The Book of Life

A Practical Guide to Dating a Demon

heidi@cbiboca.org (Heidi Estrin) — Mon, 1 Jun 2026 00:01:00 -0400

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🕮 A Practical Guide to Dating a Demon is Hannah Reynolds' first foray into fantasy, following a string of contemporary romances. It's a fun, swoony, slow burn romantasy set at a school of magic in an immersive Jewish fantasy realm. I really enjoyed it and I think it will make a great beach read this summer!

LEARN MORE:

Hannah Reynolds’ website and Instagram
Buy A Practical Guide to Dating a Demon
The Jewish Book Garden’s Summer Reading Club
BookBub (Hannah’s day job)
Bonus content on Substack

CREDITS:

Produced by Feldman Children's Library at Congregation B'nai Israel
Co-sponsored by the Association of Jewish Libraries
Sister podcast: Nice Jewish Books
Theme Music: The Freilachmakers Klezmer String Band
Newsletter: bookoflifepodcast.substack.com
Facebook Discussion Group: Jewish Kidlit Mavens
Facebook Page: Facebook.com/bookoflifepodcast
Instagram: @bookoflifepodcast
Support the Podcast: Shop or Donate

Your feedback is welcome! Please write to bookoflifepodcast@gmail.com or leave a voicemail at 561-206-2473.

Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 2.5 License.

The Jewish Book Garden

heidi@cbiboca.org (Heidi Estrin) — Sun, 3 May 2026 00:00:00 -0400

LISTEN TO THE PODCAST | READ THE TRANSCRIPT | VISIT THE JEWISH BOOK GARDEN

🕮 My friend Susan Kusel has all the Jewish literary bases covered. She's an author, she's a synagogue librarian, she's been a buyer for a bookstore, and like me, she's a past chair of the Sydney Taylor Book Award committee. We are basically Best Book Buddies, and we do a lot of projects together to promote Jewish kidlit.

Our newest project is The Jewish Book Garden, a website/newsletter on Substack. In this episode, Susan and I break down what The Jewish Book Garden is, who it's for, and what you can expect to find in your inbox when you subscribe to it. Don't miss our announcements about our Summer Reading Club and our new Zoom discussion group!

LEARN MORE:

The Jewish Book Garden
The Jewish Book Garden Summer Reading Club
Jewish American Heritage Month | Canadian Jewish Heritage Month
Heidi's Tikkun Olam suggestion: support Indivisible.org
Susan Kusel’s website
Susan’s Share Your Shelf bonus segment
Susan’s past appearances on The Book of Life:

o January 2018: The Big Reveal, 2018 Sydney Taylor Book Award Winners
o January 2019: Beyond the Holocaust and Holidays: A Writing Symposium
o January 2019: The 2019 Sydney Taylor Book & Manuscript Award Winners
o October 2020: The Mitzvah of Voting
o January 2021: The Sydney Taylor Shmooze
o March 2021: The Passover Guest
o February 2022: The 2022 Sydney Taylor Book Award Blog Tour: The Gold Medalists
o April 2022: Holiday Highlights: The Best New Passover Books

CREDITS:

Produced by Feldman Children's Library at Congregation B'nai Israel
Co-sponsored by the Association of Jewish Libraries
Sister podcast: Nice Jewish Books
Theme Music: The Freilachmakers Klezmer String Band
Newsletter: bookoflifepodcast.substack.com
Facebook Discussion Group: Jewish Kidlit Mavens
Facebook Page: Facebook.com/bookoflifepodcast
Instagram: @bookoflifepodcast
Support the Podcast: Shop or Donate

Your feedback is welcome! Please write to bookoflifepodcast@gmail.com or leave a voicemail at 561-206-2473.

Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 2.5 License.

Candles & Memories

heidi@cbiboca.org (Heidi Estrin) — Sun, 12 Apr 2026 00:01:00 -0400

LISTEN TO THE PODCAST | READ THE TRANSCRIPT | BUY ALISON'S & RICHARD'S BOOKS

🕮 I recently heard a piece on NPR about the little jars that hold yarhzeit memorial candles, and how some people repurpose these glasses to hold juice or to use as cookie cutters. It was an interesting look at how death is treated as a part of life in the Jewish tradition. That concept is very beautifully conveyed by the two picture books we'll be talking about in this episode. My guests are Alison Goldberg, author of The Remembering Candle, and Richard Ho, author of A Flame Burns On.

LEARN MORE:

Alison Goldberg’s website and Instagram
Richard Ho’s website and Instagram
Buy The Remembering Candle | Eighteen Flowers for Grandma
Buy A Flame Burns On | Two New Years
Suggested read-alikes: Goodbye: A First Conversation About Grief, Something Sweet: A Sitting Shiva Story, I Wish That You Knew
Tikkun olam suggestion: support Food Research & Action Center, frac.org
NPR story on yahrzeit candles
Bonus content on Substack

CREDITS:

Produced by Feldman Children's Library at Congregation B'nai Israel
Co-sponsored by the Association of Jewish Libraries
Sister podcast: Nice Jewish Books
Theme Music: The Freilachmakers Klezmer String Band
Newsletter: bookoflifepodcast.substack.com
Facebook Discussion Group: Jewish Kidlit Mavens
Facebook Page: Facebook.com/bookoflifepodcast
Instagram: @bookoflifepodcast
Support the Podcast: Shop or Donate

Your feedback is welcome! Please write to bookoflifepodcast@gmail.com or leave a voicemail at 561-206-2473.

Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 2.5 License.

The Passover Pet Surprise

heidi@cbiboca.org (Heidi Estrin) — Sun, 22 Mar 2026 00:30:00 -0400

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🕮 Argentine author Ana María Shua has written over 100 books and is super famous in Latin America but The Passover Pet Surprise is her first Jewish children's book. As you'd expect from such an accomplished writer, it's a well told, heartwarming story with a hint of ambiguity, which works well during a holiday where we are commanded both to retell and to inquire!

LEARN MORE:

Author Ana María Shua’s website (in Spanish)
Illustrator Ángeles Ruiz’s website
Buy The Passover Pet Surprise or La gran sorpresa de Pésaj
Read Heidi’s review of The Passover Pet Surprise on The Jewish Book Garden
Tikkun Olam suggestion: support Magen David Adom
Bonus content for this episode on Substack

CREDITS:

Produced by Feldman Children's Library at Congregation B'nai Israel
Co-sponsored by the Association of Jewish Libraries
Sister podcast: Nice Jewish Books
Theme Music: The Freilachmakers Klezmer String Band
Newsletter: bookoflifepodcast.substack.com
Facebook Discussion Group: Jewish Kidlit Mavens
Facebook Page: Facebook.com/bookoflifepodcast
Instagram: @bookoflifepodcast
Support the Podcast: Shop or Donate

Your feedback is welcome! Please write to bookoflifepodcast@gmail.com or leave a voicemail at 561-206-2473.

Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 2.5 License.

Trouble Finds Evie Lefkowitz

heidi@cbiboca.org (Heidi Estrin) — Sun, 8 Mar 2026 00:30:00 -0500

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🕮 If you enjoy a good heist story, here's one with a lot of heart. Trouble Finds Evie Lefkowitz is a middle grade novel about a Jewish girl who gets into good trouble in order to right a wrong. Banding together with friends and frenemies helps her expand her thinking and bring more generosity into the world.

LEARN MORE:

Diana Harmon Asher’s website, Instagram, and Facebook
Buy Trouble Finds Evie Lefkowitz, Sidetracked, and Upstaged
Diana’s Tikkun Olam suggestion: donate to food banks at community colleges

CREDITS:

Produced by Feldman Children's Library at Congregation B'nai Israel
Co-sponsored by the Association of Jewish Libraries
Sister podcast: Nice Jewish Books
Theme Music: The Freilachmakers Klezmer String Band
Newsletter: bookoflifepodcast.substack.com
Facebook Discussion Group: Jewish Kidlit Mavens
Facebook Page: Facebook.com/bookoflifepodcast
Instagram: @bookoflifepodcast
Twitter: @bookoflifepod
Support the Podcast: Shop or Donate

Your feedback is welcome! Please write to bookoflifepodcast@gmail.com or leave a voicemail at 561-206-2473.

Shabbat Shalom, Let's Rest and Reset

heidi@cbiboca.org (Heidi Estrin) — Sun, 22 Feb 2026 08:00:00 -0500

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🕮 If you've ever read books to a baby or toddler, you're familiar with board books, those small sturdy books with stiff cardboard pages that can withstand drool and rough handling. But just because these books are designed for babies doesn't mean they are baby-ish. Suzy Ultman's deceptively simple storytelling in board book format has brought about a historic moment. For the first time ever, a board book has won a Sydney Taylor Book Award.

Among the four Jewish board books Suzy has created so far, the one that got her the gold was Shabbat Shalom, Let's Rest and Reset. Her signature bright, quirky, cheerful art, paired with reassuring, calming text, invites us to stop all the doing and just be. If you need to give a baby gift, I highly recommend one or all of Suzy's Jewish board books... but you might actually want to get copies for yourself because they are like tiny mantras about Jewish concepts and Jewish pride.

