Thoroughly delightful.--Kirkus Reviews

Thoroughly enjoyable and entertaining, this is a first purchase. --School Library Journal Starred Review

The beloved kitties from Jenna Waldman and Erica Chen's Purr-im Time! are back to celebrate Passover in this bouncing, rhyming story for ages 3-6.

One ear wiggles, then another, Passover is here!

A purr-fect time to celebrate and feel the springtime cheer!

The frolicking kitties are back in a new rhyming story about Passover! There is a lot to do to prepare for the Seder, the meal on Passover where everyone recounts the story of Moses freeing the weary slaves in Pharaoh's Egypt. The cats come together to clean and cook, then eat the seder meal and act out the Passover story.

An excellent book for library collections. --School Library Journal

A charmer about the special meanings of Hanukkah: joy, friendship, and inclusion. --Kirkus Reviews

An amusing tale, speckled with Hanukkah details, about making guests feel welcome.--Horn Book

What if a guest becomes difficult to bear? This book leads by example--Foreword Reviews

Com-bines humor, fun, hol-i-day spir-it, and, most impor-tant-ly, Jew-ish val-ues.--Jewish Book Council

A rollicking Hanukkah romp about including friends, accommodating differences, and having FUN!

Don't invite a bear inside for Hanukkah! While he might try to be helpful with decorating and putting candles in the menorah, he will start to cause a mess soon enough, especially when latkes, gelt and other holiday food is served.

But maybe if you think creatively, you can still celebrate the holiday together.

In this energetic, lighthearted story readers will learn about the preparations and traditions of Hanukkah. It's a Hanukkah tale about meeting new friends where they are, accommodating differences, being flexible and learning to celebrate even if things don't go exactly as planned. Leave your creature comforts behind and go outside into nature for a rollicking good time.

Named a Best Jewish Children's Book of 2024 by Tablet Magazine

A rousing historical tale--Publisher's Weekly

This picture book is a delight!--Historical Novel Society

Jane Yolen tri-umphs once again.--Jewish Book Council

Once upon a time, girls were not allowed to learn to read. This is the story of a girl who decided to change that.

Award-wining author Jane Yolen mines her family history to bring us this stirring tale of what it feels like to be denied equality and the persistence it takes to work for change and fair treatment.

More than anything, Rochel-Leah wanted to learn to read. She wanted to read stories, and recipes, and poems that set your hair on fire. But in her small Jewish village in 19th century Russia, only boys learned to read, as they had for centuries. Still, Rochel-Leah was determined. She asked her mother and her aunties, but they couldn't read either. Her father told her to learn to cook instead. She even asked the rabbi, who said there were rules. But Rochel-Leah knew something important--she knew that rules could be changed.

A magical adventure with rich depictions of Jewish culture. --School Library Journal Starred Review

Aunt Lotte has gone missing! In this fifth book of the popular SARALEE SIEGEL chapter book series for ages 6-8, Saralee becomes frustrated with her aunt and says some things she really doesn't mean. But when her aunt disappears leaving only a strange, scented map, Saralee must once again rely on a good friend and her super power--her sense of smell--to find her.

The Siegel family is busy busy busy! The entire restaurant has to be prepared for Passover. That means cleaning everything, ridding the kitchen of all the bread products, and creating a completely new kosher menu. Everyone was chipping in to do their part. Everyone except Aunt Lotte. She got frustrated after polishing one spoon, and now prefers to sit around while other people work hard. She even eats the food made for the restaurant's customers!

Saralee is getting more and more upset, and she can't hold herself back any longer after Aunt Lotte knocks the freshly peeled horseradish into the trash. Saralee peeled them herself, despite her super-nose being sensitive to the bitter smell. And Aunt Lotte didn't even apologize! After arguing with each other, Saralee says some hurtful things she doesn't mean. But when she goes to apologize, she realizes Aunt Lotte isn't in her room. She has vanished--leaving behind a strange map of the world with tiny glass perfume vials attached to it.

Saralee will need the help of her friend Harold as they figure out what this map means and how it will lead to Aunt Lotte.

