In
the Promised Land : Lives of Jewish Americans by Doreen Rappaport, Cornelius
Van Wright (Illustrator)
Grade 2-4. In several short paragraphs each, Rappaport tries to re-create a "defining" moment in the lives of 13 notable figures. Her subjects range from Asser Levy, whose letters of petition to the New Amsterdam council helped to gain rights for Jewish settlers in the colony, to Steven Spielberg and his creation of the character E. T. More than half of each spread is covered by a watercolor illustration of the subject amid a scene depicting the described moment.
Grade 2-4. In several short paragraphs each, Rappaport tries to re-create a "defining" moment in the lives of 13 notable figures. Her subjects range from Asser Levy, whose letters of petition to the New Amsterdam council helped to gain rights for Jewish settlers in the colony, to Steven Spielberg and his creation of the character E. T. More than half of each spread is covered by a watercolor illustration of the subject amid a scene depicting the described moment.
Jews
in America: A Cartoon history, by David Gantz
This over-sized volume is a graphic history that uses the comic book format—an artistic expression as American as jazz—to depict five centuries of Jewish life in this country. With its blend of humor, history, and old-fashioned sentimentality, David Gantz, an artist who has spent a lifetime using paper and ink to present social commentary and issues with a wry wit, illustrates the prominence of Jews in American history from the time Columbus first set foot in the New World. Jews in America will appeal to readers from ages 12 to 120.
This over-sized volume is a graphic history that uses the comic book format—an artistic expression as American as jazz—to depict five centuries of Jewish life in this country. With its blend of humor, history, and old-fashioned sentimentality, David Gantz, an artist who has spent a lifetime using paper and ink to present social commentary and issues with a wry wit, illustrates the prominence of Jews in American history from the time Columbus first set foot in the New World. Jews in America will appeal to readers from ages 12 to 120.
Helps you and your Bar/Bat Mitzvah create the perfect poems to be recited by your child while calling honored guests up to light candles.
Odd
Boy Out : Young Albert Einstein by Don Brown
This award winning picture-book biography (Grades 2-5) focuses on Einstein's hard-to-classify brilliance, which led to awesome scientific discoveries, but all too often left him a misunderstood outsider. Brown describes how Einstein found himself the "odd boy" at school, and as the only Jewish student, was sometimes taunted by other children. He puzzled his instructors as well; though clearly gifted in science, math, and music, he was an indifferent student in most subjects. This book will pique the interest of readers with little or no knowledge of Einstein
This award winning picture-book biography (Grades 2-5) focuses on Einstein's hard-to-classify brilliance, which led to awesome scientific discoveries, but all too often left him a misunderstood outsider. Brown describes how Einstein found himself the "odd boy" at school, and as the only Jewish student, was sometimes taunted by other children. He puzzled his instructors as well; though clearly gifted in science, math, and music, he was an indifferent student in most subjects. This book will pique the interest of readers with little or no knowledge of Einstein
Sholom's
Treasure: How Sholom Aleichem Became a Writer by Erica Silverman and illustrated
by Mordicai Gerstein
This enchanting picture-book biography is (geared for those in Grades 1-4) is an affectionate ode to the iconic Yiddish writer. Silverman's text combines a storyteller's narrative with dialogue based on Aleichem's own words, resulting in a biography that often reads like a folktale. Gerstein's energetic watercolor-and-ink illustrations bubble over with humor as the mischievous young Sholom mimics and mocks, his expressive face a constantly changing barometer of life's ups and downs. The result is a seamless collaboration that presents not only the life, but also the world, of a literary giant.
This enchanting picture-book biography is (geared for those in Grades 1-4) is an affectionate ode to the iconic Yiddish writer. Silverman's text combines a storyteller's narrative with dialogue based on Aleichem's own words, resulting in a biography that often reads like a folktale. Gerstein's energetic watercolor-and-ink illustrations bubble over with humor as the mischievous young Sholom mimics and mocks, his expressive face a constantly changing barometer of life's ups and downs. The result is a seamless collaboration that presents not only the life, but also the world, of a literary giant.
