Jewish Children's & Young Adult Books

BAR MITZVAH
by David Mamet. Color illustrations by Donald Sultan. Condition: NEW 1999 Little, Brown hardcover & DJ (in mylar jacket), stated first edition. Tiny edgewear to DJ top edge. Content: On the eve of his Bar Mitzvah, a boy learns about life from an old man in whose hands an antique watch reveals clues to mans relation to God. This brief tale, written with the familiar cadences of the best Mamet dialogue, moves in a mysterious journey from the intricacies of watchmaking to the horrors of Europe in the Holocaust, as the old man shares his understanding of lifes struggles and what it means to him to be a good Jew. Sultans striking images provide a counterpoint to Mamets story as gilded clocks and elaborate timepieces yield to blank watch faces, barbed wire, empty windows, and stark architectural renderings. A wonderful gift idea. [1 copy available]
$ 6.25 + $ 3.79 media shipping.

THE BOOK OF CREATION
by Georges Lemoine. Lovely soft color illustrations by Pierre-Marie Beaude. Condition: Gently prread, IF at all, 1992 Picture Book Studio hardcover (pictorial boards), first thus, first printing. The book has been perused on the shelf and it appears the first 8 pages may have been read. DJ shows light edge wear with a small "repaired" tear to the bottom back flap corner. Content: In the desert of the Holy Land, 2500 years ago, a father begins to tell his preadolescent son "what happened on the first morning of the world." His account focuses on the content and the context of creation, and on its timeless significance, rather than echoing the words of the Bible. Certain themes--like human stewardship of the earth--speak especially to us, but seem also to belong to a subsistence culture of desert nomads. Lemoine's watercolors--pure, linear, minimal, but with touches of expressionistic color--also combine the "primitive" and the contemporary. The text depends on Genesis A, omitting the B version's Eden, serpent, sin, and expulsion. Its sole borrowing from B is the creation of woman from man's rib instead of her co-creation, from clay, with man, and some readers may not feel that B's version "means that woman is the equal of man." The author has gracefully incorporated some ideas from midrashic commentaries, and the expanded story is fresh and at times poetic. It is also rather long, with a sophisticated vocabulary and concepts. Ages 10+. Excellent for Sunday School teachers. [1 copy available]
$ 4.19 + $ 3.19 media shipping.

CELEBRATING PASSOVER
by Diane Hoyt-Goldsmith. Color photos by Lawrence Migdale. Color illustrations by Emanuel Schongut. Condition: NEW 2000 Holiday House hardcover & DJ (in mylar jacket), no printing given. Content: Hoyt-Goldsmith and Migdale detail a Reform Jewish celebration of Passover. Hoyt-Goldsmith focuses on nine-year-old Micah Kamrass, explaining how he and his extended family prepare for and celebrate the week-long holiday. She recounts the festival's origins nearly 3,000 years ago, describes some of the special foods that are served, and explains the components and proscribed order of a seder, the ceremonial meal held during the first two nights of the festival. Illustrated sidebars depict the ancient story, and Lawrence Migdale's crisp, color photographs show the members of the Kamrass family and their activities, with captions clarifying such customs as the search for the afikomen (hidden matzoh). Festivities in Orthodox and Conservative Jewish households may vary. An attractive and useful choice for the holiday shelf; recipes, songs, and a glossary are a bonus. [1 copy available]
$ 4.59 + $ 2.99 media shipping.

THE DEMONS' MISTAKE: A Story from Chelm
by Francine Prose. Clever and colorful illustrations by Mark Podwal. Condition: UNREAD 2000 Greenwillow hardcover (pictorial boards - no DJ), first edition, first printing. Content: For all those in today's workaday world who wonder just who to curse when their computers go haywire, the milk turns sour, and the traffic lights get fouled up, the answer is plain. The demons! These mischievous imps like nothing better than to spoil people's fun, and will go to great lengths to do so. Take the demons of Chelm, Poland, for example. Bored with messing up the foolish villagers' hair and making livestock fly, the demons decide to take their mischief on the road--to an amazing-sounding place called New York. There, they've heard, the streets are paved with gold, the buildings are made of silver, and there are parties every day--a perfect opportunity for havoc wreaking. So the small-town demons sneak into a crate en route to America. A series of mishaps keeps them stranded in a warehouse near the shipyards for fifty years. When they are finally freed they find themselves in a stranger world than they ever imagined. It's going to be a challenge to find ways to torment this all-new variety of humans who bustle around in cars, speak on cell phones, and watch TV--but they'll manage. Francine Prose and Mark Podwal's clever tale will delight readers of all ages with its sly humor and mysterious full- and double-page smudgy gouache illustrations. This entirely original tale tastes strongly of the Old World, with the wry seasoning of modernity. (Ages 6 to 10) [1 copy available]
$ 3.49 + $ 3.40 media shipping.