LEARN MORE:

Suzy Ultman’s website and Instagram
Buy Shabbat Shalom, I Like Your Chutzpah, It’s a Mitzvah, and How Do You Jew?
Creative Bug online classes from Suzy Ultman
Heidi’s tikkun olam suggestion: use Democracy.io to email your reps

CREDITS:

Produced by Feldman Children's Library at Congregation B'nai Israel
Co-sponsored by the Association of Jewish Libraries
Sister podcast: Nice Jewish Books
Theme Music: The Freilachmakers Klezmer String Band
Newsletter: bookoflifepodcast.substack.com
Facebook Discussion Group: Jewish Kidlit Mavens
Facebook Page: Facebook.com/bookoflifepodcast
Instagram: @bookoflifepodcast
Twitter: @bookoflifepod
Support the Podcast: Shop or Donate

Your feedback is welcome! Please write to bookoflifepodcast@gmail.com or leave a voicemail at 561-206-2473.

The Keeper of Stories

heidi@cbiboca.org (Heidi Estrin) — Mon, 9 Feb 2026 00:01:00 -0500

LISTEN TO THE PODCAST | READ THE TRANSCRIPT | BUY THE BOOK

🕮 Welcome to the 17th annual Sydney Taylor Book Award Blog Tour, taking place February 9-12, 2026! When AJL started this project in 2009, blog tours were all the rage. Today, the concept of a virtual book tour still holds up, bringing awareness of the Sydney Taylor winners to audiences far and wide.

I am participating in the Blog Tour by interviewing Caroline Kusin Pritchard and Selina Alko, author and illustrator of The Keeper of Stories, which was a Sydney Taylor Honor Book in the Picture Book category. As a librarian, I love the idea of a library as a keeper of stories, a place where stories and history are kept safe for generations to come.

LEARN MORE:

Here’s the schedule for the 2026 Blog Tour
Here’s the archive of all past blog tours, beginning in 2009
Caroline Kusin Prichard’s website and Instagram
Selina Alko’s website and Instagram
Buy The Keeper of Stories, The Day the Books Disappeared, The Remembering Candle, and Otherwise Known as Judy the Great
Article in PEN America about censoring censorship, “Don’t Mention It”
Video by Adam Gidwitz on the value of school visits
Geraldine Brooks, The People of the Book, on The Book of Life in 2008
Caroline’s podcast, Kidlit Happy Hour

CREDITS:

Produced by Feldman Children's Library at Congregation B'nai Israel
Co-sponsored by the Association of Jewish Libraries
Sister podcast: Nice Jewish Books
Theme Music: The Freilachmakers Klezmer String Band
Newsletter: bookoflifepodcast.substack.com
Facebook Discussion Group: Jewish Kidlit Mavens
Facebook Page: Facebook.com/bookoflifepodcast
Instagram: @bookoflifepodcast
Twitter: @bookoflifepod
Support the Podcast: Shop or Donate

Your feedback is welcome! Please write to bookoflifepodcast@gmail.com or leave a voicemail at 561-206-2473.

#STBA #AJL #jewishbooks #kidlit

The 2026 Sydney Taylor Book Awards, Revealed!

heidi@cbiboca.org (Heidi Estrin) — Mon, 26 Jan 2026 12:00:00 -0500

LISTEN TO THE PODCAST | READ THE TRANSCRIPT

🕮 The winners of the 2026 Sydney Taylor Book Awards, recognizing the best Jewish children’s and young adult literature of the year, were announced on January 26, 2026 at the American Library Association’s Youth Media Awards event. Melanie Koss is the current chair of the Sydney Taylor Book Award committee, and she joined me on the podcast to discuss the 2026 winners of the award.

LEARN MORE:

Sydney Taylor Book Awards
The Sydney Taylor Portal
ALA’s YouTube channel, where you can watch a recording of the announcement
Heidi’s unofficial 2026 Sydney Taylor shortlist
Get more Jewish kidlit news & calls to action in The Book of Life Substack newsletter

2026 SYDNEY TAYLOR BOOK AWARDS

Picture Book Winner: Shabbat Shalom, Let's Rest and Reset written and illustrated by Suzy Ultman, published by Rise x Penguin Workshop

Middle Grade Winner: Neshama by Marcella Pixley, published by Candlewick

Young Adult Winner: D.J. Rosenblum Becomes the G.O.A.T. by Abby White, published by Levine Querido

~~~

Picture Book Honors

The Book of Candles: Eight Poems for Hanukkah by Laurel Snyder, illustrated by Leanne Hatch, published by Clarion Books

The Keeper of Stories by Caroline Kusin Pritchard, illustrated by Selina Alko, published by Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers

My Body Can by Laura Gehl, illustrated by Alexandra Colombo, published by Apples & Honey Press

Middle Grade Honors

Beinoni by Mari Lowe, published by Levine Querido

Young Adult Honors

The Rebel Girls of Rome by Jordyn Taylor, published by HarperCollins

~~~~

Picture Book Notables

Fanny's Big Idea: How Jewish Book Week Was Born by Richard Michelson, illustrated by Alyssa Russell, published by Rocky Pond Books

Finding Forgiveness by Rebecca Gardyn Levington, illustrated by Diana Mayo, published by Farrar, Straus & Giroux

The Remembering Candle by Alison Goldberg, illustrated by Selina Alko, published by Barefoot Books

Middle Grade Notables

A World Worth Saving by Kyle Lukoff, published by Dial Books

The Daughter of Auschwitz: The Girl Who Lived to Tell Her Story by Tova Friedman, published by Quill Tree Books