A fun-filled, original story worthy of inclusion. --School Library Journal

In a story about community, problem-solving, and flexibility, young Benjy helps bring everyone together to share in the Passover holiday, even if it isn't how they planned to hold their seder.

When a fallen palm tree blocks a highway in Israel on the afternoon before Passover, Benjy's family is stuck in a massive traffic jam. Benjy's family tries to move the tree, but it won't budge. They get help from the other travelers, but still no luck. Everyone is resigned to give up and accept that Passover is ruined.

But Benji saves the day! Why is this night different from all other nights? Because they can celebrate Passover together on the side of the road! Everyone pitches in their food and supplies, sharing in their diverse Jewish cultures, to have Seder on the trunk of this pesky palm tree.

When the prickly palm table was set, and everybody was seated, Benjy took the stage. Welcome one and all to this roadside Passover seder. Like our ancestors who had to make do--we had to, too!

An adventurer receives her due and should inspire readers to reach for their dreams. --Kirkus Review

Well-researched and written with clarity.--Booklist

Amazing Annie tells of one woman's remarkable adventure as she cycled around the world, captivating local audiences along the way with fancifully exaggerated stories of her escapades, and proving that a Jewish immigrant woman can do much, much more than society expects.

It was 1894 and Annie Kopchovsky was ready for a change. More than ready, for women in her time and position weren't allowed to do very much except marry and have children.

Annie wanted more. She didn't like washing clothes or cooking meals, and she certainly didn't like how her Boston neighbors looked down on her for being Jewish. She wanted excitement and adventure in her life. She wanted to feel exceptional, to be applauded, not snubbed. So when she heard of a new invention--a bicycle--she had an exceptional and outlandish idea. She decided to be the first woman to ride around the world on one.

Along the way, Annie learned more than just how to ride a bike. She realized people enjoyed hearing her stories, even if they weren't necessarily true, and she could draw them in. And Annie loved inventing stories.

A fun addition to any library. --School Library Journal

Unreservedly recommended for family, daycare center, and community library board book collections.--Midwest Book Review

Useful for home and collections serving Jewish populations. --Association of Jewish Libraries

A puppy for Hanukkah!

Babies will love following along as a puppy tries to spin a dreidel in this Hanukkah board book about trying again and again. Includes the basic concepts of Round and Round (spinning) and Falling Down. A rotating layout brings babies right into the action.

Is it HIGH or is it LOW?

A young koala searches for a hidden piece of matzah in this board book featuring the concepts of HIGH and LOW. Eating matzah and finding the hidden matzah called afikoman are two ways we can celebrate Passover with our family.

A fun sci-fi take on the tradition of Shabbat, sure to have youngsters joining in with the sound effects. --School Library Journal

An introduction to the traditions of Shabbat, the Jewish day of rest, with a Jetsons twist!

In preparation for the weekly Sabbath dinner and celebration, a young girl builds a robot from household junk. The girl and robot become quick friends, vrooming around the space colony, baking challah, making matzah ball soup and getting ready to celebrate with family. Together, the girl and robot light the Shabbat candles and sing the blessings. A science fiction Shabbat, told in fun rhyme with an emphasis on noticing sounds.

An author's note explaining Shabbat makes this a fun-filled introduction to this important Jewish ritual.

Gebyanesh Addisu teams up with co-author Arlene Schenker to turn her experiences as a young immigrant struggling in a new and strange place into a universal story about the importance of name to identity and being true to yourself and your culture.

Will I ever belong here? Gebyanesh asked herself that very question on her first day in her new school in her new country. Her family had just moved to Jerusalem from Ethiopia, and already she was feeling unsettled by how different everything was. This was only made worse when her teacher could not pronounce her name--and wouldn't really even try. We will call you Rakhel, the teacher said. That isn't my name, Gebyanesh thought. But she said nothing.

From then on, she was Rakhel at school and Gebyanesh at home. She didn't want to tell her parents about her struggles, but when they saw her Israeli name on some of her schoolwork, she couldn't hold her frustrations back anymore. She would need their help to learn more about her heritage, her name, and how to stand up for herself.