THE GOLEM: A Version
by Barbara Rogasky. Cover art and color illustrations by Trina Schart Hyman. Condition: NEW 1996 Holiday House hardcover & DJ (in mylar jacket), first printing. Content: According to legend, some four centuries or so ago a Rabbi in Prague dreamt that the Lord commanded him to create a creature to protect Jews from those who would do them wrong. The Rabbi fashioned a giant from clay and, with the help of a cabalistic spell, brought the creature to life. The story, of course, served as the basis for Frankenstein Another great book in which The Golem comes alive is Snow In August.. Questions welcome. [1 copy available]
$ 2.49 + $ 3.09 media shipping.

HAD GADYA: A Passover Song
paintings by Seymour Chwast. AFterword by Rabbi Michael Strassfeld. Condition: NEW 2005 Roaring Brook hardcover (pictorial boards) & DJ (in mylar jacket), first printing. Content: With an exuberant traditional shtetl setting showing two children and their family preparing for the Passover seder, Chwast illustrates the folksong that ends the celebration feast. As in much folklore, the drama is violent: the goat is killed by the cat that is bitten by the dog, and so on, until God finally destroys the Angel of Death. In a final note, a rabbi discusses differing interpretations of the song; some commentators accept it as light and fun, while others object to the cycle of horror it portrays or consider it a representation of the Jewish people's triumph over their enemies. The bright, acrylic folk-art paintings express the rhythm of the chant, as the goat and then the other characters are gathered, in appropriately cumulative fashion, across the top of the double-page spreads. The book, complete with musical notation and Hebrew and English words, is bound to add to the pleasure of the seder even as it provokes some lively arguments. (Grades K to 3). [2 copies available.]
$ 4.19 + $ 3.19 media shipping.

HANNA'S SABBATH DRESS
by Itzhak Schweiger-Dmi'el. Gouache (color) illustrations by Ora Eitan. Condition: NEW 1996 Simon & Schuster hardcover (pictorial boards) & DJ (in mylar jacket), first printing. Content: Originally published in 1937, this simple story, with new illustrations and translation, still has considerable charm. Hanna adores the white dress her mother has made her for the Sabbath and tries her best not to get it dirty. However, she doesn't hesitate to lend a hand when she sees an old man struggling with a heavy load. She ruins her dress but is rewarded for selflessness by a sympathetic moon, who turns the stains on the dress into glittering points of light. Little ones may not fully grasp the fantastic elements in the story's outcome, but they will understand the emotional content conveyed so well through the expressionistic artwork. By combining sweeping strokes and flat plains of deep color, Eitan manages to make the pictures at once childlike and sophisticated. [1 copy available.]
$ 6.49 + $ 3.40 media shipping. International shipping available by arragement - please email us.

HANUKKAH (Hologram Board Book)
text by various authors and holograms by Accord Publishing. Bright colorful illustrations. Condition: NEW 2010 Accord hardcover (pictorial boards - no DJ issued), first printing. Beautiful cover design with gold and silver "foil" accents. The interior is detailed and colorful. Content: The holograms show the flame flickering, gelt falling into a bowl, dreidel spinning, latkes flipping in the pan, and Happy Hanukkah flickering on a Torah. The last 2 pages tell what each item is for and a bit of history. Neat for very young kids. (Grades K to 7). [3 copies available.]
$ 3.29 + $ 2.96 media shipping.