Right Back at You by Carolyn Mackler, published by Scholastic Press

Same Page by Elly Swartz, published by Delacorte Press

The Trouble with Secrets by Naomi Milliner, published by Quill Tree Books

Young Adult Notables

Leaving the Station by Jake Maia Arlow, published by Storytide

~~~~

2026 Body-of-Work Award Winner: Uri Shulevitz

2026 Sydney Taylor Manuscript Award Winner: “How to Catch a Mermaid (When You're Scared of the Sea)” by Jessica Russak-Hoffman.

CREDITS:

Produced by Feldman Children's Library at Congregation B'nai Israel
Co-sponsored by the Association of Jewish Libraries
Sister podcast: Nice Jewish Books
Theme Music: The Freilachmakers Klezmer String Band
Newsletter: bookoflifepodcast.substack.com
Facebook Discussion Group: Jewish Kidlit Mavens
Facebook Page: Facebook.com/bookoflifepodcast
Instagram: @bookoflifepodcast
Twitter: @bookoflifepod
Support the Podcast: Shop or Donate

Your feedback is welcome! Please write to bookoflifepodcast@gmail.com or leave a voicemail at 561-206-2473.

My Completely Unofficial 2026 Sydney Taylor Book Award Shortlist

heidi@cbiboca.org (Heidi Estrin) — Wed, 7 Jan 2026 00:00:00 -0500

It's time for my annual unofficial shortlist of potential Sydney Taylor Book Award winners! As you may know, in addition to interviewing authors of Jewish kidlit for many years, I'm a former member and chair of the Association of Jewish Libraries' Sydney Taylor Book Award Committee, and a cofounder of The Sydney Taylor Shmooze review blog, so I have a deep and abiding interest in seeking out the best Jewish kidlit of the year.

I'm not actually making predictions about what will win; rather, I'm telling you that these are books that I think deserve your attention (with the caveat that while I probably read the majority of Jewish children's or YA books published in 2025, I did not read ALL of them, so there may be other titles I'd consider worthy if I'd had the chance to read them). I've listed the titles within their age categories alphabetically by author's last name.Titles are linked to Bookshop.org for your purchasing convenience (when available); as an affiliate, The Book of Life benefits when you buy through these links.

We'll find out whether the actual Sydney Taylor Book Award Committee agrees with my choices when the winners are announced on January 26, 2026 at 11am ET, at the American Library Association's Youth Media Awards event! Also, watch The Book of Life Podcast webpage - after the announcement, I'll have a podcast interview with current Sydney Taylor Book Awards Chair, Melanie Koss.

BOARD BOOKS

Anyada Buena, Shanah Tova by Sarah Aroeste, illustrated by Maria Mola, Kar-Ben Publishing, 2025

This gently illustrated board book with its fall palette provides a Sephardic take on Rosh Hashanah, introducing Ladino vocabulary. Aroeste, whose authorly mission is to familiarize children with Ladino, has been busy this year. In 2025, she also published board books Bavajadas! That's Just Silly, and Uno, Dos, Tres: A Sephardic Counting Book. After so many years without Sephardic representation in kidlit, these books are extremely welcome. The author appeared on The Book of Life in 2022.

Mazel Toes by Audrey Barbakoff, illustrated by Annita Soble, The Collective Book Studio, 2025

While I am generally skeptical of rhyming books (they're so hard to do right), this one bounces along pleasantly. The Yiddish-sprinkled poetry of love for baby is sweet but the real star is the art. Each spread depicts a new generation of a Jewish family loving on its baby, from a shtetl group (complete with babushkas and samovar) to a modern interracial 2-dad family. In each subsequent scene we can recognize the grown child welcoming their own progeny. A photo album at the end sums it up. I would have liked some end notes identifying each time and place for my own edification, and young readers are unlikely to understand this aspect of the illustrations, but I appreciate the l'ador vador flavor and the feeling of Jewish continuity and love conveyed here.

Say Shalom All Day Long by Elizabeth Suneby, PJ Publishing, 2025

Very simple but skillfully combines the three meanings of shalom, hello goodby and peace, into each scenario, at a level preschoolers can understand. The protagonist appears to be a member of an interracial Jewish family, a side benefit.

It's a Mitzvah: Small Deeds with Big Heart written and illustrated by Suzy Ultman, Rise x Penguin Workshop, 2025

Suzy Ultman has burst onto the scene of Jewish board books with her quirky blocky art and her knack for distilling complex ideas into toddler-friendly language. Her first Jewish board book came out last year: I Like Your Chutzpah: And Other Yiddish Words You'll Like, as the first in a 4-part series, My First Books of Jewish Culture. It's a Mitzvah continues in the tradition of making the complex seem simple, and makes it personal by addressing the reader directly: "I like when you make a birthday card. It's simcha! (the mitzvah of cultivating happiness, joy, and celebration)." A mix of anthropomorphic animals, animated objects, and diverse humans populate the pages.

Shabbat Shalom: Let's Rest and Reset written and illustrated by Suzy Ultman, Rise x Penguin Workshop, 2025

Ultman has had a busy year! Shabbat Shalom does an amazing job of conveying the concept of Shabbat peace and the break from being busy busy busy. Amazingly user-friendly with tiny tots. In my opinion, the most effective Shabbat board book ever! This book was named to the Spring 2025 Holiday Highlights list by the Association of Jewish Libraries.

PICTURE BOOKS

Jason Belongs:The Story of Jason Schachter McKinney by Audrey Ades and Jason Schachter McKinney, illustrated by Isabel Muñoz, Kar-Ben Publishing, 2025

Jason Schachter McKinney is a musician and singer, who co-wrote this story about his experience growing up as a Jew of Color. This book does a beautiful job of showing how Jews of mixed heritage can be fully themselves without having to be "half" anything. It exposes the problems of racism within Jewish communities without scolding, simply by making it clear that Jews of Color are fully Jewish. The joyously bright illustrations are very expressive and flowy, with a musical feel to them.

Elsa's Chessboard by Jenny Andrus, illustrated by Julie Downing, Neal Porter Books, 2025

Andrus lovingly brings us the story of her own grandmother Elsa, and how her love of chess helped her connect with others throughout her life. Elsa and her Jewish family flee Vienna when WWII begins, which is the only significant marker of Jewish identity in the book. The story is beautifully told and the detailed illustrations are evocative of the work of Trina Schart Hyman, expressive and dynamic. I doubt that this book is "Jewish enough" for the Sydney Taylor committee, but I wanted to mention it because of its stellar quality.

Every Scoop of Light: A Story About Repairing the World by Ilene Cooper, illustrated by Omer Hoffmann, Abrams, 2025

This origin story is a great companion to last year's One Small Spark, which showed modern practice of tikkun olam. Here we have a compact retelling of the midrash about the vessels of light. Detailed, humorous illustrations depict God's gifts of happiness, wisdom, and so on as delightful anthropomorphic squiggles, and show a fascinating array of diverse ancient peoples. An author's note explains the story's source and the universality of the tikkun olam concept, and an illustrator's note explains the research and the choice to prioritize diverse representation over historical accuracy. While the book is consciously universal, it is also very Jewish: God is depicted only through sweeps of bright color, and is portrayed in partnership with humans, who dare to converse and even argue with their deity. A very accessible and enjoyable version of the tale, that I don't recall seeing since Gathering Sparks by Howard Schwartz in 2010. A great companion to Cooper's 2019 The Golden Rule.

My Body Can by Laura Gehl, illustrated by Alexandra Colombo, Apples & Honey Press, 2025

This deceptively simple book encourages audience movement by cleverly selecting action words that go with the seasons and unnamed holidays, such as "My body can spin" for Hanukkah (evoking dreidels, of course). The illustrations show a diverse array of kids, including not only a variety of skin tones but also a nonbinary child, a child in a wheelchair, one with a hearing aid, and a hairless child who may have alopecia or lost hair to chemo treatments. Even better, all the children are empowered; for instance, the wheelchair bound child is shown on the pages for "My body can hike" and "My body can march." A note from the author at the end suggests searching the illustrations for objects and Jewish holidays, and following up with more movement: "Can you pretend to blow a shofar?" The vibrant, joyful illustrations match the interactive energy the book puts forth. An excellent choice for very young readers.This book was named to the Fall 2025 Holiday Highlights list by the Association of Jewish Libraries. The author appeared on The Book of Life in 2016.

The Remembering Candle by Alison Goldberg, illustrated by Selina Alko, Barefoot Books, 2025

Alko's flowing collage art supports Goldberg's quiet text in this exploration of the yahrzeit candle and how it helps us remember loved ones who are gone. The remaining candle-burning time inspires the characters to think in deep and varied ways about the life of their late Grandpa. Last year Goldberg gave us Eighteen Flowers for Grandma: A Gift of Chai, and I love how she's creating high quality picture books about Jewish concepts that haven't received much picture book attention until now. The author and illustrator will appear on The Book of Life Podcast in 2026.

Many Things at Once by Veera Hiranandani, illustrated by Nadia Alam, Random House Studio, 2025

This quiet book is a very personal reflection on the author's own mixed Indian Hindu European Jewish identity. It reassures readers that it's okay to be many things at once, and to feel many things at once too. Excellent bibliotherapy, and very apropos in today's diverse world. The art is tender and expressive. Hiranandani is a master of the quiet, thoughtful picture book; my "best of" list last year included her picture book The Greatest, about a Jewish grandfather who is appreciated as the greatest by his grandkids. The author appeared on The Book of Life in 2022.

