List
Jewish American Heritage Month: Books for Kids
Enjoy these books focusing on Jewish Americans for babies through grade 8.
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My Mushy Matzah Ball
2020 by Brooks, AriannaGet this itemA board book celebration of babies, families, and traditional Jewish foods. Fun! Recommended by Gudrun for babies through kindergarten.
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Bedtime for Maziks
2022 by Levy, YaelGet this itemMazik is Yiddish for "mischief-maker," and these cute little ones fit the bill. With rhyming text and vibrant, silly drawings, this picture book is perfect for sharing with your own little maziks. Recommended by Shelley for preschool-grade 1.
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Gitty and Kvetch
2021 by Pritchard, Caroline KusinGet this itemGitty is a an optimist, and her friend Kvetch is a grumpy bird. There are Yiddish words throughout, and a glossary to help with the Yiddish. When Gitty makes a special piece of art for their treehouse and it's ruined by the rain, Kvetch comforts her. The illustrations are delightful, and the story's friendship and resilience themes ring true. Recommended by Shelley for preschool-grade 1.
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Lilah Tov, Good Night
2020 by GGet this itemA poetic, gorgeously illustrated immigration story of a family saying goodnight and goodbye before setting off on a long journey. The immigration theme is subtle but there, and parents and caregivers can share the message with little ones if they wish. Recommended by Shelley for preschool-grade 2.
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Tova Bloom to the Rescue
2011 by Walfish, MiriamGet this itemThis historical fiction series features Tova Bloom, a Jewish girl growing up in New York in the 1770s during the American Revolution. She has five older sisters, but she manages to shine with her curiosity and intelligence. In this book, her father and uncle are arrested and imprisoned by the British. Can Tova prove their innocence and win their freedom? Recommended by Shelley for grades 2-5.
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"Nice" Jewish Girls
2021 by Merberg, JulieGet this itemFrom Emma Godman to Anna Freud to Ruth Bader Ginsburg to Sarah Silverman, this collective biography of 36 Jewish women offers a captivating look at how these women embraced their identities and became successful politicians, actors, artists, scientists, and more. Recommended by Shelley for grades 3-8.
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Summer of Stolen Secrets
2021 by Sternberg, JulieGet this itemCatarina's best friends dump her at the end of 7th grade, so she is happy to skip summer camp and leave Manhattan, NY, to visit her Aunt Miriam's family and the Jewish grandmother she has never met in Baton Rouge, LA. The visit seems to go all wrong, until she learns secrets about her grandmother's past in Germany and things start to fall into place. Recommended by Shelley for grades 4-8.
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Lucky Broken Girl
2017 by Behar, RuthGet this itemA beautifully written story based on the author's childhood experience of growing up Cuban Jewish in New York City in the 1960s. Recommended by Gudrun for grades 5-8.
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