Perfect for young readers, this retelling of the Purim story brings together a mighty king, a jealous scoundrel, a wise uncle-- and a clever heroine. Long ago, King Ahasuerus of Persia was seeking a new wife. Though many beautiful maidens came to meet the King, it was a young Hebrew woman who caught his eye. She was called Esther, for she was as beautiful as the Morning Star, and the king decided to marry her immediately. But when the King's hot-tempered chief minister Haman threatened Esth...
The citizens of Chelm have always had a reputation for foolishness. How can they convince people otherwise and show outsiders their true wisdom? Surely the answer lies in the great city of Warsaw. They will send a delegation to the capital to find a solution. Young Rachel is an unexpected addition to the group, but as always, she is the one with the answer. The clue to wisdom lies in books. What Chelm needs is a library. In her own creative fashion, Rachel finds a way to build a village libra...
Judah Maccabee Goes to the Doctor: A Story for Hanukkah
by Ann D Koffsky
Being the best and the bravest wasn't only an outside, shiny-shield thing. It was an on-the-inside thing too. And that's what he had to show Hannah. “It was wise, creative, empathetic.” – Interview with Blima Marcus for AJL News More than anything, Judah wants to be a good big brother to his baby sister, Hannah. He even uses his new Maccabee shield to protect her from danger! On the last day of Hanukkah, during a visit to the doctor, Judah refuses to have his shot. Surely, his shield can prot...
“A congenial, readable story best suited for families interested in a secular treatment of this particular slice of Genesis.” – Kirkus Reviews Adam gives a name to every animal from the aardvark and the aardwolf to the bandicoot and the bongo, and all the way to the zebra and the zebu. But Adam is at a loss for words when he meets someone who looks a lot like him...only a bit different.
“One doesn't go to Jerusalem, one returns to it. That's one of its mysteries.” --Elie Wiesel What city has . . . a bridge made of strings? . . . a golden dome marking a sacred spot? . . .a wall of stones, holding thousands of notes? See Jerusalem through the eyes of a mother cat and her three kittens during a fun-filled romp that introduces children to some of this ancient city's most iconic places. Olivia and her three kittens, adventurous Mirri, serious Jem and shy Bex find themselves on th...
Jackie and Jesse and Joni and Jae paperback edition
by Chris Barash
2019 Sydney Taylor Notable Picture Book “This simple story speaks to children and adults alike.” – Jewish Book Council When Mina's beloved Grandma dies, nothing feels right anymore. People come to visit. Mina just hides up in the big old oak tree. But the stories she hears about Grandma bring her slowly back down — until at last Mina feels ready to smile again
My Cousin Tamar Lives in Israel (Hardcover)
by Michelle Shapiro Abraham
From two-time Newbery medalist Lois Lowry comes this warm and resonant story of an unlikely friendship, which unfolds as a revelation on how we hold on to—and pass on—what matters most. The latest compelling work from the master storyteller. When precocious eleven-year-old Sophie sets out to save her elderly neighbor (who is also her dearest friend), her journey will take her through their familiar suburban landscape and then, steadily yet unexpectedly, deeper into a landscape of history and...
A poignant multicultural ode to family and what it means to create a home as one girl helps her Tía move away from her beloved Miami apartment. When Estrella's Tía Fortuna has to say goodbye to her longtime Miami apartment building, The Seaway, to move to an assisted living community, Estrella spends the day with her. Tía explains the significance of her most important possessions from both her Cuban and Jewish culture, as they learn to say goodbye together and explore a new beginning for Tía....
Latkes and Applesauce (Scholastic Bookshelf) (A Blue ribbon book)
by Fran Manushkin
In 1939 Sweden, two Jewish sisters wait for their parents to join them in fleeing the Nazis in Austria, but while eight-year-old Nellie settles in quickly, twelve-year-old Stephie feels stranded at the end of the world, with a foster mother who is as cold and unforgiving as the island on which they live.
A brave girl’s adventurous journey from Bolshevik Russia to the Zionists’ settlement in the Holy Land. Sara, a Jewish 12-year-old in 1919 Russia, has spunk, independence, and a deep commitment to her heritage. Suddenly orphaned under mysterious circumstances, her home and shtetl destroyed, Sara begins a daring journey toward Budapest and her eventual destination, Palestine. On this amazing odyssey, Sara meets fascinating people of all sorts. Set against a backdrop of stormy historical events—p...
As in all the Brick Bible books, Brendan Powell Smith creates a magical “brick” world—all in LEGOs—to illustrate stories from the Bible that are then photographed and accompanied by a simple text.In this book, there are many stories to tell. After being baptized, and in the company of his twelve disciples, Jesus began performing many great acts, including giving a blind man sight, raising a young girl from death, feeding five thousand people with two fish and five loaves of bread, and, perhaps t...
When Father brings out the menorahs from a box in the closet, a young girl knows it is time for Hanukkah, the eight-day Festival of Lights. Time for the whole family to get together to play dreidels and sing and dance. Time to remember the story of Judah Maccabee. Time to eat potato latkes. And, of course, time for presents. But most of all, it is time to light the menorahs and remember the miracle of Hanukkah. The inspiring light from the miracle of the great menorah will touch readers of all f...
With the help of her Catholic friend, an eleven-year-old Jewish girl creates a provocative local tourist attraction to save her family’s failing motel. Buying and moving into the run-down Jewel Motor Inn in upstate New York wasn’t eleven-year-old Miriam Brockman’s dream, but at least it’s an adventure. Miriam befriends Kate, whose grandmother owns the diner next door, and finds comfort in the company of Maria, the motel’s housekeeper, and her Uncle Mordy, who comes to help out for the summer. Sh...
History is made one brave act at a time. Henny has grown up with her father’s boat, the Gerda III, as a home away from home. She loves sailing the waters between Denmark and Sweden, carried along by the salt breeze. But when Nazi rule tightens in Copenhagen, Henny joins the resistance. And when Hitler orders the Gestapo to round up all Jewish citizens, Henny realizes that the Gerda III isn’t just a boat—it’s a means of escape for her Jewish neighbours. Safety and freedom are just across the chan...
Ella Kvellephant and the Search for Bubbe's Yiddish Treasure
by Jen Kostman
After her mother passes away and her father retreats into his grief, 11-year-old Anne Applebaum is afraid the only happy endings she'll ever have are in The World to Come, a collection of fairy tales about the flying forest of Bei Ilai. In its pages, children outsmart demons, girls train as knights, and songs come to life. But even these stories can't stop Anne from feeling alone. So when a raven tells her that she has a long-lost twin brother named Rainer, she sets out to find him. Anne soon le...