And
God Cried, Too: A Kid's Book of Healing and Hope, by Rabbi Gellman
For children in Grades 2 to 5. Rabbi Gellman, familiar to many from his partnership with Monsignor Thomas Hartman (the "God Squad"), here tackles some enormously important questions about faith that adults sometimes find difficult to answer for themselves--let alone talk about with children: Why doesn't God intervene before bad things occur? What happens to us when we die? Does God love some people more than others? This new book also addresses the concerns of children relating to the events of September 11th.
For children in Grades 2 to 5. Rabbi Gellman, familiar to many from his partnership with Monsignor Thomas Hartman (the "God Squad"), here tackles some enormously important questions about faith that adults sometimes find difficult to answer for themselves--let alone talk about with children: Why doesn't God intervene before bad things occur? What happens to us when we die? Does God love some people more than others? This new book also addresses the concerns of children relating to the events of September 11th.
A rabbi and a monsignor of the Catholic Church answer common questions that children ask their parents about God and demonstrate that Jews and Christians, although they worship differently, are worshiping the same God.
Apples
and Pomegranates: A Family Seder for Rosh Hashanah (Paperback)
by Rahel Musleah, Judy Jarrett (Illustrator)
A guidebook for children Grades 2 - 6 celebrating the Jewish New Year. Noting that seder means "order," and that the traditional foods are eaten in a prescribed sequence after specific blessings, the author includes a combination of both traditional Ashkenazic and Sephardic foods symbolizing prosperity. Each chapter gives a history of the fruit or vegetable as related to the Talmud, the blessing, a related story, activity, recipes, and "Think" boxes offering concepts and ideas that encourage meaningful family discussions through motivating questions.
by Rahel Musleah, Judy Jarrett (Illustrator)
A guidebook for children Grades 2 - 6 celebrating the Jewish New Year. Noting that seder means "order," and that the traditional foods are eaten in a prescribed sequence after specific blessings, the author includes a combination of both traditional Ashkenazic and Sephardic foods symbolizing prosperity. Each chapter gives a history of the fruit or vegetable as related to the Talmud, the blessing, a related story, activity, recipes, and "Think" boxes offering concepts and ideas that encourage meaningful family discussions through motivating questions.
by Peter W. Schroeder and Dagmar Schroeder-Hildebrand
Gr. 5-8. In rural Whitwell, Tennessee, all 1,600 residents are alike, "white, Anglo-Saxon, and Protestant." When the community middle school decided to teach diversity by focusing on the Holocaust, the students did not believe that the Nazis had killed six million Jews and five million others. To help them grasp the numbers, they collected 11 million paper clips, which they placed in a memorial made from a German World War II railcar. The paper clip image may seem trivial to some, and the authors don't deal with present-day racism and intolerance, with the exception of one student talking about being inspired to stop bullying. But the story of the memorial project, which reached out across the world, is interwoven with facts about the genocide, and the book's open design, with lots of color photos of contemporary kids and adults involved in building the memorial, will introduce the Holocaust to those who know nothing about it. This may also get students talking.
Josh
Discovers Passover! by Larry Stein
Ages 4-8 - - The Passover story is brought to life with fun narration and dynamic, full-color illustrations. Donning his magical tallit, Josh travels back in time to discover the meaning of Passover. Children and their parents accompany Josh as he travels with Moses, reliving all of the Passover tale's special moments, from seeing the burning bush to walking through the parted sea. Fascinating explanations of Passover traditions are included, as are multiple-choice questions designed to trigger discussion among the family and in the classroom.