HANUKKAH!: A Three-Dimensional Celebration (Pop-up Book)
text by Sara Freedland. Beautiful, detailed color illustrations by Sue Clarke. Condition: UNREAD 1999 Candlewick Press hardcover (pictorial boards - no DJ issued) Pop-Up book, second edition, first printing. Content: This is an ideal book to introduce young children to Hanukkah, and a stunning keepsake for family celebrations. In this sumptuous pop-up book, author Sara Freedland recounts the dramatic events that took place in Jerusalem more than 2,000 years ago, and Sue Clarke's gilded three-dimensional collages illustrate the miraculous story. Freedland and Clarke also explore the many traditions now celebrated in remembrance of those events, and the book includes a pop-up menorah, traditional songs to sing, and even a pop-out dreidl and coins to play with! A lively way to learn about and celebrate Hanukkah. Pop-ups: Menorah; Desecration of Temple; The Battle; Rededicating the Temple; Dreidl Game; Hanukkah Songs; and Hanukkah Around the World. (Grades K to Adult). [1 copy available.]
$ 10.00 + $ 3.40 media shipping.

THE HARMONICA
by Tony Johnsontl. Color illustrations by Ron Mazellan. Condition: NEW 2004 Charlesbridge hardcover (pictorial boards) & DJ (in mylar jacket), first printing. Tiny edge wear to top spine of DJ. Content: Based on a true survivor story, this powerful picture book is yet another astonishing Holocaust account for discussion. A Polish Jewish child, blissfully happy with his loving parents, gets a harmonica from his coal-miner father and learns to play Schubert while his parents dance. The realistic mixed-media, double-page illustrations contrast that glowing warmth of home with the darkness that comes when Nazi soldiers break down the door, separate the boy from his family, and send him to the camps. His harmonica becomes his solace. The commandant hears about the child's playing. He orders the boy to play Schubert and throws him bread. In the end, however, the music does nothing to humanize the brutal Nazis. In fact, one unforgettable picture shows the commandant blissfully listening to the music, one hand over his heart and the other holding a whip. The home memories are idyllic, but there's absolutely no sentimentality about the child's survival. Johnston gives children and grown-ups lots to talk about here--for example, Can a person be both sensitive and cruel? The mixed-media illustrations change from a warm to cold palette to underscore the move from home to camp. While the story is set in World War II, the theme is broader, and makes a case for the power of music/art to support and sustain humanity. There is an appended note about the life of Henryk Rosmaryn. (Ages 3 to 7). [1 copy available]
$ 7.59 + $ 3.29 media shipping.

IT'S A MIRACLE!: A HANUKKAH STORYBOOK
by Stephanie Spinner. Wonderful color illustrations by Jill McElmurry. Condition: NEW 2007 Aladdin large soft cover, no printing given. First paperback edition. Content: Miracles (big and small) and family stories are celebrated in this charming tale. Owen Block, aged six and a half, has just been named O.C.L.-Official Candle Lighter. Each night, as he performs his duty, he listens to Grandma Karen's cozy stories of family life. One tale is of a soldier from Iowa whose search for a miracle to save his dying wife leads him to call every Jewish name in his hometown phone book (all five of them) to ask the family to pray, with happy results. The holiday acts more as framework for these small vignettes than as the main event, but various traditional activities are explored. A brief retelling of the Hanukkah legend and blessings in Hebrew, English, and transliteration appear at the end of the book. McElmurry's gouache illustrations add a light, humorous touch. Adults will appreciate the lessons gracefully imparted, and children will enjoy the silliness of Grandma's fanciful, zany family stories. Readers will recall this title long after the holiday has passed. Grades 2 and up. Questions welcome. [1 copy available.]
$ 3.59 + $ 3.19 media shipping.

KINGS AND QUEENS OF THE BIBLE
by Mary Hoffman. Bright color illustrations by Christina Balit. Condition: NEW 2008 Henry Holt hardcover (pictorial boards) & DJ (in mylar jacket), first printing. Content: Seven Old Testament tales featuring kings and queens are retold here, representing the cruel (such as Pharaoh and Jezebel) and the kind (such as Solomon and Esther). While the plotlines have been simplified and the telling is clear, some familiarity with the original stories will aid understanding. Readers will be reminded that the Bible can be filled with romance, violence, and death. The offerings do not combine into a single coherent narrative, but do evoke common themes of wealth, wisdom, prophecy, and power. An introduction provides a contextual overview, and endnotes refer to the biblical sources for each selection. The author describes the tales as coming from the "Old Testament," rather than the "Hebrew Bible," revealing a Christian point of view. The flowing, jewel-toned, stylized illustrations appear to support a Eurocentric perspective: each beautiful picture depicts the Middle Eastern and African characters with pale skin and blue-green eyes. This quibble aside, the illustrations do succeed in creating a fairy-tale atmosphere that supports the text's focus on royalty. This is an attractive volume. However, it should be noted that while "adult" material has been expunged from the stories, the violence remains. If, for example, Queen Jezebel being eaten by dogs will upset your young readers, use with caution. [1 copy available]
$ 6.59 + $ 3.29 media shipping.

