Lists and Suggestions for Kids
List: Jewish American Heritage Month
Buen shabat, shabbat shalom
Aroeste, Sarah, author.
Learn Ladino words and celebrate Shabbat with a Sephardic Jewish family. ... More
Learn Ladino words and celebrate Shabbat with a Sephardic Jewish family. Less
Tía Fortuna's new home
Behar, Ruth, 1956- author.
Estrella learns about her Cuban and Jewish heritage as she helps her aunt move from her Miami apart... More
Estrella learns about her Cuban and Jewish heritage as she helps her aunt move from her Miami apartment to an assisted living community. Less
We are Jewish faces
Darvick, Debra B., author.
"Debra Darvick's delightful picture book mirrors today's emerging Jewish reality; a ... More
"Debra Darvick's delightful picture book mirrors today's emerging Jewish reality; a Jewish face is dark-haired and dark-eyed and blonde and blue-eyed. A Jewish face belongs to a Chinese adoptee and to a newborn from Guatamala. It is the face of an African American convert and that of a festively dressed bride from India. We Are Jewish Faces sings the long overdue song of Jewish diversity with passion, honesty, and celebration. We Are Jewish Faces affirms identity, embraces diversity, and celebrates Jewish life, all in one remarkable little book"-- Less
The Christmas mitzvah
Gottesfeld, Jeff, author.
"Al Rosen, a Jewish man, takes on the jobs of his Christian neighbors on Christmas Eve and day... More
"Al Rosen, a Jewish man, takes on the jobs of his Christian neighbors on Christmas Eve and day so they can spend the holiday with their families, starting a tradition that lasts for decades."-- Less
Sammy Spider's first Bar Mitzvah
Rouss, Sylvia A., author.
Josh attends his cousin Ben's bar mitzvah where he gets a view of the Torah readings, the bles... More
Josh attends his cousin Ben's bar mitzvah where he gets a view of the Torah readings, the blessings, and one tradition that gets Sammy the spider into even more trouble than usual. Less
Red and green and blue and white : inspired by a true story
Wind, Lee, author.
"Inspired by a true story, this is a tale of a community that banded together to spread light.... More
"Inspired by a true story, this is a tale of a community that banded together to spread light. It's a holiday season that both Isaac, whose family is Jewish, and Teresa, whose family is Christian, have looked forward to for months! They've been counting the days, playing in the snow, making cookies, drawing (Teresa) and writing poems (Isaac) They enjoy all the things they share, as well as the things that make them different. But when Isaac's window is smashed in the middle of the night, it seems like maybe not everyone appreciates 'difference.'"-- Less
A place at the table
Faruqi, Saadia, author.
Sixth-graders Sara, a Pakistani American, and Elizabeth, a Jewish girl, connect in an after school ... More
Sixth-graders Sara, a Pakistani American, and Elizabeth, a Jewish girl, connect in an after school cooking club and bond over food and their mothers' struggles to become United States citizens. Less
Sorry for your loss
Levy, Joanne, author.
Evie's family runs a Jewish funeral home and she enjoys helping out. She doesn't normally... More
Evie's family runs a Jewish funeral home and she enjoys helping out. She doesn't normally interact with the grieving family, but one day she befriends Oren, a boy overwhelmed by grief after an awful accident. Oren hasn't spoken a word since, but Evie is set on helping him deal with his loss and discover his voice again. Less
Becoming Brianna
Libenson, Terri, author, artist.
Everyone knows how much brainy Bri likes the spotlight (not). So why did she ever agree to somethin... More
Everyone knows how much brainy Bri likes the spotlight (not). So why did she ever agree to something that forces her to learn a new language, give a speech, help organize a party, and juggle drama at school and home?! As the big event inches closer, Bri wonders if it's all worth it. . . .Told in alternating past and present chapters, Bri's heartwarming story unfolds over the eight months leading up to her bat mitzvah--as well as over the course of the big day itself. Less
Linked
Korman, Gordon, author.
"Link, Michael, and Dana live in a quiet town. But it's woken up very quickly when someon... More
"Link, Michael, and Dana live in a quiet town. But it's woken up very quickly when someone sneaks into school and vandalizes it with a swastika. Nobody can believe it. How could such a symbol of hate end up in the middle of their school? Who would do such a thing? Because Michael was the first person to see it, he's the first suspect. Because Link is one of the most popular guys in school, everyone's looking to him to figure it out. And because Dana's the only Jewish girl in the whole town, everyone's treating her more like an outsider than ever. The mystery deepens as more swastikas begin to appear. Some students decide to fight back and start a project to bring people together instead of dividing them further. The closer Link, Michael, and Dana get to the truth, the more there is to face-not just the crimes of the present, but the crimes of the past. With Linked, Gordon Korman, the author of the acclaimed novel Restart, poses a mystery for all readers where the who did it? isn't nearly as important as the why?"-- Less
The $150,000 rugelach
Marks, Allison, author.
Sixth graders Jack and Jillian are selected to be teammates in a nationally televised baking compet... More
Sixth graders Jack and Jillian are selected to be teammates in a nationally televised baking competition. Their biggest problem may be trying to figure out how to work together. Less
Recipe for disaster
Lucido, Aimee, author.
"Hannah Malfa-Adler is Jew ... ish. Not that she really thinks about it. She'd prefer to ... More
"Hannah Malfa-Adler is Jew ... ish. Not that she really thinks about it. She'd prefer to focus on her favorite pastime: baking delicious food! But when her best friend has a beyond-awesome Bat Mitzvah, Hannah starts to feel a little envious ... Despite her parents firm no, Hannah knows that if she can learn enough about her own faith, she can convince her friends that the party is still in motion"-- Less
Not your all-American girl
Rosenberg, Madelyn, 1966- author.