Ages 4-8 - - The Passover story is brought to life with fun narration and dynamic, full-color illustrations. Donning his magical tallit, Josh travels back in time to discover the meaning of Passover. Children and their parents accompany Josh as he travels with Moses, reliving all of the Passover tale's special moments, from seeing the burning bush to walking through the parted sea. Fascinating explanations of Passover traditions are included, as are multiple-choice questions designed to trigger discussion among the family and in the classroom.
Miriam's
Cup : A Passover Story by Fran Manushkin
Gr. 2 - 4 -- Before the seder begins, Miriam's mom tells her children the story of Passover and of her namesake. Looking back to when the Jews were slaves in Egypt, she talks about six-year-old Miriam's foretelling the birth of her brother Moses, "who will set our people free," and about the plagues and the Israelites' escape, about Miriam's leading her people in song to celebrate freedom, and about the well of clear spring water that God created in Miriam's honor. After the story ends, Miriam is given a crystal goblet to be filled with water during the seder to celebrate the prophet. The text and the lush double-spread watercolors, which are painted to reflect a child's perspective, are framed on a papyrus background.
Gr. 2 - 4 -- Before the seder begins, Miriam's mom tells her children the story of Passover and of her namesake. Looking back to when the Jews were slaves in Egypt, she talks about six-year-old Miriam's foretelling the birth of her brother Moses, "who will set our people free," and about the plagues and the Israelites' escape, about Miriam's leading her people in song to celebrate freedom, and about the well of clear spring water that God created in Miriam's honor. After the story ends, Miriam is given a crystal goblet to be filled with water during the seder to celebrate the prophet. The text and the lush double-spread watercolors, which are painted to reflect a child's perspective, are framed on a papyrus background.
In this one-of-a-kind children's Haggadah, the mysterious and mischievous Uncle Eli retells the story of the Passover. The book's enchanting rhymes and vivid illustrations breathe new life into the events, personalities, and rituals of the traditional Haggadah. You'll meet a cast of hilarious sages and unforgettable creatures including the Two-Headed Dray, Jacky the Juggler, Abie the Afikoman-thief, a six-legged moose named Harold, and Uncle Eli himself.
Kindergarten-Grade 4 - Expands on the traditional Haggadah by including pre-seder tradition, child-oriented songs, plays, and crafts. This haggadah retains almost all of the core readings and blessings in some form and explains them in a meaningful way and makes it accessible by transliterating the Hebrew and describing many of the traditions in more depth than is usual
Grade 3-7--Kimmel gloriously celebrates the Passover Seder, an evening of observances, history, remembrances, and family sharing. Using the Haggadah, or "the telling," as a guide, he weaves together storytelling, narrative, recipes, songs, and prayers. Contributors include Nina Jaffe, Debbie Friedman, and Sadie Rose Weilerstein. The marvelous selection of art--paintings, photographs, artifacts, and illustrations from historical Haggadahs--illuminates each step in the service. Hebrew prayers are transliterated and translated and recipes include both Ashkenazic and Sephardic favorites.
Cakes
and Miracles, by Barbara Diamond Goldin
PreSchool-Grade 3-- Hershel , blinded by a childhood illness, is bored and misbehaves in school. What he loves to do most is mold the mud on the riverbank into imaginary landscapes. One night, he dreams that an angel tells him to make what he sees in his imagination; drawn to the malleable dough in his mother's kitchen, so much like the cool mud of the river bank, he sculpts cookies in the shapes of the marvelous images he sees in his mind, and helps his mother sell them for Purim. This original tale, set in Eastern Europe in the late 19th century, satisfies on many levels. The fluid writing has grace and beauty. Appended is the story of Purim and a recipe for hamantashen , those delectable three cornered pastries.
PreSchool-Grade 3-- Hershel , blinded by a childhood illness, is bored and misbehaves in school. What he loves to do most is mold the mud on the riverbank into imaginary landscapes. One night, he dreams that an angel tells him to make what he sees in his imagination; drawn to the malleable dough in his mother's kitchen, so much like the cool mud of the river bank, he sculpts cookies in the shapes of the marvelous images he sees in his mind, and helps his mother sell them for Purim. This original tale, set in Eastern Europe in the late 19th century, satisfies on many levels. The fluid writing has grace and beauty. Appended is the story of Purim and a recipe for hamantashen , those delectable three cornered pastries.