Eve and Adam Discover the World by Leslie Kimmelman, illustrated by Irina Avgustinovich, Apples & Honey Press, 2025

This sequel to 2023's Eve and Adam and Their Very First Day continues the portrayal of Eve as smart and feisty, and Adam as gentle and thoughtful. I love that the seminal tale of the forbidden fruit is reframed positively here as a story of learning and growth. Avgustinovich's bright and lively illustrations continue to wow, and Eve and Adam's brownish skin and dark hair can be interpreted as representing a variety of ethnicities, another plus. Kimmelman has also been tapped to follow in Dr. Seuss's footsteps; this year she came out with Horton Hears a Hanukkah Party which continues the saga of Who-ville. Not great literature, but nice to get Jewish rep in the world of Seuss. The author appeared on The Book of Life in 2020.

Fanny's Big Idea: How Jewish Book Week Was Born by Richard Michelson, illustrated by Alyssa Russell, Rocky Pond Books, 2025

Fanny Goldstein was a the librarian who invented Jewish Book Week (now Jewish Book Month) one hundred years ago in 1925. This picture book biography show us her inspiration ("The more you know about someone's life, the harder it is not to like them"), and gives us the scope of her work. She was an early advocate of "mirrors and windows," stocking books in her library for the various immigrant populations in her neighborhood and encouraging people to read beyond their own identities. She's a key figure in Jewish literary history and I'm so glad that we now have this accessible and beautifully illustrated picture book biography. Makes a great companion to Michelson's 2024 book, One of a Kind: The Life of Sydney Taylor, which was featured on The Book of Life in 2025.

More Than Enough: Inspired by Maimonides' Golden Ladder of Giving by Richard Michelson, illustrated by Joe Cepeda, Peachtree, 2025

This is the only picture book I've ever seen based on the Golden Ladder of Giving, and it does an admirable job of absorbing the lesson about tzedakah into a compelling story. We see the emotional growth of young Moses (named in honor of Maimonides) as he learns to embrace generosity. Poetic, rhythmic text combines perfectly with Cepeda's gritty yet cheerful art. The author appeared on The Book of Life to talk about this title in 2025.

Next Year in the White House: Barack Obama's First Presidential Seder by Richard Michelson, illustrated by E.B. Lewis, Crown Books for Young Readers, 2025

When Barack Obama was on the campaign trail, some of his Jewish staffers put together a makeshift seder for Passover. Obama joined in the festivities and later turned the seder into a White House tradition. This is a solid historical picture book about a significant act of inclusion, all the more precious in today's contentious political scene. E.B. Lewis's paintings shine. This book was named to the Spring 2025 Holiday Highlights list by the Association of Jewish Libraries. A blog interview with one of the Jewish staffers appeared on The Book of Life in 2025.

What Louis Brandeis Knows: A Crusader for Social Justice Becomes a Supreme Court Justice by Richard Michelson, illustrated by Stacy Innerst, Calkins Creek, 2025

What a busy year for Richard Michelson, who published four books this year! Supreme Court Justice Louis Brandeis set crucial precedents that have contributed greatly to the fairness of our democracy, such as fair wages, limited working hours, social security, unemployment insurance, health and safety regulations, and the right of employees to organize, the right to privacy, and the practice of lawyers offering services pro bono. Playful illustrations lighten the serious tone of this loving tribute to a Jewish man who made a huge impact.

Slow Down, Shoshi! It's Shabbat in Uganda by Shoshana Nambi, illustrated by Moran Yogev, Kalaniot Books, 2025

This picture book continues the story of Shoshi, a member of the Abayudaya, who we first met in The Very Best Sukkah (2022). This entry shows Shoshi learning the importance of slowing down to savor Shabbat. I love the glimpse into the daily life of this Ugandan Jewish community, including their practice of coffee farming. While I preferred the scratchy block print style of Yogev's illustrations in the earlier book, the art in this book is bright and fun. What a treat to learn about the Abayudaya directly from an author who grew up in that community! This book was named to the Fall 2025 Holiday Highlights list by the Association of Jewish Libraries. The author appeared on The Book of Life in 2022.

The Keeper of Stories by Caroline Kusin Pritchard, illustrated by Selina Alko, Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers, 2025

Books about books and libraries tend to be favorites with me, of course. This one poetically describes the way the community came together in allyship to save damaged books after a fire at the Jewish Theological Seminary Library in New York in 1966. It's a heartening true story, lyrically told, with sensitive mixed-media illustrations that are a feast for the eyes. Between Keeper of Stories and The Remembering Candle, illustrator Selina Alko has been busy this year!

Shabbat Is... A Special Day Celebrated in Many Ways by A.J. Sass, illustrated by Noa Kelner, Little, Brown Books for Young Readers, 2025

Sass successfully accomplishes his goal of showing that there are as many ways of celebrating Shabbat as there are Jews! We see traditional and creative ways of honoring the holiday, all valid, meaningful, and beautiful. The diversity of representation is another huge plus, including various Jews of color and even a nonbinary child celebrating their b'nai mitzvah ceremony. A perfect antidote for any reader who has ever felt that they aren't "Jewish enough." This book was named to the Fall 2025 Holiday Highlights list by the Association of Jewish Libraries. The author appeared on The Book of Life in 2023.

A Place Called Galveston by Andrea Shapiro, illustrated by Valerya Milovanova, Apples & Honey Press, 2025

For years we've all been begging for Jewish immigration stories to move beyond Ellis Island, and this book delivers. This is a story about the Galveston Plan that brought Eastern European Jews to America through the port of Galveston, Texas, and settled them throughout the west and midwest. Fleeing antisemitism and being separated from family are heavy topics but Shapiro handles them with a light touch, and the gentle illustrations add warmth.

The Book of Candles: Eight Poems for Hanukkah by Laurel Snyder, illustrated by Leanne Hatch, Clarion Books, 2025

With a tight focus on --you guessed it-- candles, these contemplative poems bring mindfulness to the celebration of Hanukkah, as well as conveying facts about halacha such as the fact that, unlike Shabbat candles, you can light Hanukkah candles late into the night. The quality of light in the illustrations is beautiful, giving an authentic feeling of cold, dark winter nights contrasting with the candle flames. A quiet winner. This book was named to the Fall 2025 Holiday Highlights list by the Association of Jewish Libraries. An archival 2013 episode with this author was reposted on The Book of Life in 2025.

MIDDLE GRADE

Trouble Finds Evie Lefkowitz by Diana Harmon Asher, PJ Publishing, 2025

This contemporary school story impressed me with its vivid characterizations and its emphasis on second chances. Evie learns that her snap judgements about people lack depth, and that getting to know someone changes your perspective on them: an enemy can even become a friend. While this may sound Pollyana, it's handled in an emotionally honest way that really rings true. I also appreciate Evie and her friends getting into "good trouble" to do what is right, even when it means breaking the rules. An interview with this author will appear on The Book of Life in 2026.

The Truth About the Tooth Fairy / The Discovery of Dragons by Leah Cypess, illustrated by Sarah Lynne Reul (Miriam's Magical Creature Files), Amulet Books, 2025

These short, easy chapter books include casual Orthodox representation - something that has rarely been done before! They are also fun and humorous, quick-paced, realistic but with a hint of magic. Miriam is a relatable and likeable protagonist, and conveys just enough about Orthodox daily life to add flavor, making these books work well as both windows and mirrors. The illustrations do a great job of exposition that feels natural, and are highly expressive (and very cute).

Max in the Land of Lies: A Tale of World War II by Adam Gidwitz (Operation Kinderspion), Dutton Books for Young Readers, 2025

This is the second half of the duology that began with 2024's Max in the House of Spies, and I think it's even better than the first book. Kid spy Max returns to WWII Germany, where he experiences the "Big Lie" up close, and learns the fate of those in the concentration camps. This is a nuanced, complex portrayal of Germans under Nazi rule, a fascinating psychological study wrapped in a page-turning adventure, with very important insights for our current political climate. The magical elements, surprisingly, don't get in the way and even enhance this gritty story. This author appeared on The Book of Life to talk about this title in 2025.

Refugee: The Graphic Novel by Alan Gratz, illustrated by Syd Fini, Graphix, 2025

This graphic novel was adapted from the 2017 novel, winner of the 2018 Sydney Taylor Book Award, and boy, does it pack a punch! The three interwoven tales of Jewish German refugees seeking safety in Cuba in the 1930's, Cuban refugees seeking safety in Miami in 1994, and Syrian refugees seeking safety in Germany in 2015 remain terrifying and heart-rending, beautifully humanizing the refugee experience and showing the universality of the problem. Being able to actually see the characters' faces adds another layer of humanization and emotional involvement. It's also great to have another access point to this content for more visual learners. Stellar.