Sixth-graders Lauren and Tara have always done everything together so it is only natural that they ... More
Sixth-graders Lauren and Tara have always done everything together so it is only natural that they both try out for their middle school musical play, about an "all-American" girl in 1958; Tara gets the lead role, as usual, because in the teacher's mind Lauren, half-Jewish and half-Chinese, does not fit the image of all-American girl--Lauren is hurt but resolved to support her friend, but her two grandmothers are furious and they intend to do something about it. Less
Summer of stolen secrets
Sternberg, Julie, author.
"Catarina has never met her strict Jewish grandmother. But now, with an opportunity to spend t... More
"Catarina has never met her strict Jewish grandmother. But now, with an opportunity to spend three weeks in Baton Rouge and away from her best-friends-turned-bullies, Cat packs her bags and leaves New York City to get to know the woman who has always been a mystery. Down South, she begins working at her grandmother's luxury department store. Nothing seems to be going right and nobody talks about the past. But just when Cat is starting to think that this whole trip may have been a huge mistake, she stumbles onto secrets from a time her grandmother refuses to speak of. Suddenly Cat's summer, and everything she thought she knew, has changed."-- Less
Turtle boy
Wolkenstein, M. Evan, author.
Seventh-grader Will's Bar Mitzvah community service project, visiting an incurably ill older b... More
Seventh-grader Will's Bar Mitzvah community service project, visiting an incurably ill older boy in the hospital, leads to a friendship that is life-changing for both them and those around them. Less
Chunky
Mercado, Yehudi, author, artist.
"In this full-color middle grade graphic memoir, Yehudi Mercado draws inspiration from his chi... More
"In this full-color middle grade graphic memoir, Yehudi Mercado draws inspiration from his childhood struggle with his weight while finding friendship with his imaginary mascot, Chunky, as he navigates growing up in a working class Mexican-Jewish family"-- Less
Understanding Judaism
Yomtov, Nelson, author.
Understanding Judaism covers the history of Judaism and explores how the religion has evolved and e... More
Understanding Judaism covers the history of Judaism and explores how the religion has evolved and expanded. Readers learn about the branches of Judaism, Jewish beliefs, and the influence Jews have had on the world. This title also discusses anti-Semitism Jews have faced, both today and during history. Features include a glossary, references, websites, source notes, and an index. Aligned to Common Core Standards and correlated to state standards. Less
Torah scroll
Ofanansky, Allison, author.
"A photographic behind-the-scenes picture book about how a Torah scroll is made, from the parc... More
"A photographic behind-the-scenes picture book about how a Torah scroll is made, from the parchment to the ink and the decorations, with interviews and vibrant, full color photos taken at workshops in Israel, plus activities for kids to try themselves"-- Less
What you will see inside a synagogue
Hoffman, Lawrence A., 1942-
Names and explains the various objects found in a synagogue, how they are used in the service and o... More
Names and explains the various objects found in a synagogue, how they are used in the service and other events, the rabbi and lay people who use them, and the meaning behind them. Less
Here is the world : a year of Jewish holidays
Newman, Lesléa, author.
The year's range of Jewish holidays and celebrations are presented in this repeating, rhyming ... More
The year's range of Jewish holidays and celebrations are presented in this repeating, rhyming chant that features key succinct elements for each. Less
D.I.J., do it Jewish : use your Jewish creativity!
Bietz, Barbara, author.
"Learn from Jewish creativity mentors and use your own Jewish creativity in areas ranging from... More
"Learn from Jewish creativity mentors and use your own Jewish creativity in areas ranging from Jewish cooking to Jewish filmmaking"-- Less
Try it! : how Frieda Caplan changed the way we eat
Rockliff, Mara, author.
A picture book biography of Frieda Caplan, the produce pioneer who changed the way Americans eat by... More
A picture book biography of Frieda Caplan, the produce pioneer who changed the way Americans eat by introducing exciting new fruits and vegetables, from baby carrots to blood oranges to kiwis. -- Less
Jewish immigrants : in their shoes
Krasner, Barbara, author.
Offers readers a compelling look into the lives, challenges, and successes of Jewish immigrants. ... More
Offers readers a compelling look into the lives, challenges, and successes of Jewish immigrants. Less
Dear Mr. Dickens
Churnin, Nancy, author.
"In Eliza Davis's day, Charles Dickens was the most celebrated living writer in England. ... More
"In Eliza Davis's day, Charles Dickens was the most celebrated living writer in England. But some of his books reflected a prejudice that was all too common at the time: prejudice against Jewish people. Eliza was Jewish, and her heart hurt to see a Jewish character in Oliver Twist portrayed as ugly and selfish. She wanted to speak out about how unfair that was, even if it meant speaking out against the great man himself. So she wrote a letter to Charles Dickens. What happened next is history"-- Less
Saving Lady Liberty : Joseph Pulitzer's fight for the Statue of Liberty
Friddell, Claudia, author.
When Joseph Pulitzer first saw the Statue of Liberty's head in Paris, he shared sculptor Augus... More
When Joseph Pulitzer first saw the Statue of Liberty's head in Paris, he shared sculptor Auguste Bartholdi's dream of seeing France's gift of friendship stand in the New York harbor. Pulitzer loved words, and the word he loved best was liberty. Frustrated that many, especially wealthy New Yorkers, were not interested in paying for the statue's needed pedestal, Pulitzer used his newspaper, the New York World, to call on all Americans to contribute. Claudia Friddell's text and Stacy Innerst's illustrations capture this inspiring story of how one immigrant brought together young and old, rich and poor, to raise funds for the completion of a treasured national monument. Less