The
Myster Bear: A Children's Story by Leone Adelson
When Little Bear wakes up from hibernation and goes off in search of something to eat, the smells of a delicious feast draw him to a nearby house. The people inside are having a wonderful time and are delighted to welcome the stranger in a bear costume—after all, it's Purim, when lots of people dress up! Little Itzik suspects that the stranger might actually be a real bear, but everyone else is having too much fun to pay attention to his warnings. The comical story and Naomi Howland's bright, jolly illustrations capture the noisy and cheerful spirit of a favorite holiday, which falls on March 25 in 2005. Includes an Author's Note about the celebration of Purim.
When Little Bear wakes up from hibernation and goes off in search of something to eat, the smells of a delicious feast draw him to a nearby house. The people inside are having a wonderful time and are delighted to welcome the stranger in a bear costume—after all, it's Purim, when lots of people dress up! Little Itzik suspects that the stranger might actually be a real bear, but everyone else is having too much fun to pay attention to his warnings. The comical story and Naomi Howland's bright, jolly illustrations capture the noisy and cheerful spirit of a favorite holiday, which falls on March 25 in 2005. Includes an Author's Note about the celebration of Purim.
The
Purim Surprise by Lesley Simpson
K-Gr 4 - When Naomi Levin moves to a new town three days before her seventh birthday and the Jewish holiday of Purim, she struggles with the discomfort of being a stranger in a strange place. Her mother suggests that they break the ice with their new neighbors by giving them traditional Purim treats. For two days they ignore the moving boxes and set to baking hamantaschen, buying candy, packing up the goodies, and delivering them to every Jewish family in town. What Naomi doesn't know is that an invitation to celebrate her birthday is included with the sweets, resulting in a wonderful Purim surprise party complete with costumes, gifts, and lots of new friends. Though somewhat stilted, the cheerful illustrations successfully convey the loving relationship between parent and child. More than a simple holiday tale, this is a satisfying story about the value of giving.
K-Gr 4 - When Naomi Levin moves to a new town three days before her seventh birthday and the Jewish holiday of Purim, she struggles with the discomfort of being a stranger in a strange place. Her mother suggests that they break the ice with their new neighbors by giving them traditional Purim treats. For two days they ignore the moving boxes and set to baking hamantaschen, buying candy, packing up the goodies, and delivering them to every Jewish family in town. What Naomi doesn't know is that an invitation to celebrate her birthday is included with the sweets, resulting in a wonderful Purim surprise party complete with costumes, gifts, and lots of new friends. Though somewhat stilted, the cheerful illustrations successfully convey the loving relationship between parent and child. More than a simple holiday tale, this is a satisfying story about the value of giving.
Raisel's
Riddle by Erica Silverman
K-Gr 3-In this Jewish holiday variant of the Cinderella story, Raisel, the granddaughter of a learned scholar, uses her wits to win the rabbi's son. After Raisel's grandfather dies, the orphaned girl moves from her Polish village to a large city and goes to work in the kitchen of a rabbi. On the night of the Purim ball, she feeds an old woman who gives her three wishes for her kindness, thus allowing Raisel to attend the ball and tell the rabbi's son a riddle that wins his heart.
K-Gr 3-In this Jewish holiday variant of the Cinderella story, Raisel, the granddaughter of a learned scholar, uses her wits to win the rabbi's son. After Raisel's grandfather dies, the orphaned girl moves from her Polish village to a large city and goes to work in the kitchen of a rabbi. On the night of the Purim ball, she feeds an old woman who gives her three wishes for her kindness, thus allowing Raisel to attend the ball and tell the rabbi's son a riddle that wins his heart.
