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Book Lists

Book Lists

Jewish American Heritage Month

Books featuring Jewish American authors and themes.

Jewish American Heritage Month Picture Books

Books for kids to about 8 years old.

G, Mister, author.
JEASY G
"Text based on a Hebrew lullaby tells the story of a Jewish refugee family traveling by night to find a safe home in a new land"-- Provided by publisher.

Kimmelman, Leslie, author.
JEASY KIM
A tour of Israel profiles such sites as the Old City of Jerusalem, modern Tel Aviv, and the Biblical Zoo while introducing the region's diverse cultures and customs.

Taback, Simms.
JEASY TAB
A very old overcoat is recycled numerous times into a variety of garments.

Edwards, Michelle, author.
JEASY EDW
Sophia knits a special hat for her elderly neighbor and knitting teacher, Mrs. Goldman.

Markel, Michelle.
J BIO LEMLICH
An illustrated account of immigrant Clara Lemlich's pivotal role in the influential 1909 women laborer's strike describes how she worked grueling hours to acquire an education and support her family before organizing a massive walkout to protest the unfair working conditions in New York's garment district.

Taback, Simms.
J 398.2 TAB
Thirteen brief, illustrated, traditional Jewish tales, each accompanied by an appropriate saying.

Samuel, Sigal, author.
J BIO BARZANI
Osnat Barzani, also known as Asnat or Asenath Barzani, the world's first female rabbi, was born almost five hundred years ago, during a time when few girls were allowed to read. Her father was a great scholar whose house was filled with books, and she convinced him to teach her. She grew up to teach others, becoming a wise and famous scholar in her own right.-- Adapted from inside front jacket flap, Amazon.com, and a Jerusalem Post article about the book.

Perlov, Betty Rosenberg.
JEASY PER
A young girl's family is part of a Yiddish theater performance group active in New York City.

Gelfand, Shoshana Boyd, author.
J 398.2089 GEL
These stories are for sharing. Gathered from many times and places, they explore the questions that challenge all of us: Why do bad things happen to good people? Is it more important to be kind or to be clever? Is truth the highest value? What happens after we die? Collected by Rabbi Shoshana Boyd Gelfand, these are tales to read together, talk about and above all to enjoy. Pass them on!

Schram, Peninnah.
J 398.2 SCH
A collection of classic Jewish folktales which emphasize values and moral lessons, each with an introduction that places it in context with other Jewish teachings.

Schwartz, Amy.
JEASY SCH
Tired of kindergarten, Bea Jones trades "jobs" with her father, who works in an office.

Wayland, April Halprin.
JEASY WAY
On Rosh Hashanah, Izzy and his family make lists of the wrongs they have committed over the past year, and after they have apologized, they throw pieces of bread into the water to "clean their hearts" in a ceremony called tashlich.

Forest, Heather.
J 398.2 FOR
Unable to stand his overcrowded and noisy home any longer, a man goes to the wise old woman who lives nearby for advice.

Singer, Marilyn, author.
J 811.54 SIN
"This warm and engaging poetry collection that follows a family of five as they discover and celebrate all of the Jewish holidays"-- Provided by publisher.

Behar, Ruth, 1956- author.
J PIC+ SP BEH
Hogar significa esperanza en tiempos de cambio. Hogar significa mazal bueno en un nuevo comienzo. Hogar es una llave a las historias de familia que no se ovidan.

Behar, Ruth, 1956- author.
J PIC+ BEH
Estrella learns about her Cuban and Jewish heritage as she helps her aunt move from her Miami apartment to an assisted living community.

Newman, Lesléa, author.
JEASY NEW
Inside the house, a boy prepares for the Passover ritual of welcoming Elijah--meanwhile, outside the house, a kitten lingers in the cold.