An Association of Jewish Libraries' Holiday Highlights title for Fall 2024

Ele-gant-ly weaves lessons about the sym-bols and rit-u-als asso-ci-at-ed with the Jew-ish New Year into a sto-ry about for-ti-tude and friend-ship. --Jewish Book Council

Newly independent readers will identify with Penny's situation.--Booklist

Do we need a charm to get good luck? Or do we make it for ourselves?

Penny Posner knows everything there is to know about good luck. Every day she wears her lucky bracelet on her wrist, her lucky socks on her feet, and Ferdinand, her lucky frog keychain, on her belt loop. And today she needs all the luck she can get so she'll be chosen to blow the shofar at the school's Rosh Hashanah picnic.

But when she picks up a lucky penny, her best friend Mara warns her that it's actually bad luck, because it was face down. As everything starts to go wrong, Penny will try anything to change her luck, but all she does is make matters worse. Penny needs to shift her perspective on luck and fix her mistakes before the picnic and before she ruins her friendship with Mara, so she can make a fresh start for the new year.

A comedic tale of superstition and how our perception influences our experiences and the world around us, with bouncy illustrations by Jon Davis.

An uplifting historical tale exploring the intersection of art history and religion. --Kirkus Reviews

Refreshing....This title is recommended for all libraries. --Association of Jewish Libraries

Is there a story behind Rembrandt's famous painting of Queen Esther?

In Rembrandt Chooses a Queen, the famous artist has a problem. He wants to paint a scene from the biblical Purim story, but his model is too vain to portray the beautiful yet humble Esther. Samuel, a Jewish apprentice in Rembrandt's workshop, believes his sister Isabel would be the perfect replacement. She knows the Purim story well, is inspired by Esther's bravery, and proud to be Jewish. Now they just need to convince the great artist.

Based on the real Rembrandt painting Ahasuerus and Haman at the Feast of Esther, this inspiring story of Judaism and art intersecting in 17th century Amsterdam includes an author's note about Purim and a short biography of Rembrandt by a professor of art history.

A small-scale Wind in the Willows, with adventure and charm. --ALA Booklist Starred Review, Aug 1974

A genuinely nice story . . . As a parable of friendship, A Toad for Tuesday will serve its readers any day of the week --The New York Times, Sept 29, 1974

Just in time for its 50th anniversary, this beloved classic tale of adventure, compassion, and friendship has been remade for a new generation of young readers, including text revisions and fully colorized original illustration on the cover. A favorite chapter book is back, for read aloud or read alone.

While on a journey to visit his aunt, Warton the Toad is captured by a surly owl who announces plans to eat Warton for his birthday dinner on the upcoming Tuesday. As he awaits his fate, Warton works gamely to make his remaining days as pleasant as possible while he also seeks some way to escape and tries to convince the owl to let him go.

Naturally, Warton and Owl talk. But what the pair don't realize is how quickly even the oddest of friendships may form.

This speculative, character-focused graphic novel highlights aspects of Jewish identity and culture through multiple lenses to craft a goofy yet nuanced read.--Publisher's Weekly

Perfect for middle graders and anyone with a great sense of whimsy --The Reporter, Jewish Federation of Greater Binghamton

A fun-packed graphic novel with Hanukkah-themed, science fiction adventure.

Naomi and her best friend Ben love playing with the cool inventions Naomi's scientist mother always works on, like the holographic simulation room where they can fight dinosaurs. One day, using special finger-print copying gloves, she and Ben break into her mom's top-secret lab (otherwise known as the garage) to see what other cool stuff they might find. There they find a device called the Transfogram, an experimental machine that transforms you into whatever you're thinking about at the moment. While eating potato pancakes, Ben reaches for the button to see what it does-- and next thing he knows, he's transformed into a life-size walking, talking potato pancake!

While Naomi's mom finally concocts an antidote, Ben discovers that he enjoys being the center of attention at school, and he delays changing back to a human. But the clock is running out and if he doesn't take the antidote soon, he'll remain a potato pancake forever.