One Little Goat: A Passover Catastrophe by Dara Horn, illustrated by Theo Ellsworth, Norton Young Readers, 2025

Dara Horn's first foray into kidlit is mind-bendingly wild, but under the wacky adventure is a serious contemplation of the timelessness of the Jewish experience. Just as we all were at Sinai and in Egypt, all Jews are part of the continuum depicted in this amazing graphic novel. While the heavily lined black and white busy-busy illustrations are not normally my style, they are well suited to the trippiness of this tale of a talking, time traveling goat who helps an apathetic kid learn and grow. The author appeared on The Book of Life to talk about this title in 2025.

Beinoni by Mari Lowe, Levine Querido, 2025

"Beinoni" literally means "intermediate one" as in being in the middle between the good and evil inclinations. This fantasy adventure is an interesting exploration of the nature of good and evil, the nature of destiny versus choosing your own path. It is, delightfully, firmly grounded in Jewish folklore. Lowe has dabbled with magical elements before but this is her first true fantasy.

A World Worth Saving by Kyle Lukoff, Dial Books, 2025

"A" is a Jewish trans boy who finds that it's up to him to save the world, in time for Yom Kippur. I loved this combination of Jewish folklore and gender identity, and I appreciated the creativity of the golem made up out of litter. This is a fast-paced adventure with serious underlying themes. Lukoff is a master of board books, picture books, and middle grade, but this is his first book with Jewish representation and I hope it's not his last! The author appeared on The Book of Life to talk about this title in 2025.

Right Back at You by Carolyn Mackler, Scholastic Press, 2025

Mason from 2023 and Talia from 1987, through a twist of fate, become pen pals. I love time travel stories, and this one has the benefit of also exploring the important topics of bullying and antisemitism through the lens of an unlikely friendship.

The Trouble with Secrets by Naomi Milliner, Quill Tree Books, 2025

Interestingly, this story has some parallels with another "trouble" book, Trouble Finds Evie Lefkowitz, listed above. The protagonists of both books are the children of clergy: Evie's late father was a cantor, and Becky's dad is a rabbi, and both girls must deal with loss and grief. In Milliner's book, Becky discovers that her "perfect" sister Sara is harboring a guilty secret, and the story is a heartrending exploration of choices, responsibility, and consequences.

YOUNG ADULT

King's Legacy by L.C. Rosen, Union Square, 2025

This follow up to Lion's Legacy (2023) is just as rip-roaring adventurous as the first book, but has much more Jewish content. Indiana Jones style teen hero Tennessee Russo is on the trail of artifacts that will illuminate gay history - in this case, proving that King David and his friend Jonathan were lovers. I appreciated the emphasis on bringing gay history to light and I loved that this time, it was also exploring Jewish history. As an Indy fan, I very much enjoyed the fast paced story of travel, puzzles, magic, and near escapes!

Song of a Blackbird written and illustrated by Maria Van Lieshout, First Second, 2025

Remarkable art and emotional storytelling convey the tale of Dutch resistance fighters during the Holocaust, interwoven with a modern tale about survivors and their descendants. The art is a mix of drawings, archival photos, and prints and gives a you-are-there feeling to the graphic novel. The plot is so complex that it feels real - I was surprised to learn in the author's note that the characters were fictional. I tend to avoid Holocaust books but this one is so worthwhile, an amazing tribute to the human spirit and the power of art.

I Wish I Didn't Have to Tell You This written and illustrated by Eugene Yelchin, Candlewick, 2025

The Genius Under the Table was a graphic memoir of Yelchin's childhood; this book depicts Yelchin's teenaged life in Cold War Russia in the 1980s. It shows the oppressive atmosphere and the difficulties of navigating a corrupt system. It's a relief when we see Yelchin find a way to join his American girlfriend overseas at long last. With the fascism taking root in the United States at this time, this is an important reminder of the dangers of authoritarianism. The author appeared on The Book of Life in 2013.

Announcement: "Share Your Shelf"

heidi@cbiboca.org (Heidi Estrin) — Mon, 5 Jan 2026 20:17:00 -0500

A year ago I started a Substack newsletter for The Book of Life Podcast to celebrate the show's 20th anniversary. The free Substack posts include podcast episodes, show notes, transcripts, Jewish kidlit news, and calls to action.

A number of listeners have very kindly pledged to upgrade to paid subscriptions to support the show. I am now turning on paid subscriptions, and I'm starting a new bonus segment on The Book of Life, especially for paid subscribers.

It's called Share Your Shelf. I'll be asking guests to look at their own bookshelves to share the books that are important to them, or that have an interesting origin story; books they've hung onto or just acquired, their oldest or newest books, or even the books that are actually missing from their shelves.

The first Share Your Shelf bonus segment will go out to paid subscribers on January 26th, when I'll also be posting a free podcast episode for everyone, about the winners of the 2026 Sydney Taylor Book Award.

If you'd like to hear these personal stories from Book of Life guests, and if you'd like to support my work advocating for Jewish kidlit, please subscribe to the Substack at BookOfLifePodcast.Substack.com and click on the Upgrade to Paid button.

And no matter how you listen to the show, and whether or not you're a free OR paid subscriber on Substack, I want to thank you for giving the podcast and Jewish kidlit your attention!

20th Anniversary Special!

heidi@cbiboca.org (Heidi Estrin) — Sun, 14 Dec 2025 00:00:00 -0500

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🕮 It’s The Book of Life’s 20th Anniversary! In celebration, here’s a super deluxe retrospective episode, with short clips from every year of the podcast. We’ll start with this anniversary year, 2025, and then move back through time to 2005.

HANUKKAH TREATS:

Miniature Zine about the podcast -- print and fold! folding instructions here
Book of Life 20th Anniversary Merch -- sales benefit the Association of Jewish Libraries

LEARN MORE:

Read Podcasting Since the Dawn of Time, my essay on the evolution of the show
Like the clips in this special? Click on the images below to hear the full episodes:

CREDITS:

Produced by Feldman Children's Library at Congregation B'nai Israel
Co-sponsored by the Association of Jewish Libraries
Sister podcast: Nice Jewish Books
Theme Music: The Freilachmakers Klezmer String Band
Newsletter: bookoflifepodcast.substack.com
Facebook Discussion Group: Jewish Kidlit Mavens
Facebook Page: Facebook.com/bookoflifepodcast
Instagram: @bookoflifepodcast
Support the Podcast: Shop or Donate

Your feedback is welcome! Please write to bookoflifepodcast@gmail.com or leave a voicemail at 561-206-2473.

A Hanukkah Classic Crossover with Fuse 8 n' Kate

heidi@cbiboca.org (Heidi Estrin) — Mon, 1 Dec 2025 00:00:00 -0500

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🕮 Fuse 8 n’ Kate is a weekly podcast hosted by School Library Journal, in which super-librarian Betsy Bird and her sister Kate evaluate 20+ year old picture books to decide whether they should be considered classics. Since The Book of Life is 20 years old (and hopefully a classic), I asked Betsy and Kate to collaborate on a Hanukkah episode! We did a joint episode that will appear on both our feeds, interviewed each other, and talked about The Borrowed Hanukkah Latkes by Linda Glaser, illustrated by Nancy Cote, published in 1997. Did we decide it was a classic? Listen and find out!

LEARN MORE:

Fuse 8 n’ Kate Podcast
Buy or Borrow The Borrowed Hanukkah Latkes
Linda Glaser’s website
Nancy Cote’s website
Linda Glaser on The Book of Life in 2006 (Bridge to America) and 2014 (Hannah’s Way)
Betsy’s 2025 recommended reading throughout December: 31 Days, 31 Lists
Heidi's "Share Your Shelf, Share Your Story" Jewish Book Month posts on Facebook or Instagram
On the 1st night of Hanukkah, December 14, I will post The Book of Life 20th Anniversary Special, featuring voices from every year of the show’s existence! Don’t miss it!

HANUKKAH TREATS:

Miniature zine about the podcast -- print and fold! folding instructions here
Book of Life 20th Anniversary Merch -- sales benefit the Association of Jewish Libraries!

CREDITS:

Produced by Feldman Children's Library at Congregation B'nai Israel
Co-sponsored by the Association of Jewish Libraries
Sister podcast: Nice Jewish Books
Theme Music: The Freilachmakers Klezmer String Band
Newsletter: bookoflifepodcast.substack.com
Facebook Discussion Group: Jewish Kidlit Mavens
Facebook Page: Facebook.com/bookoflifepodcast
Instagram: @bookoflifepodcast
Support the Podcast: Shop or Donate

Your feedback is welcome! Please write to bookoflifepodcast@gmail.com or leave a voicemail at 561-206-2473.

PRESS RELEASE

heidi@cbiboca.org (Heidi Estrin) — Tue, 18 Nov 2025 14:26:00 -0500

Jewish Children's Literature Podcast "THE BOOK OF LIFE" Celebrates 20th Anniversary

Special Retrospective Episode Launches on Hanukkah

CONTACT:
The Book of Life Podcast
Heidi Rabinowitz
(561) 206-2473
bookoflifepodcast@gmail.com

RELEASE DATE:
November 18, 2025

Boca Raton, FL — “The Book of Life: A Podcast About Jewish Kidlit (Mostly)” will post a special retrospective episode on the first night of Hanukkah, December 14, 2025, featuring voices from every year of the show’s run, 2005 to 2025. Creator and host Heidi Rabinowitz, a synagogue librarian, has been interviewing authors of Jewish children’s books and other creatives for twenty years. The word “podcast” was coined in 2004, and The Book of Life was created just one year later. The first episode aired on December 21, 2005.