Newman, Tracy, 1971- author.
J BIO PERLMAN
"Before becoming one of the greatest violinists of all time, Itzhak Perlman was simply a boy who loved music. Raised by a poor immigrant family in a tiny Tel Aviv apartment, baby Itzhak was transformed by the sounds from his family’s kitchen radio—graceful classical symphonies, lively klezmer tunes, and soulful cantorial chants. The rich melodies and vibrant rhythms spoke to him like magic, filling his mind with vivid rainbows of color. After begging his parents for an instrument, Itzhak threw his heart and soul into playing the violin. Despite enormous obstacles—including a near-fatal bout of polio that left him crippled for life—Itzhak persevered, honing his extraordinary gift. When he performed on the Ed Sullivan Show sat only 13, audiences around the world were mesmerized by the warmth, joy, and passion in every note. Gorgeously illustrated with extensive back matter, this picture-book biography recounts Itzhak’s childhood journey—from a boy with a dream to an internationally acclaimed violin virtuoso." -- Amazon.com

Cohen, Paula (Illustrator), author, illustrator.
JEASY COH
When the opportunity arises, Shirley, the daughter of immigrants who live above their corner grocery store, turns some overlooked gefilte fish into a marketing strategy that changes the flavor of the neighborhood.

Jewish American Heritage Juvenile Literature

Books for kids 8 and over

Sass, A. J., author.
J FICTION SAS
Shai, a thirteen-year-old nonbinary homeschooler, attempts to find a "new normal" post-pandemic as they start public school, meet new friends, and learn about their Jewish identity.

Drazin, Meira, author.
J FICTION DRA
When eleven-year-old Milla's best friend Honey joins her school for sixth grade Milla finds herself in her friend's shadow, but as the year progresses through the Jewish holidays Milla trys to cope with the tensions and the dramas of school--including the death of a beloved teacher.

Mercado, Yehudi, author, illustrations.
J GN BIO MERCADO
"Hudi needs to lose weight, according to his doctors. Concerned about the serious medical issue Hudi had when he was younger, his parents push him to try out for sports. Hudi would rather do anything else, but then he meets Chunky, his imaginary friend and mascot. Together, they decide to give baseball a shot. As the only Mexican and Jewish kid in his neighborhood, Hudi has found the cheerleader he never had. Baseball doesn't go well (unless getting hit by the ball counts), but the two friends have a great time drawing and making jokes. While Hudi's parents keep trying to find the right sport for Hudi, Chunky encourages him to pursue his true love--comedy. But when Hudi's dad loses his job, it gets harder for Hudi to chart his own course, even with Chunky's guidance. Can Chunky help Hudi stay true to himself or will this friendship strike out?" -- Jacket flap.

Pasternack, Sofiya, author.
JAUDIO DISC FICTION PASTERNACK
In an alternate ninth century, twelve-year-old Anya and a new friend face a Viking and a Tsar to protect the water dragon that saved her life, putting her family's home at risk.

Blume, Judy, author.
J FICTION BLU
Faced with the difficulties of growing up and choosing a religion, a twelve-year-old girl talks over her problems with her own private God.

Blume, Judy
Sheila Tubman sometimes wonders who she really is: the outgoing, witty, and capable Sheila the Great, or the secret Sheila, who's afraid of the dark, spiders, swimming, and dogs. When her family spends the summer in Tarrytown, Sheila has to face some of her worst fears. Not only does a dog come with the rented house, but her parents expect Sheila to take swimming lessons! Sheila does her best to pretend she's an expert at everything, but she knows she isn't fooling her new best friend, Mouse Ellis, who happens to be a crackerjack swimmer and a dog lover. What will it take for Sheila to admit to the Tarrytown kids — and to herself — that she's only human?
This electronic resource is available through the SCPL catalog.
View on SCPL catalog

Winter, Jonah, 1962-
J BIO KOUFAX
In this striking picture book biography, an old-timer tells us what made Sandy Koufax so amazing. We learn that the beginning of his career with the Brooklyn Dodgers was rocky, that he was shy with his teammates, and experienced discrimination as one of the only Jews in the game. We hear that he actually quit, only to return the next season--different--firing one rocket after another over the plate. We watch him refuse to play in the 1965 World Series because it is a Jewish high holy day. And we see him in pain because of an overused left arm, eventually retiring at the peak of his career. Finally, we are told that people are still "scratchin' their heads over Sandy," who remains a modest hero and a mystery to this day.