To make matters worse, there's a mysterious figure watching Ben's every move. It's an alien, called a Dreideltopian, who collects Hanukkah-themed objects from around the galaxy for his museum, and now he wants to collect Ben!

This sweet, humorous tale conveys the meaning of this important Jewish holiday in a way that's understandable for children. Its premise proves it's easy to err on the side of good; each of us has kindness within, and it's satisfying to let it show. --Kirkus Reviews

In this fractured fairy tale mash-up that explains the Jewish holiday of Yom Kippur, Big Bad Wolf struggles to understand whether he has the capacity for change, and in the process discovers friendship among those he once thought of only as tasty snacks.

When Raccoon invites the Big Bad Wolf to Yom Kippur services, Wolf agrees to go. While he is there, he hears how everyone can use Yom Kippur as a day to become better and brighter. Wolf's not so sure...a big bad wolf can't become good! Can he? Will helping the girl in a red hood, her granny, and the three little pigs show him the way?

It is a regular morning, and Big Bad Wolf is just getting ready for another day full of bad, when something very different happens. Raccoon knocks on his door to apologize for rummaging through his garbage and invites him to synagogue services. What first appears to Wolf as an opportunity for a giant lunch buffet becomes, instead, an opportunity for Wolf to experience a change of heart. Warmly welcomed by the rabbi, who claims anyone can become better and brighter just like the leaves in the forest as they change color in the fall, Wolf, wrapped in a peaceful moment, begins to wonder if he could do the same. He spends the day helping Little Red Riding Hood take care of her sick grandmother (even though he'd rather eat them both) and showing the three little pigs how to make their houses stronger. Despite the new feelings these kindnesses give him, deep down he doesn't believe a wolf can change, because he keeps making mistakes. But as the day ends, his new friends arrive with a feast to break their Yom Kippur fast and they want to share it with their helper, partner and friend, a Big GOOD Wolf.

Sharp, sly illustrations envelop this gently fractured fairy tale in humor and warmth, while the story includes many details that help explain Yom Kippur practices to young readers as they discover we can all return to our best selves, beginning with kindness and heartfelt apologies.

In this comedic graphic novel, Eric Kimmel delivers a light-hearted journey to spotlight Passover traditions from around the world.

It's Passover Eve, and Matzah Man is ready to answer the call. All across the world, families are preparing for their Seders, but oh no! There's an emergency! The cat has stolen the shank bone, Passover is ruined. Never fear, Matzah Man is here! Mice have nibbled away all the matzah. Never fear, Matzah Man is here! Everyone forgot to make the charoset. Never fear, Matzah Man...doesn't know how to make Moroccan charoset! Matzah Man needs to help this family, but sunset is soon approaching. He'll need to use his mighty powers, and perhaps get help from a familiar face, to get all the ingredients he needs and make it to the Seder in time.

2025 Sydney Taylor Notable Book

Named a Best Jewish Children's Book of 2024 by Tablet Magazine

A delightful tale of friendship formed across cultures and generations. --School Library Journal

Having friends with different experiences and backgrounds can be very enlightening.--Sydney Taylor Shmooze

A young girl learns how to be more accepting of others different than herself as she comes to be friends with an octogenarian Russian immigrant who wants to learn Hebrew with her father and finally celebrate the bar mitzvah it was too dangerous to have when he was a boy in the Soviet Union.

Sarah often listens when her father tutors students for the Bar or Bat Mitzvah. She enjoys hearing the boys and girl learn Hebrew and sing. When a new student arrives, a wrinkled man named Mr. Katz, Sarah is confused. He is older than 13. Much older. How can he have a Bar Mitzvah? Why do his hands shake and sometimes he forgets his book? But Mr. Katz has a beautiful voice and he likes watching birds with her. As Sarah and Mr. Katz slowly become friends, she learns about former Soviet Union, where he was born. It was dangerous to be Jewish there, but after immigrating to America and meeting Sarah's family, he has a new chance to have his Bar Mitzvah, even at 81 years young.

Inspired by the life experiences of the author's own grandfather, a Russian Jewish immigrant himself.