The mission of “The Book of Life” is to promote Jewish children’s literature to readers of all backgrounds, to serve as a validating mirror for Jewish listeners and an illuminating window for others. A back catalog of over 300 episodes can be found at BookOfLifePodcast.com, along with resources for further reading and for combatting antisemitism. A Substack newsletter is available, with transcripts and bonus content, at bookoflifepodcast.substack.com.

The anniversary retrospective episode will showcase guests with many unique Jewish identities -- African, Chinese American, Iraqi Australian. Guests talk about writing, music, and film, and sometimes burst into song. In addition to the special episode, anniversary treats will be available at BookOfLifePodcast.com starting December 1: a miniature book to print and fold, and Book of Life 20th Anniversary merch such as mugs and T-shirts. Sales benefit podcast sponsor the Association of Jewish Libraries.

Rabinowitz is available for interviews about the podcast’s 20th anniversary and about the field of Jewish children’s literature. She is considered an expert on the subject, as past chair of the Association of Jewish Libraries’ Sydney Taylor Book Award and Holiday Highlights committees, and current editor of The Sydney Taylor Shmooze review blog for Jewish children’s books. See her LinkedIn for details at www.linkedin.com/in/heidirabinowitz.

The Book of Life is sponsored by Congregation B’nai Israel of Boca Raton, Florida, where Rabinowitz is the Library Director, and by the Association of Jewish Libraries (AJL), in which she serves on the council. A sister podcast about adult fiction, “Nice Jewish Books,” was launched by AJL in 2021, directly inspired by the success of “The Book of Life.”

###

November Throwback: Jewish Book Month

heidi@cbiboca.org (Heidi Estrin) — Thu, 13 Nov 2025 00:00:00 -0500

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🕮 Continuing the celebration of my 20th year of podcasting, I've got another archival episode for you from 2006, about Jewish Book Month. In the early days of The Book of Life I usually had multiple guests in each episode, and this one includes 4:

Folklorist Howard Schwartz, talking about his picture book Before You Were Born, which had just won the Koret Award
Carolyn Starman Hessel, longtime director of the Jewish Book Council, whose nickname was "the Jewish Oprah"
Esme Raji Codell, author of one of my favorites middle-grade novels Vive La Paris
and David Levithan, author of the 2004 young adult novel Wide Awake, which was reissued as Wide Awake Now in 2024 because its message about politics and protest is more relevant than ever.

I’m celebrating Jewish Book Month by participating in the Jewish Book Council’s “Share Your Shelf, Share Your Story” project. I will post a photo on social media each day of Jewish Book Month, November 13 through December 13, 2025, showing a Jewish book from my personal collection with a comment about why the book is special to me. See Facebook or Instagram.

LEARN MORE:

Website of Howard Schwartz z”l | Buy Before You Were Born
Carolyn Starman Hessel, Past Director of the Jewish Book Council
Website of Esme Raji Codell | Buy Vive la Paris
David Levithan on Wikipedia | Buy Wide Awake Now

CREDITS:

Produced by Feldman Children's Library at Congregation B'nai Israel
Co-sponsored by the Association of Jewish Libraries
Sister podcast: Nice Jewish Books
Theme Music: The Freilachmakers Klezmer String Band
Newsletter: bookoflifepodcast.substack.com
Facebook Discussion Group: Jewish Kidlit Mavens
Facebook Page: Facebook.com/bookoflifepodcast
Instagram: @bookoflifepodcast
Support the Podcast: Shop or Donate

Your feedback is welcome! Please write to bookoflifepodcast@gmail.com or leave a voicemail at 561-206-2473.

Jean Meltzer, Queen of Jewish Joy

heidi@cbiboca.org (Heidi Estrin) — Sat, 1 Nov 2025 00:00:00 -0400

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🕮 Back in July 2025 I did a brief interview with Jean Meltzer, so she could tell you about Jewish Joy Con, an exciting event coming to Fort Lauderdale, Florida in March 2026. But I promised you a longer interview later - and here it is! Jean talks about her writing, her Jewish Joy Book Club and subscription box, more about the con, and about her newest book, The Eight Heartbreaks of Hanukkah.

LEARN MORE:

Jean Meltzer’s website, Instagram, and Facebook
Jewish Women Talk About Romance Books group on Facebook
The Jewish Joy Box
Jewish Joy Con (March 13-15, 2026 in Ft. Lauderdale, FL)
Jean’s own books:
o The Matzah Ball
o Mr. Perfect on Paper
o Kissing Kosher
o Magical Meet Cute
o The Eight Heartbreaks of Hanukkah
Jean’s recommended reading suggestions:
o Blood Bond by Helen Hardt
o Never Planned on You by Lindsey Hammerhof
o Battle of the Bookstores by Ali Brady
o Sisters of Fortune by Esther Chechebar
o Soon by You by Dahlia Adler
o Good Grief by Sarah Goodman Confino
Heidi’s “Jewish Joy” series on Multicultural Kid Blogs

CREDITS:

Produced by Feldman Children's Library at Congregation B'nai Israel
Co-sponsored by the Association of Jewish Libraries
Sister podcast: Nice Jewish Books
Theme Music: The Freilachmakers Klezmer String Band
Newsletter: bookoflifepodcast.substack.com
Facebook Discussion Group: Jewish Kidlit Mavens
Facebook Page: Facebook.com/bookoflifepodcast
Instagram: @bookoflifepodcast
Support the Podcast: Shop or Donate

Your feedback is welcome! Please write to bookoflifepodcast@gmail.com or leave a voicemail at 561-206-2473.

Heidi Interviewed at Multicultural Kid Blogs

heidi@cbiboca.org (Heidi Estrin) — Tue, 21 Oct 2025 16:48:00 -0400

Multicultural Kid Blogs is a website with a mission to inspire and support families, caregivers, educators, and community members raising the next generation of global citizens. On occasion, I write posts for them, including my Jewish Joy series of interviews with diverse Jewish authors.

I was very pleased that Multicultural Kid Blogs interviewed me about The Book of Life and its 20 year anniversary! Please read the interview here, and leave a comment to show them that you appreciate their inclusion of Jewish content!

October Throwback: Laurel Snyder Redux

heidi@cbiboca.org (Heidi Estrin) — Thu, 16 Oct 2025 00:00:00 -0400

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🕮 Continuing the celebration of my 20th year of podcasting, I've got a 2013 archival episode for you with author Laurel Snyder, who at that time was best known for her iconoclastic picture book, Baxter The Pig Who Wanted to Be Kosher.

Amazingly, Laurel says that The Book of Life podcast actually impacted her writing! In a 2017 blog article she credited our first podcast conversation as a turning point in her career. She said “Heidi asked me, reasonably, what made my book Jewish, and I found I didn’t have an answer for her…. She could not possibly have known, when she asked me that question a decade ago, what journey she was sending me on. The power of the right question is a mighty thing.”

Laurel has gone on to win the 2014 Sydney Taylor Book Award gold medal for her Exodus picture book The Longest Night, and a 2024 bronze for a middle grade fantasy, The Witch of Woodland. This year she's published The Book of Candles: Eight Poems for Hanukkah.

LEARN MORE:

Laurel Snyder’s website
Buy or Borrow Laurel’s newest title, The Book of Candles
Other past episodes with Laurel:
2008 “Two Jews, Three Opinions”
2015 “The Longest Night”
That time Laurel interviewed Heidi in 2010
Bonus content for this episode in Substack newsletter
Recent print interview about Countering Antisemitism & Hate

CREDITS:

Produced by Feldman Children's Library at Congregation B'nai Israel
Co-sponsored by the Association of Jewish Libraries
Sister podcast: Nice Jewish Books
Theme Music: The Freilachmakers Klezmer String Band
Newsletter: bookoflifepodcast.substack.com
Facebook Discussion Group: Jewish Kidlit Mavens
Facebook Page: Facebook.com/bookoflifepodcast
Instagram: @bookoflifepodcast
Support the Podcast: Shop or Donate

Your feedback is welcome! Please write to bookoflifepodcast@gmail.com or leave a voicemail at 561-206-2473.

Text Interview: Countering Antisemitism & Hate

heidi@cbiboca.org (Heidi Estrin) — Sun, 12 Oct 2025 00:00:00 -0400

Lynne Azarchi and Harlene Galen are the co-authors of Countering Antisemitism & Hate: A How-To Guide for Youth (8-18), Family, & Educators. Thanks to both of them for answering a few questions from The Book of Life!

BUY THE BOOK HERE

Lynne and Harlene, what is the book about and what inspired you to write it?

In late 2021, Lynne conducted a listening session for the Greater Princeton Jewish community under the auspices of her local Federation’s Jewish Community Relations Council (JCRC). What we heard was that while antisemitic incidents were increasing, Jewish youth were suffering shame and trauma and that parents and educators did not know what to do.

But after more than 21 years as Executive Director of the Kidsbridge Youth Center in suburban Trenton, NJ, Lynne knew what to do! And with 16 years as a Kidsbridge Board member and Chair of the Kidsbridge Education Committee, Harlene also knew what to do! For two decades at Kidsbridge, we have provided students of all faiths with ‘evidence-based’ (proven successful) anti-bias strategies that youth learn, practice, and use.

We wrote this book to inspire youth, parents, grandparents, and educators to support Jewish youth and push back against antisemitism safely. Its contents provide facts and research to demonstrate that our society and our youth — as early as elementary school — do suffer from antisemitism. We encourage Jewish parents, grandparents, and communities to care about ALL Jewish children, not just their own. No need to wait for an antisemite incident before giving kids the empowerment they’ll require to deal with it.

We all know that antisemitism is at a record high level. Please explain how your book can help with this problem.

An identifiable characteristic of life today is the expectation of the instant answer, the search for and finding of “one and done”. No such resolution for the antisemitism problem exists. However, research supports that 1) ongoing building of a firm foundation of Jewish identity and pride coupled with 2) learning and practicing safe, effective strategies for action when antisemitic incidents occur, does move the needle toward solution. Our guidebook offers both.