Deutsch, Barry.
J GN FICTION DEU #1
Eleven-year-old Mirka Herschberg dreams of fighting dragons and spends her days honing her skills, even though there are no dragons in her Orthodox Jewish community, but when she accepts a challenge from a mysterious witch, Mirka just might win her dragon-fighting sword after all.

Perl, Erica S., author.
J FICTION PER
While preparing for their bar mitzvahs, comedy-obsessed Noah and Dash find their friendship threatened by a personal tragedy.

Taylor, Sydney, 1904-1978.
J FICTION TAY
The adventures of five sisters growing up in a Jewish family in New York in the early twentieth century.

Kapit, Sarah, author.
J FICTION KAP
Eleven-year-old knuckleball pitcher Vivy Cohen, who has autism, becomes pen pals with her favorite Major League baseball player after writing a letter to him as an assignment for her social skills class.

Weissman, Elissa Brent, author.
J FICTION WEI
Twelve-year-old Imani, the only black girl in Hebrew school, is preparing for her bat mitzvah and hoping to find her birthparents when she discovers the history of adoption in her own family through her great-grandma Anna's Holocaust-era diary.

J 398.2 IN
A collection of stories from the early- and mid-20th century Yiddish literary tradition, in a variety of genres, by Eastern European writers such as Moyshe Nadir, Jacob Reisfeder, and Sonya Kantor.

Alexander, Lori, author.
J BIO GUTTMANN
"Telling the inspiring human story behind the creation of the Paralympics, this chapter book biography artfully combines archival photos, full-color illustrations, and a riveting narrative to honor the life of Ludwig Guttmann, whose work profoundly changed so many lives"-- Provided by publisher.

Rosenstock, Barb, author.
J BIO CHAGALL
"Known for both his paintings and stained-glass windows, Marc Chagall rose from humble beginnings to become one of the world's most renowned artists. Admired for his use of color and the powerful emotion in his work, Chagall led a career that spanned decades and continents, and he never stopped growing. This lyrical narrative shows readers, through many different windows, the pre-WWI childhood and wartime experiences that shaped Chagall's path."--Publisher's description.

Levinson, Cynthia, author.
J BIO SHAHN
""The first thing I can remember," Ben said, "I drew." As an observant young child growing up in Lithuania, Ben Shahn yearns to draw everything he sees-and, after seeing his father banished by the Czar for demanding workers' rights, he develops a keen sense of justice, too. So when Ben and the rest of his family make their way to America, Ben brings with him both his sharp artistic eye and his desire to fight for what's right. As he grows, he speaks for justice through his art-from challenging classmates who bully him for being Jewish, to resisting his teachers' calls to paint beautiful landscapes in favor of painting stories true to life, to using his work to urge the US government to pass Depression-era laws that help people find food and security. In this moving and timely portrait, award-winning author and illustrator Cynthia Levinson and Evan Turk honor an artist, immigrant, and activist whose work still resonates today: a true painter for the people"-- Provided by publisher.

Jewish American Heritage Month Teen (YA) Titles

Arnold, Elana K., author.
YA FICTION ARN
From Michael L. Printz honoree & National Book Award finalist Elana K. Arnold comes the harrowing story of a young girl's struggle to survive the Holocaust in Romania. Frederieke Teitler and her older sister, Astra, live in a house, in a city, in a world divided. Their father ran out on them when Rieke was only six, leaving their mother a wreck and their grandfather as their only stable family. He's done his best to provide for them and shield them from antisemitism, but now, seven years later, being a Jew has become increasingly dangerous, even in their beloved home of Czernowitz, long considered a safe haven for Jewish people. And when Astra falls in love and starts pulling away from her, Rieke wonders if there's anything in her life she can count on-and, if so, if she has the power to hold on to it.Then-war breaks out in Europe.First the Russians, then the Germans, invade Czernowitz. Almost overnight, Rieke and Astra's world changes, and every day becomes a struggle: to keep their grandfather's business, to keep their home, to keep their lives. Rieke has long known that she exists in a world defined by those who have power and those who do not, and as those powers close in around her, she must decide whether holding on to her life might mean letting go of everything that has ever mattered to her-and if that's a choice she will even have the chance to make. Based on the true experiences of her grandmother's childhood in Holocaust-era Romania, award-winning author Elana K. Arnold weaves an unforgettable tale of love and loss in the darkest days of the twentieth century-and one young woman's will to survive them.