THE LITTLE OLD MAN AND HIS DREAMS
by Lillian Ross. Beautiful paintings by Deborah Healy. Condition: UNREAD, but not perfect, 1990 Harper & Row hardcover & DJ (in mylar jacket(, first printing. DJ shows light shelf wear. Interior perfect. Content: Little Old Man journeys to the other side of the mountain to see his beloved granddaughter Shoshanna wed on the first night of Chanukah. On his way, he faces storms, the theft of all but one pearl from his precious wedding gift, an accident, and illness. As he hovers near death, the King comes to him in a dream, promising that Little Old Man will be at the wedding. And he is, dancing with his beautiful granddaughter, named for his beloved wife. All promises kept, Little Old Man goes happily with the King to his death. This sentimental Old World tale is strikingly illustrated with full-color paintings showing a setting of long ago in East Europe or Russia. A full page of text is balanced by each painting in which a border sets the mood and an inset illustrates the plot. The motif of pearls blends with similar dots of light, snow, or stars to provide a unifying visual theme. A satisfying original tale told in the spirit of folklore. K-4. Questions welcome. [1 copy left]
$ 5.78 + $ 3.29 media shipping.

THE MIRACLE OF HANUKKAH
by Seymour Chwast. Color illustrations. Decorated end pages. Condition: NEW 2006 Blue Apple hardcover (pictorial boards) & DJ (in mylar jacket), first printing. Content: In the year 165 B.C.E., Mattathias and the Maccabees defeated the Syrians and reclaimed their Great Temple in Jerusalem. Though they planned an eight-day celebration to rededicate the Temple, they had lamp oil for only one day. Miraculously, the oil burned for eight days. Every year Jews around the world celebrate this miracle at Hanukkah. Now internationally acclaimed artist and graphic designer Seymour Chwast retells the story of Hanukkah in an innovative format in which pages gradually increase in size. This Hanukkah book is sure to become a family favorite. Reviewer: In one section, "each page cleverly increases in size in this handsomely designed picture book, as the author-illustrator tells the story of Hanukkah, stating the facts about the holiday in a clear way that young children can understand. His text and illustrations show them the miracle of how the oil lasted eight days instead of one when the Jews rededicated the desecrated Temple in Jerusalem, after the small band of brave Maccabees were miraculously victorious over Antiochus's large army. Chwast's graphic design background is evident in his stylized illustrations, the cleverly done step-page format, and his lively end papers of multiple dreidels in colorful pastels. These all combine to make this an excellent choice for teachers and parents to read to young children to teach them about Hanukkah." Ages 4+. Questions welcome. [1 copy available]
$ 4.49 + $ 3.19 media shipping.

MIRACLES OF THE BIBLE
by Josh Hanft. Clever color illustrations by Seymour Chwast. Condition: NEW 2007 Blue Apple hardcover (pictorial boards) & DJ (in mylar jacket), first printing. Content: The very simple texts of the miracles selected (Creation, Birth of Adam, Noah's Ark, Sarah and Abraham, Parting of the Red Sea, Manna from Heaven, Moses on Mount Sinai, Balaam and the Donkey, The Walls of Jericho, Samson, David and Goliath, Jonah and the Fish, Daniel in the Lions' Den) are geared to younger children. They are representative of the better known bible stories. Each story uses brief excerpts from the bible to give authenticity to the stories selected. The brightly colored illustrations, by Seymour Chwast, are simple and cheerful enough to appeal to the intended audience, without being menacing. They have a cartoon quality. The many animals are all cheerful, and usually smiling, as are many of the humans, depending on the text. Illustrations are enlarged to 2, 3 or 4 pages to show the importance of the various characters. The text by Hanft and the illustrations by Chwast are well suited to the intended audience. Seven year olds will be able to read it themselves. Younger children will enjoy having it read to them as they enjoy the illustrations. The book is a welcome introduction to some very serious information. Ages 4 - 8. Questions welcome. [1 copy available]
$ 4.89 + $ 3.29 media shipping.

