrated by Sarah Chyrek Hachai Publishing, 2024 Category: Middle Grade Reviewer: Rochelle Newman-Carrasco Buy at Hachai.com Upside-Down Summer is the poignant story of ten-year-old Sara and the summer that turned her family’s world upside down. In fact, it wasn’t just her family that experienced the shock of The Great Depression. Her best friend Etty would need to move away and Sara’s room would be converted to a sewing room for a woman who becomes their boarder, before becoming a true friend and a critical part of Sara’s story. The historical context gives the young reader a simple but truthful sense of what The Great Depression meant to individuals and communities, and it is very effective in building tension, grappling with loss, and zooming in on the importance of family and faith during times of crises. The simple, charming black and white illustrations and art design feels vintage and focuses on faces, relationships and ...