Jewish children will encounter antisemitism; it’s not a question of IF but WHEN. How do we prepare them without scaring them? And how young should we start?

Effective preparation is cumulative with developmentally-appropriate explanations and practice activities at each level. Parents and teachers need to self-monitor to always spend much more time celebrating identity than warning about antisemitism. This balance encourages feelings of pride over feelings of fear. Pair honesty with reassurance. Integrating books is key. Make sure to include mirror books that show characters who relate to or practice their Judaism in the same way that your children do.

For ages 3-6

Focus on fairness and kindness toward others; noticing and accepting likenesses and differences in appearances — skin color, hair; preferred toys/games; food, etc. Begin to introduce and practice traditions. For preparing children, be sure to tell them, “Some people may not understand these traditions and that is OK. We know the traditions are special to us.”

For ages 7-11

Children’s understanding of empathy is broader at this age. Provide opportunities for them to practice self-empathy as well as empathy for others. Through stories and conversation, help children identify instances of unfairness. Introduce and practice calming as a first strong step when unfairness happens. Assure them - “It’s not your fault.” Suggest safe sentences to say in a bias situation, such as, ”That’s unfair.” Have children role play simple scenarios to practice calming and also speaking out, if they are comfortable enough.

For ages 12 -14

Often middle schoolers are trying to feel included, so peer dynamics become increasingly important and challenging, and biases like antisemitism increase. Prepare youth by letting them know that it’s OK to feel hurt or angry when an antisemitic incident occurs. Demonstrate and provide practice for being assertive, and include antisemitism scenarios for them to role-play calming and assertiveness. Discuss reporting to a trusted adult and have them compose a list of the characteristics of a trusted adult. Then have them role-play reporting to a trusted adult.

For ages 15-18

At this level of maturity, youth need to be treated as partners with adults in problem-solving. To prepare teens, help them to reflect critically on the antisemitic situation. First listen to the teen. Then offer choices, such as, speak up yourself (direct), report (indirect), act with allies (mobilizing peers). Next, support and empower the teen (give agency) to decide and move forward on their chosen action.

Your book contains many exercises and activities. Can you tell us about any favorites?

We consider the following to be foundational:

Calming — Why? Calming one’s mind and body is the first crucial step to success with any strategy. Most of the calming techniques for which we provide step-by-step directions can be done discreetly, a plus for some youth.

The T.E.A.M. Approach: Together Eliminate Antisemitism Momentum — Why? Together parents and children can achieve success faster. The momentum generated through joint empathetic action not only strengthens the bonds of belonging and enjoyment but also accelerates advancement to the decrease of antisemitism.

Jewish Partisans and Righteous Gentiles – Why? Often we members of the Tribe focus on the centuries of discrimination, stereotypes, vitriol and physical violence toward us — the problem. We can turn the tables by centering on those Jewish ancestors and their non-Jewish allies who resisted — seeking the solution. We can expand our own and our children’s knowledge base.

As you know, I am passionate about children’s literature. How can books help counter antisemitism and hate?

All humans learn through three primary means – visual, auditory, and kinesthetic. Frequently, characters and environments we experience in books influence us more than what we hear or what we experience in life. The beauty of books is that they do not disappear, but are friends who remain to be read again whenever we wish. For youth from infancy through adolescence, learning about countering antisemitism and hate from books “sticks.” Here are a few suggested titles:

We’re Different, We’re the Same by Bobbi Jane Kates, illustrated by Joe Mathieu, for ages 3-6

The text and illustrations include both mirrors and windows so children can see their own and others’ physical characteristics and feelings. This book helps readers accept both likeness and difference.

The Terrible Things by Eve Bunting, illustrated by Stephen Gammell , for ages 7-11

Little Rabbit experiences the difficulty of standing up for what he knows is right when the one he faces is bigger and stronger than he is. It’s easier for him to look the other way, but if he does, terrible things can happen to other forest animals. In this allegory of the Holocaust, misfortune comes to the forest animals when they do not stand together at the first sign of evil. Parents and teachers can use this story to present developmentally-appropriate concepts about the Holocaust and build a broader understanding of empathy.

Linked by Gordon Korman, for ages 12-14

This intriguing mystery is told in multiple perspectives, revealing how one antisemitic act can expand and connect to prior historical events. It demonstrates the impact of individual and community action in restoring tolerance and harmony and the influence of strengthened peer dynamics.

The City Beautiful by Aden Polydoros, for ages 15-18

Set during the 1893 Chicago World’s Fair, this award-winning Young Adult historical novel blends a murder mystery with Jewish folklore and explores the Jewish immigrant experiences of 17- year- old main character Alter, friends and family. Antisemitism is a central experience in Alter’s life. The story demonstrates problem-solving in partnership with adults.

For those who learn better out loud, do you offer this content in a workshop or any other formats besides your book?

Yes! Jewish UPstanders offers interactive, engaging in-person and Zoom workshops, including a Jewish educators’ program. We present to JCC’s, Hadassahs, synagogues, Federations, Holocaust education centers, Book Festivals, and more. We offer programs for adults AND for youth.

You can read more about it at https://jewishupstanders.org/programs/

Is there anything else you want to talk about that I haven't thought to ask you?

Yes there is! We want to mention grandparents’ contributions to their grandchildren’s Jewish pride and identity.

We have discovered the unique contributions that Zaydes and Bubbies can offer their grandkids. With today’s ever-increasing demands on parents, precious little time remains for engaging in games, activities, and excursions that build their children’s foundation of Jewish identity and pride.

Grandparents to the rescue! Many DO have more free time, and are elated to spend some of those free minutes with grandchildren. Non-judgmental listening to children may be easier for grandparents than it is for parents. Frequently this leads to grandchildren confiding in grandparents, when they may feel uncomfortable sharing with their parents, including incidents of antisemitic harassment. Longer life experience can help the more mature generation pass on this information to parents without upsetting them or betraying the grandkids’ trust. Close ties with grandparents provide emotional support, modeling, and guidance, which often grow into influences in attitudes and choices, especially in adolescent grandchildren.

Plus “grands” are great storytellers!

Harlene and Lynne, thanks so much for all you do to empower us to fight antisemitism!

BUY THE BOOK HERE

One Small Spark & More Than Enough

heidi@cbiboca.org (Heidi Estrin) — Fri, 3 Oct 2025 00:00:00 -0400

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🕮 If you're a regular listener, you know I always ask guests for tikkun olam suggestions about ways to repair the world. Well, that's what this entire episode is about. I've got a pair of Jewish activist picture books for you: One Small Spark: A Tikkun Olam Story by Ruth Spiro, and More Than Enough: Inspired by Maimonides Golden Ladder of Giving by Richard Michelson, a story about tzedakah. These are both gorgeous picture books that convey their important messages without being preachy - absolutely worth sharing with the kids in your life to help turn them into mensches.

And a real-world act of tikkun olam AND tzedakah: listener Susan Schwartz Twiggs has become a Book of Life supporter on Patreon. Thanks, Susan!

LEARN MORE:

Richard Michelson’s author website and art gallery website
Ruth Spiro’s website
Borrow or Buy More Than Enough
Borrow or Buy One Small Spark
Read-alike suggestions: Ruth Suggests Out and About: A Tale of Giving by Liza Wiemer; Rich suggests The Midnight Mitzvah by Ruth Horowitz
Bonus content on The Book of Life's Substack Newsletter

CREDITS:

Produced by Feldman Children's Library at Congregation B'nai Israel
Co-sponsored by the Association of Jewish Libraries
Sister podcast: Nice Jewish Books
Theme Music: The Freilachmakers Klezmer String Band
Newsletter: bookoflifepodcast.substack.com
Facebook Discussion Group: Jewish Kidlit Mavens
Facebook Page: Facebook.com/bookoflifepodcast
Instagram: @bookoflifepodcast
Support the Podcast: Shop or Donate

Your feedback is welcome! Please write to bookoflifepodcast@gmail.com or leave a voicemail at 561-206-2473.

September Throwback: Sweep, the Story of a Girl and Her Monster

heidi@cbiboca.org (Heidi Estrin) — Tue, 16 Sep 2025 00:00:00 -0400

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🕮 To continue with the themes of golems and fighting for justice that we explored in our most recent episode about Kyle Lukoff's A World Worth Saving, AND in honor of my 20th year of podcasting on The Book of Life, I'm bringing you an episode from the archives. It's an interview about the middle grade historical fantasy Sweep: The Story of a Girl and Her Monster by Jonathan Auxier which originally aired in May, 2019, and it's also about golems, and fighting for justice.

Since 2019, Author Jonathan Auxier has become a podcaster too. He and Matt Bird cohost A Good Story Well Told, a show about the craft of storytelling.