NEST YEAR IN JERUSALEM: 3000 Years of Jewish Stories
retold by Howard Schwartz. Beautiful color illustrations by Neil Waldman. Condition: UNREAD, BUT NOT PERFECT, 1998 Puffin soft cover, first pritning. Problem: diagonal crease (shelf wear) front bottom cover corner. Interior perfect. Content: Jerusalem is a city that captures the imagination. This beautifully-illustrated collection of eleven timeless stories, folktales and legends celebrates the unique spirit of the city in which everything is holy, even the dust under one's feet. Share these stories with someone special, as the state of Israel reaches it's 50th anniversary on May 14th, 1998. This beautiful collection of Jewish stories is true to its heritage....[The] paintings, in soft sunset watercolors, reflect the dreamy, hopefilled tone of the stories Ages 7+. Perfect read-aloud book. Questions welcome. [1 copy available]
$ 3.49 + $ 3.40 media shipping.

MY FIRST CHANUKAH (A Board Book)
by Tomie dePaola. Colorful and appropriate color illustrations by the Author. Condition: UNREAD 1989 Putnam's board book, 5th printing. Light shelf wear. Interior pages perfect. Content: A perfect first book for toddlers and young children who are beginning to recognize the familiar objects we see during the eight days of Chanukah - the candles flowing n the menorah, the spinning dreidel, the delicious latkes and Chanukah gelt, and much more. Ages 1 - 5. Questions welcome. [1 copy available]
$ 3.19 + $ 3.09 media shipping.

PURIM PLAY
by Roni Schotter. Fun & colorful illustrations by Marylin Hafner. Condition: NEW PJ LIbrary soft cover, 3rd printing. Content: In Schotter's clever introduction to Purim, the show must go on, even if two performers have the flu. Every year, Frannie, her brother Ezra, and their two cousins put on a Purim play, reenacting the Bible story of how Queen Esther saved the Jews from the evil prime minister Haman. When her cousins fall ill and can't perform, Frannie is disappointed that her neighbor Mrs. Teplitzky offers to play one of the roles. But her worries are soon put to rest when Mrs. Teplitzky, who used to be a real actress, arrives in a splendid costume. Within this framework, Schotter weaves in details about hamantaschen (the special Purim pastries) and the tradition of mishloah manot (sending Purim sweets to relatives and friends). Hafner's lively watercolors depict a busy, close-knit family enjoying last-minute holiday preparations. Two helpful endnotes explain the story of Purim and how it is celebrated, and a recipe for "Mama's Famous 'Bet-You-Can't-Eat-Just-One' Apricot-Orange Hamantaschen" is also included. Ages 4-8. [1 copy available]
$ 4.00 + $ 3.29 media shipping.

ROSE BLANCHE
text and color illustrations by Roberto Innocenti and Christophe Gallaz. The color illustrations are stunning and detailed. Condition: UNREAD, BUT NOT PERFECT, 1985 Creative Editions - Harcourt Brace hard cover & DJ (in mylar jacket), first thus, no printing given. Very light edge wear to DJ with light tanning to DJ edges. Interior perfect. Content: During World War II, a young German schoolgirl, Rose Blanche, follows the soldiers when they arrest a boy and discovers a concentration camp in the woods. Thereafter , she takes food to the prisoners until the town is liberated. Ironically, when she travels to the camp on that day she is shot by the soldiers. The oppression of Fascism is shown through the powerful and realistic paintings. In Innocenti's large, meticulously detailed paintings, Rose Blanche is the only brightly colored individual, and her small figure is set against the drab colors of overwhelming buildings and masses of soldiers and townspeople. No skyline is shown until a radiant spring bursts forth at the site of her death after the liberation. Although the story is simply told, it will require interpretation as details such as the concentration camp are not named nor explained, and the death of Rose Blanche is implied but not stated. This is a difficult book to classify, as the text is easy enough for a young child to read alone, and it has the appearance of a picture bookbut the content of the text and illustrations is full of emotional impact and subtlety. This is a powerful story and I don't think any child under the age of 12 should read it - but then. . . .I'm cautious. [1 copy available]
$ 13.59 + $ 3.29 media shipping. Internaitonal shipping available by arrangement - email us.