Adler, Dahlia, author.
YA FICTION ADL
Told in alternating timelines, Jewish seventeen-year-old Natalya spends one summer in New York with her dad, trying to muster the courage to talk to her girl crush, and the other in Los Angeles with her estranged mom, going for a guy she never saw coming.

Romero, R. M. (Rachael Maria), 1987- author.
YA FICTION ROM
Swan maiden Hilde sacrifices her magical wings to seek freedom in the human world, but when her pact with an upstart baron takes her to the court of Ludwig II, she struggles to fit in, and only Jewish artist Franz, who has the power to paint souls, can help her escape her newfound prison.

Reynolds, Hannah, 1988- author.
YA FICTION REY
Sixteen-year-old Shira is on a mission to find the perfect boyfriend over Hanukkah, but after getting snowed in on Nantucket with her nemesis-slash-former-crush, her plans begin to go off the rails.

Blum, Isaac, author.
YA FICTION BLU
"Hoodie Rosen's life isn't that bad. Sure, his entire Orthodox Jewish community has just picked up and moved to the quiet, mostly non-Jewish town of Tregaron, but Hoodie's world hasn't changed that much. He's got basketball to play, studies to avoid, and a supermarket full of delicious kosher snacks to eat. The people of Tregaron aren't happy that so many Orthodox Jews are moving in at once, but that's not Hoodie's problem. That is, until he meets and falls for Anna-Marie Diaz-O'Leary - who happens to be the daughter of the obstinate mayor trying to keep Hoodie's community out of the town. And things only get more complicated when Tregaron is struck by a series of antisemitic crimes that quickly escalate to deadly violence. As his community turns on him for siding with the enemy, Hoodie finds himself caught between his first love and the only world he's ever known".-- Publisher's description.

Polydoros, Aden, author.
YA FICTION POL
"Death lurks around every corner in this unforgettable Jewish historical fantasy about a city, a boy, and the shadows of the past that bind them both together. Chicago, 1893. For Alter Rosen, this is the land of opportunity, and he dreams of the day he'll have enough money to bring his mother and sisters to America, freeing them from the oppression they face in his native Romania. But when Alter's best friend, Yakov, becomes the latest victim in a long line of murdered Jewish boys, his dream begins to slip away. While the rest of the city is busy celebrating the World's Fair, Alter is now living a nightmare: possessed by Yakov's dybbuk, he is plunged into a world of corruption and deceit, and thrown back into the arms of a dangerous boy from his past. A boy who means more to Alter than anyone knows. Now, with only days to spare until the dybbuk takes over Alter's body completely, the two boys must race to track down the killer--before the killer claims them next"-- Amazon.com.

Rosen, Lev AC, author.
YA FICTION ROS
At Camp Outland, a camp for LGBTQIA teens, sixteen-year-old Randall "Del" Kapplehoff's plan to have Hudson Aaronson-Lim fall in love with him succeeds, but both are hiding their true selves

Feder, Tyler, author, artist, letterer.
YA GN 362.175 FED
"Tyler Feder shares her story of her mother's first oncology appointment to facing reality as a motherless daughter in this frank and refreshingly funny graphic memoir."-- Provided by publisher

Silverman, Laura, author.
YA FICTION SIL
Shoshanna Greenburg loves her job at the bookstore, Once Upon, until Jake Kaplan joins the staff, a handsome non-reader who challenges her for a bonus she needs.

Solomon, Rachel Lynn, author.
YA FICTION SOL
Aspiring choreographer Sophie Orenstein, eighteen, wonders if seventeen-year-old Peter Rosenthal-Porter, gifted pianist, best friend, and secret crush, will love her back after receiving her kidney.

Thompson, Holly.
YA FICTION THO
Sent to Japan for the summer after an eighth-grade classmate's suicide, half-Japanese, half-Jewish Kana Goldberg tries to fit in with relatives she barely knows and reflects on the guilt she feels over the tragedy back home.