LEARN MORE:

Jonathan Auxier’s website
Borrow or Buy Sweep
A Good Story Well Told - Jonathan’s podcast
Original show notes with links to books and games mentioned in the interview
Follow-up episode with Jonathan: Superfight!
Bonus Content in Substack Newsletter

CREDITS:

Produced by Feldman Children's Library at Congregation B'nai Israel
Co-sponsored by the Association of Jewish Libraries
Sister podcast: Nice Jewish Books
Theme Music: The Freilachmakers Klezmer String Band
Newsletter: bookoflifepodcast.substack.com
Facebook Discussion Group: Jewish Kidlit Mavens
Facebook Page: Facebook.com/bookoflifepodcast
Instagram: @bookoflifepodcast
Support the Podcast: Shop or Donate

Your feedback is welcome! Please write to bookoflifepodcast@gmail.com or leave a voicemail at 561-206-2473.

A World Worth Saving

heidi@cbiboca.org (Heidi Estrin) — Mon, 1 Sep 2025 00:00:00 -0400

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🕮 A World Worth Saving by Kyle Lukoff is a queer Jewish fantasy adventure in which a trans boy and an unusual golem must save the world by Yom Kippur! I interviewed Kyle about this new middle grade novel, as well as his seasonally appropriate picture book, I'm Sorry You Got Mad, a wonderful reflection on the art of apology. Shana Tova!

LEARN MORE:

Kyle Lukoff’s website
Borrow or Buy A World Worth Saving
Borrow or Buy I’m Sorry You Got Mad
Kyle’s recommended queer Jewish reading: When the Angels Left the Old Country by Sacha Lamb (interview on The Book of Life in January 2023)
Throwing Sheyd, a podcast about Jewish demonology that Kyle used for research
Bonus content at The Book of Life Podcast Substack newsletter

CREDITS:

Produced by Feldman Children's Library at Congregation B'nai Israel
Co-sponsored by the Association of Jewish Libraries
Sister podcast: Nice Jewish Books
Theme Music: The Freilachmakers Klezmer String Band
Newsletter: bookoflifepodcast.substack.com
Facebook Discussion Group: Jewish Kidlit Mavens
Facebook Page: Facebook.com/bookoflifepodcast
Instagram: @bookoflifepodcast
Support the Podcast: Shop or Donate

Your feedback is welcome! Please write to bookoflifepodcast@gmail.com or leave a voicemail at 561-206-2473.

August Throwback: Summer Coolness

heidi@cbiboca.org (Heidi Estrin) — Sun, 17 Aug 2025 01:00:00 -0400

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🕮 In honor of my 20th year of podcasting on The Book of Life, I'm bringing you an episode from the archives. This episode is called Summer Coolness, and it was released in June 2007. The episode featured a now-defunct website called ReaderGirlz, and the website Nextbook that morphed into Tablet Magazine in 2009. There were also many mentions of MySpace. I interviewed Melissa Schorr, author of Goy Crazy, who, according to her website, seems to have mostly moved on from kidlit to journalism. I must say, her most recent book from 2017, Shame Nation: Choosing Kindness and Compassion in an Age of Cruelty and Trolling, looks extremely on point. And the episode featured the band Sababa, which happily is still in existence, and in fact, they've recently released their fourth album called When We Rise.

It's funny to think how much has changed and how much is still the same, including this podcast, which has changed format and focus, but — we're still here!

LEARN MORE:

ReaderGirlz history on Wikipedia, and Guest Lorie Ann Grover
Author Melissa Schorr and her book, Goy Crazy
Sababa website, and Guest Scott Leader
Nextbook history on Wikipedia, and Guest Julie Sandorf
Bonus content for this episode on The Book of Life's Substack Newsletter

Julie Sandorf’s reading recommendations:

Joy Comes in the Morning by Jonathan Rosen
Prisoners: A Story of Friendship and Terror by Jeffrey Goldberg
When We Were Bad by Charlotte Mendelson
Disobedience by Naomi Alderman

CREDITS:

Produced by Feldman Children's Library at Congregation B'nai Israel
Co-sponsored by the Association of Jewish Libraries
Sister podcast: Nice Jewish Books
Theme Music: The Freilachmakers Klezmer String Band
Newsletter: bookoflifepodcast.substack.com
Facebook Discussion Group: Jewish Kidlit Mavens
Facebook Page: Facebook.com/bookoflifepodcast
Instagram: @bookoflifepodcast
Support the Podcast: Shop or Donate

Your feedback is welcome! Please write to bookoflifepodcast@gmail.com or leave a voicemail at 561-206-2473.

The Five Books

heidi@cbiboca.org (Heidi Estrin) — Fri, 1 Aug 2025 01:00:00 -0400

LISTEN TO THE PODCAST | READ THE TRANSCRIPT | LISTEN TO THE FIVE BOOKS

🕮 The Five Books is a new literary Jewish podcast hosted by Tali Rosenblatt Cohen, in partnership with the Jewish Book Council. I'm very happy to welcome another show to our little corner of the book world, so I invited Tali to do a mutual interview. We interviewed each other, and the episode will appear on both our podcast feeds. Go to the Substack post for this episode for links to other podcast swaps I've done over the years!

LEARN MORE:

The Five Books Podcast website
Highlights of past episodes:
o Yale Strom on The Book of Life
o Gayle Forman on The Five Books
Recommended podcasts:
o Heidi: Nice Jewish Books, Recognizably Jewish, Fuse 8 and Kate
o Tali: Identity/Crisis, Call Me Back, The New Yorker Fiction Podcast, How to Fail

RECOMMENDED TITLES:

Book #1: Favorite Picture Books

The House on the Roof by David Adler (Tali)
The Rabbi and the 29 Witches by Marilyn Hirsh (Heidi)
Savta Simcha series by Yaffa Ganz (Tali)
The Passover Parrot by Evelyn Zusman (Tali)
Once Upon a Shabbos by Jacqueline Jules (Heidi)
The Hardest Word by Jacqueline Jules (Tali)

Book #2: Favorite Middle Grade

All-of-a-Kind Family series by Sydney Taylor (Tali)
To Night Owl from Dogfish by Holly Goldberg Sloane and Meg Wolitzer (Heidi)
The Upstairs Room by Johanna Reiss (Heidi)
Not Nothing by Gayle Forman (Tali)
When We Flew Away by Alice Hoffman (Tali)
Max in the House of Spies/Max in the Land of Lies by Adam Gidwitz (Heidi)

Book #3: Favorite Young Adult

When the Angels Left the Old Country by Sacha Lamb (Heidi)
Whistle: A New Gotham City Hero by E. Lockhart (Heidi)
Boys of the Beast by Monica Zepeda (Heidi)
Recipe for Disaster by Aimee Lucido (Heidi) - actually Middle Grade but mentioned at this point

Book #4: What books are you excited about right now?

More Than Enough: Inspired by Maimonides’s Golden Ladder of Giving by Richard Michelson (Heidi)
Mendel the Mess-Up by Terry LaBan (Heidi)
Night Owls by A.R. Vishny (Heidi)
Honey and Me by Meira Drazin (Tali)

Book #5: Adult Books

One Hundred Saturdays: Stella Levi and the Search for a Lost World by Michael Frank (Tali)
My Father's Paradise: A Son's Search for His Jewish Past in Kurdish Iraq by Ariel Sabar (Tali)
Witness: Lessons from Elie Wiesel's Classroom by Ariel Burger (Tali)
People Love Dead Jews: Reports from a Haunted Present by Dara Horn (Heidi)
Thistlefoot: A Novel by GennaRose Nethercott (Heidi)

CREDITS:

Produced by Feldman Children's Library at Congregation B'nai Israel
Co-sponsored by the Association of Jewish Libraries
Sister podcast: Nice Jewish Books
Theme Music: The Freilachmakers Klezmer String Band
Newsletter: bookoflifepodcast.substack.com
Facebook Discussion Group: Jewish Kidlit Mavens
Facebook Page: Facebook.com/bookoflifepodcast
Instagram: @bookoflifepodcast
Support the Podcast: Shop or Donate

Your feedback is welcome! Please write to bookoflifepodcast@gmail.com or leave a voicemail at 561-206-2473.

Announcing: Jewish Joy Con!

heidi@cbiboca.org (Heidi Estrin) — Fri, 25 Jul 2025 01:00:00 -0400

LISTEN TO THE PODCAST | READ THE TRANSCRIPT | VISIT JEWISH JOY CON

🕮 Jean Meltzer, the Queen of Jewish Romance and founder of Jewish Joy LLC, has an announcement. I will be bringing you a full episode with Jean this fall, but I didn't want to wait to let you know about her newest project. Here's 5 minutes with Jean, so we can learn all about Jewish Joy Con!

LEARN MORE:

Jean Meltzer’s website
Jewish Joy LLC (the Jewish Joy Book Club and the Jewish Joy Box)
Jewish Joy Con, March 13-15, 2026 in Ft. Lauderdale, FL

CREDITS:

Produced by Feldman Children's Library at Congregation B'nai Israel
Co-sponsored by the Association of Jewish Libraries
Sister podcast: Nice Jewish Books
Theme Music: The Freilachmakers Klezmer String Band
Newsletter: bookoflifepodcast.substack.com
Facebook Discussion Group: Jewish Kidlit Mavens
Facebook Page: Facebook.com/bookoflifepodcast
Instagram: @bookoflifepodcast
Support the Podcast: Shop or Donate

Your feedback is welcome! Please write to bookoflifepodcast@gmail.com or leave a voicemail at 561-206-2473.

July Throwback: The Inquisitor's Tale

heidi@cbiboca.org (Heidi Estrin) — Sun, 20 Jul 2025 01:00:00 -0400

LISTEN TO THE PODCAST | READ THE TRANSCRIPT | BUY THE BOOK

🕮 As a follow up to my recent interview with Adam Gidwitz about Max in the Land of Lies, and in honor of my 20th year of podcasting on The Book of Life, I'm bringing you an episode from the archives, from January 2017. I met Adam Gidwitz at an author "speed dating" event at the American Library Association conference, where he was promoting his middle grade fantasy The Inquisitor's Tale, which later went on to win a Sydney Taylor Book Award, a Newbery Honor, and a lot of other awards.

If you enjoy this blast from the past, please check out other past episodes of The Book of Life from any time in the last 2 decades. Go to Bookoflifepodcast.com and Click on Archive in the sidebar, or just go to the episode list on your podcast player and keep on scrolling down, down, down.

LEARN MORE:

Adam Gidwitz's website
Adam Gidwitz's July 2025 interview about Max in the Land of Lies
Original 2017 show notes for interview about The Inquisitor's Tale
Buy or borrow The Inquisitor's Tale

CREDITS:

Produced by Feldman Children's Library at Congregation B'nai Israel
Co-sponsored by the Association of Jewish Libraries
Sister podcast: Nice Jewish Books
Theme Music: The Freilachmakers Klezmer String Band
Newsletter: bookoflifepodcast.substack.com
Facebook Discussion Group: Jewish Kidlit Mavens
Facebook Page: Facebook.com/bookoflifepodcast
Instagram: @bookoflifepodcast
Support the Podcast: Shop or Donate

Your feedback is welcome! Please write to bookoflifepodcast@gmail.com or leave a voicemail at 561-206-2473.