THE SECRET SEDER
by Doreen Rappaport. Wonderful watercolor illustrations by Emily Arnold McCully that make you believe you are in 1940s Europe. Condition: NEW 2005 Hyperion hardcover (pictorial boards) & DJ (in mylar jacket), second printing. Content: Amid the plethora of Holocaust children's literature emerges yet another picture book that uses the themes of exodus and freedom associated with Passover to contrast the reality of Nazi-occupied Europe. The narrator is a French boy whose family lives openly as Catholics, but secretly observes their Jewish faith. Despite the fear that their true identity will be discovered, he and his father attend an all-male Seder held in an abandoned shack in a nearby forest. They arrive with a roasted egg for the meager Seder plate, which lacks many of the traditional ingredients. One man says, "We have no bitter herbs to dip in salted water," while another replies, "We do not need bitter herbs....Our lives are bitter enough." The highlight of the evening is when the boy recites the four traditional questions, which he had secretly practiced with his mother. The men provide secondary answers to the customary ones: "I think tonight is different because tonight all over Europe, Jews are being murdered." Their sadness, fear, and misery are underscored by the idea that tonight they are free in their hearts and by their hope for a brighter future. Watercolors depicting gloomy, foreboding images of the village, forest, and shack counter the child's memories of happier meals at his grandmother's home. Rappaport interweaves themes and descriptive text to create a meaningful story in a distinctive setting. An excellent discussion starter. Grades 2 - 6. [1 copy available]
$ 5.69 + $ 3.19 media shipping. International shipping available.

SPIN THE DREIDEL! (Board Book)
by Alexandra Cooper. Bright colorful illustrations by Claudine Gevry. Condition: NEW 2004 Little Simon board book(pictorial boards - no DJ issued), 7th printing. The center section of the boards (as you can see) is a spinning dreidel. Content: In this board book, a family plays dreidel while a simple rhyming text explains the meaning of each letter in turn–"nun," "gimel," "hey," and "shin." Each letter is shown on the four corners of the spread on which it is featured, along with the Hebrew word it stands for, although the meaning of "Nes Gadol Hayah Sham" is never explained. A paragraph at the end provides a simplified version of the Chanukah story. A section of the book's spine has been cut away, allowing room for an unremovable plastic dreidel, which children will have fun spinning as they read the book. The charming, warmly colored illustrations make this an appealing selection. All ages. Questions welcome. [1 copy available]
$ 4.59 + $ 3.09 media shipping.

THE STONE LAMP: Eight Stories of Hanukkah Through History
by Karen Hesse. Wonderful color illustrations by Brian Pinkney. Condition: NEW 2003 Hyperion over-size hardcover (pictorial boards) & DJ (in mylar jacket), second printing. Light edgewear bottom DJ edge at fold. Content: Hesse takes eight crucial, painful periods in Jewish history and, for each one, shines a light on one child's thoughts during Hanukkah. A brief explanation of the timeframe, from the Crusades to the assassination of Yitzhak Rabin, is followed by free-verse poems written in the first person, offering a child's viewpoint. In 1665, for instance, a 16-year-old Jewish girl in Turkey lifts her voice in song with her neighbors on Hanukkah after the man they had been planning to follow to the Holy Land turned out to be a false Messiah. Some of these episodes are well known, some are not, but all are intriguing, and the personal perspective of each young narrator adds special resonance to the meaning of Hanukkah. The rich paintings, full of warmth and light, complement the text without overwhelming it. A unique and moving book that should be shared year-round. [1 copy available]
$ 6.49 + $ 3.29 media shipping.

