Book picks similar to
Brothers: A Hebrew Legend by Florence B. Freedman


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Cakes and Miracles: A Purim Tale


Barbara Diamond Goldin - 1991
    "If only I could see," he says. Then one night in his dreams, Hershel has a vision of a winged angel descending a sparkling ladder. What the angel tells him--and what Hershel sees in his dreams--leads to an exciting surprise for the whole village.

A Child is Born


Margaret Wise Brown - 2000
    This lyrical celebration of the miracle of Christmas is now just the right size for little hands! Margaret Wise Brown's simple, poetic language brought to life by Floyd Cooper's spectacular paintings offer a fresh perspective on the Holy Family and the miraculous birth of Christ.

Intentions


Deborah Heiligman - 2012
    Her parents argue, her grandmother has been acting strangely, and her best friend doesn't want to talk to her. But none of that could have prepared her for what she overheard in her synagogue's sanctuary.Now Rachel's trust in the people she loves is shattered, and her newfound cynicism leads to reckless rebellion. Her friends and family hardly recognize her, and worse, she can hardly recognize herself. But how can the adults in her life lecture her about acting with kavanah, intention, when they are constantly making such horribly wrong decisions themselves? This is a witty, honest account of navigating the daunting line between losing innocence and entering adulthood—all while figuring out who you really want to be.From the Hardcover edition.

Hannah's Way


Linda Glaser - 2012
    When her teacher tries to arrange carpools for a Saturday class picnic, Hannah is upset. Her Jewish family is observant, and she knows she cannot ride on the Sabbath. What will she do? A lovely story of friendship and community.This is a fixed-format ebook, which preserves the design and layout of the original print book.

Julia's Kitchen


Brenda A. Ferber - 2006
    She figures her worrying works like a whisper in God's ear – if Cara's concerned about car crashes, kidnappings, or murders, she lets God know, and he alwaysspares her. But Cara never thought to worry about a fire. And one night while she's sleeping at a friend's house, her house catches fire, and her mother and younger sister are both killed.Throughout shiva, the initial Jewish mourning period, Cara can't help wondering about God's role in the tragedy. And what is her father's role in her life now? He walks around like a ghostand refuses to talk about the fire. Cara longs for her family and her home, where sweet smells filled the house as Cara's mom filled orders for her catering business, Julia's Kitchen. Then oneday a call comes in for a cookie order, and Cara gets a wild idea. Maybe by bringing back Julia's Kitchen, she can find a way to reconnect with everything she's lost.Complete with a glossary of Hebrew and Yiddish terms and a recipe for chocolate chip cookies, this debut novel is a joyous tribute to the resiliency of the human spirit.Julia's Kitchen is a 2007 Bank Street - Best Children's Book of the Year.

Early Sunday Morning


Denene Millner - 2017
    These are the things that a little girl finds most special about Sunday mornings. Early Sunday Morning follows June, Mommy, Daddy, and brother Troy through their weekend routine as June prepares for a special performance leading the children’s choir at church on Sunday morning.Readers spend the weekend with June as she collects helpful pieces of advice on how to be less nervous about her big solo. Along the way, she visits the barbershop with Mommy and Troy, gets her hair done by Mommy, receives a special dress from her aunt, and shares her family ritual of getting ready for Sunday morning service. As her special moment approaches, June leans on the support of her whole family, as well as advice from her father, to conquer her fear of singing in front of the congregation.Early Sunday Morning is a heartwarming celebration of the special time a young girl and her family share together as she learns how to lift her mighty voice.

Who Built the Stable?: A Nativity Poem


Ashley Bryan - 2012
    This beautifully crafted picture book that envisions a young boy, a shepherd and carpenter both who, out of love and kindness, cleared the way for another shepherd and carpenter to be born on Christmas day. Told in gentle rhyme and illustrated with Ashley Bryan’s enormous talent, this is a picture book that captures the reason for the season in all its wonder and beauty, celebrating Christmas, the kindness of children, and the new hope born with each new baby.