THIS IS OUR SEDER
by Ziporah Hildebrant. Nice color illustrations by Robin Roraback give the book an "old world" flavor. Condition: NEW 1999 Holiday House hardcover (pictorial boards) & DJ (in mylar jacket), no printing given but assumed first printing. Content: Why is this Seder book different from all others? Well. . . the text for this inviting volume couldn't be simpler, as Hildebrandt deftly pares down the Passover celebration to its most basic concepts. "This is our night for coming together," she begins, then, retaining the same sentence construction, she intro-duces "the plate for teaching," the "pillows for leaning," the haggadah ("the story for telling"), etc. It's Roraback's unusually spirited illustrations that serve up the storytelling. She pairs close-ups of specific items (e.g., the seder plate) with full-page views of a large, plain-looking family, everyone from grandparents to a baby, all seated at the holiday table, and she keeps the visual rhythm lively by "panning" the table in her different scenes. The characters are determinedly plain-the beauty here is in the details. Of the "pillows for leaning," for example, one is decorated with an infant Moses among the bulrushes, a couple of fish smiling up at him; when the "story for telling" is introduced, Roraback shows the children putting on a Passover puppet show for their elders. The compositions are calm but busy, with plenty of background action: a dog campaigning for handouts, a girl kicking off her party shoes as the evening wears on. Despite the explanatory note at the end, however, terms like "afikomen" and rites like opening the door (for Elijah) go undefined, so that this book is best enjoyed by families who already know the special significance of Passover. Ages 4-8. [1 copy available]
$ 4.49 + $ 3.19 media shipping. International shipping available - email us.

THE WORLD'S BIRTHDAY; A Rosh Hashanah Story
by Barbara Diamond Goldin. Bright color illustrations by Jeannette Winter. Condition: NEW 2009 Houghton Mifflin soft cover, special edition. Content: Shanah Tovah! - Happy New Year. During Elul, the final month of the Hebrew year, the shofar sounds in synagogues around the world to announce the approaching new year - which begins on the first of Tishrei - and to proclaim to all who hear the horn blasts that it is time to pay very close attention, consider past behaviors and contemplate how to improve in the coming year. At this time in the annual cycle we are reminded of the world's formation and the six days of creation as expressed in the Torah in Bereshit. Questions welcome. [1 copy available]
$ 6.89 + $ 3.40 media shipping. International shipping available - please email us.

ZIGAZAK!: A Magical Hanukkah Night
by Eric A. Kimmel. Delightful, fun color illustrations by Jon Goodell. Condition: NEW 2001 Doubleday hardcover (pictorial boards - no DJ issued), third printing. Content: Is Hanukkah really all about dancing dreidels and high-flying latkes? Maybe not, but Eric Kimmel and Jon Goodell have put these devilish phenomena to good use in a lighthearted story that teaches Hanukkah traditions--from kazatzkas to gelt--along with a wise, timeless moral. The tale's decidedly unscary antagonists are a couple of bumbling devils determined to cause Hanukkah-night mischief in the village of Brisk. Goodell's clearly having fun as he sends five dreidels into a tight little jig, launches latkes around Hannah Leah's kitchen, and sets off some menorah pyrotechnics in Menachem Mendel's home. But Brisk's frightened villagers need not worry: they've got a clever rabbi who's not only unafraid of the devils' antics--he enjoys them! When dreidels sprout legs and dance on his table, "he laughed and clapped his hands. 'Delightful!' he exclaimed. 'Show me more.'" As with the misadventures of Fat Albert, kids reading Zigazak! should be careful--otherwise, they just might learn something. And that goes for both Hanukkah minutiae and the wise rabbi's moral: "Sparks of holiness exist in all things, even in devils' tricks. And if we look hard enough, we can find the good in all living creatures." (Ages 4 to 8) Questions welcome. [1 copy left]
$ 5.79 + $ 3.19 media shipping. International shipping available.

MENORAH MOOSE BOOKPLATE
art by unknown artist. Condition: NEW package of 12 bookplates made by pacaritambo books. The peel-off label stock is heavier than most bookplate materials and is matte and not glossy. They are as perfect as possible, and we feel the subject matter is much different than you can get anywhere else. 3.75 W x 4.0 H. Content: Adorable children's bookplate starring the Menorah Moose with his antlers holding the Hanukkah candles. Too cute. We can personalize your bookplate (the font is Kids) - just email us the name. Any questions, click here to email us.
$ 4.00 + $ 2.85 first class shipping. International shipping available.