Children of God Storybook Bible


Desmond Tutu - 2010
    Many of the finest artists from around the world—such as Jago, E.B. Lewis, Javaka Steptoe, and Xiao Xin—have illustrated these favorite Bible stories from Desmond Tutu, connecting Scripture with the multitude of ethnicities across the globe.The Children of God Storybook Bible:Is perfect for readers ages 4 to 8 with a large format hardcoverShows how God works through history, ending each biblical story with a short prayer, personalizing the message for each reader’s own lifeFeatures Archbishop Desmond Tutu retelling 50 of his most beloved Bible storiesIncludes a presentation page for thoughtful gifting at birthdays, Christmas, baptisms, or anytime.Through the stunning illustrations and Tutu’s delightful words, readers will experience the Bible stories as if they were there, with Adam and Eve in the garden, with Noah on the ark, with Abraham in the desert, and with Jesus on the mountaintop.

The Importance of Wings


Robin Friedman - 2009
    Roxanne is desperate to be like them.When Liat, a fellow Israeli, moves into the "Cursed House" next door, things begin to change and Roxanne realizes that maybe real life isn’t like TV—maybe it’s even better. The novel is set on Staten Island, New York, in the early 1980’s.

All the Colors of Christmas


Matthew Paul Turner - 2020
    In his trademark style, Matthew Paul Turner celebrates the Christmas season, particularly the colors that infuse the holiday and all the memorable sensations and experiences--including a festive market, sledding, and nativity scene--connected to those bright hues. Matthew draws his readers into a whirling ribbon of the familiar reds and greens of Christmas, as well as other festive hues, including white, gold, blue, and brown.Christmas is RED.It's a bright shiny sled.It's candy canes, and toy store lanes.It's sprinkles on sweet bread. Christmas is BROWN It's pinecones scattered round... It's a cradle soft with hay And a donkey's gentle bray. It's God within a baby's skin on that very first Christmas Day.All the colors come together when readers are reminded that Christmas is YOU--you're a part of the story, the joy and the glory! Matthew shows us again and again that the holidays are nothing without being with the people we love, celebrating treasured traditions, and making new memories--all in vivid color.

Strange Relations


Sonia Levitin - 2007
    That's all Marne wants. That's all she can think of when she asks her parents permission to spend the summer in Hawaii with Aunt Carole and her family.But Marne quickly realizes her visit isn't going to be just about learning to surf and morning runs along the beach, despite the cute surfer boy she keeps bumping into. For one thing, Aunt Carole isn't even Aunt Carole anymore—she's Aunt Chaya, married to a Chasidic rabbi and deeply rooted in her religious community. Nothing could be more foreign to Marne, and fitting into this new culture—and house full of kids—is a challenge. But as she settles into her newfound family's daily routine, she begins to think about spirituality, identity, and finding a place in the world in a way she never has before.This rich novel is a window into a different life and gets to the very heart of faith, identity, and family ties.

All-of-a-Kind Family Hanukkah


Emily Jenkins - 2018
    Zelinsky (Rapunzel) bring the beloved All-of-a-Kind Family to life in a new format. Fans, along with those just meeting the five girls ("all of a kind," as their parents say), will join them back in 1912, on the Lower East Side of NYC, and watch as preparations for Hanukkah are made. When Gertie, the youngest, is not allowed to help prepare latkes, she throws a tantrum. Banished to the girls' bedroom, she can still hear the sounds and smell the smells of a family getting ready to celebrate. But then Papa comes home and she is allowed out--and given the best job of all: lighting the first candle on the menorah.First published in 1951, Taylor's chapter books have become time-honored favorites, selling over a million copies and touching generations of readers. In this time when immigrants often do not feel accepted, the All-of-a-Kind Family gives a heartwarming glimpse of a Jewish immigrant family and their customs that is as relevant--and necessary--today as when it was first written. Jenkins and Zelinsky's charming compliment to Taylor's series perfectly captures the warmth and family values that made the original titles classics.

Bagels from Benny


Aubrey Davis - 2003
    When Grandpa explains to Benny that God, not him, should be thanked for the wonderful bagels, Benny sets out to do just that. He decides to leave God a bagful of bagels in the synagogue at the end of each week. And each week God eats the bagels --- or so Benny thinks ... Lovingly told, Bagels from Benny explores the values of caring and sharing, building a strong sense of community and finding joy in giving thanks.

The Blessing Cup


Patricia Polacco - 2013
    A single china cup from a tea set left behind when Jews were forced to leave Russia helps hold a family together through generations of living in America, reminding them of the most important things in life.

Welcoming Elijah: A Passover Tale with a Tail


Lesléa Newman - 2020
    Outside, a cat wonders, hungry and alone. When it's time for the symbolic Passover custom of opening the family's front door for the prophet Elijah, both the boy and the cat are in for a remarkable surprise.