Auerbach Central Agency for Jewish Education

Educational Resources

Seidman Educational Resource Center

Summer Jewish Reading Club

For Students Aged 5 - 8

Greene, Rhonda Gowler, illustrated by Anne Wilson. The Beautiful World that God Made. Grand Rapids, MI: Erdmans Books for Young Readers, 2002.
A loose rendering of the creation story in short rhyming vese.

Hershenhorn, Esther, illustrated by Rosanne Litzinger. Chicken Soup by Heart. New York, NY: Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers, 2002.
Young Rudy nurses his babysitter back to health by using her special chicken soup recipe, and recipe of stories from the heart. Winner of the Sydney Taylor Award for Younger Readers from the Association of Jewish Libraries.

Pinkney, Jerry. Noah's Ark. New York, NY: Seastar/NorthSouth Books, 2002.
Biblical flood story retold with beautiful illustrations.

Rouss, Sylvia, illustrated by Katherine Janus Kahn. Sammy Spider's First Trip to Israel. Minneapolis, MN: Kar-Ben/Lerner, 2002.
When the inquisitive Sammy stows away on the Shapiro family's trip to Israel, he uses his five senses to sample the wonderful country.

Sasso, Sandy Eisenberg. Noah's Wife: The Story of Naamah. Woodstock, VT: Jewish Lights Publishing, 2003.
When God tells Noah to bring the animals of the world onto the ark, God also calls on Naamah, Noah's wife, to save each plant on Earth.

For Students Aged 8 - 12

Blumenthal, Scott E. The Great Israel Scavenger Hunt. Springfield, NJ: Behrman House, Inc., 2003.
Join a scavenger hunt through Israel in search of objects such as the Israeli flag, a palm tree and the Western Wall, and learn about the major cities and sites of Israel, the diversity of Israel's people and cultures, and our Biblical and modern ties with the Jewish homeland.

Burstein, Chaya. Kids Cartoon Bible. Philadelphia, PA: JPS, 2002.
Retelling of the stories of the Bible, accompanied by lively cartoon illustrations.

Golden, Barbara Diamond. One Hundred and One Jewish Read Aloud Stories. New York, NY: Black Dog and Leventhal Publishers, 2001
An excellent variety of modern Jewish writing for children, from Jewish traditional sources to modern times.

Hautzig, Esthe, illustrated by Beth Pick. A Picture of Grandmother. New York, NY: Frances Foster Books, 2002.
A letter, in 1939, inviting Sara's mother and grandmother to come from Poland to America arrived. It mentions a mysterious photograph and leads Sara to discover a family secret.

Lee, Carol Ann. Anne Frank's Story: Her Life Retold for Children. Mahwah, NJ: Troll Communications, 2002.
The events and personality are conveyed to readers in this accessible biography.

Michaelson, Richard, illustrated by Neil Waldman. Too Young for Yiddish. Watertown, MA: Talewinds/Charlesbridge, 2002.
The story of a boy who learns to love Yiddish from his grandfather, who had almost given up on it.

Schwartz, Howard, retold by, illustrated by Neil Waldman. Jerusalem of Gold. Woodstock, VT: Jewish Lights Publishing, 2003.
A beautiful, engaging collection of historical and legendary stories for children.

For Teens

Cheng, Andrew. Marika. Ashville, NC: Front Line Press, 2002
A fifteen-year-old Hungarian girl with Jewish ancestry seeks an identity and a way out after the Germans invade Budapest.

Finkelstein, Norman H. Forged in Freedom: Shaping the Jewish-American Experience. Philadelphia, PA: JPS, 2002
An engrossing history, in words and photos, of the growth of the American-Jewish community in the 20th century.

Levine, Karen. Hanna's Suitcase: A True Story. Toronto, ON: Second Story Press, 2002.
Honors the memory of a Jewish girl artist who died at age 13 in Terezin. Winner of the Sydney Taylor Award for Older Readers from the Association of Jewish Libraries.

Mack, Stan. The Story of the Jews: A 4,000 Year Adventure. Woodstock, VT: Jewish Lights, 2002.
Using cartoons and witty dialogue, the author gives an overview of the highlights of Jewish history.

Waldman, Neil. The Promised Land: The Birth of the Jewish People. Honesdale, PA: Boyds Mill Press, 2002.
The author conveys his theory of why the Jewish people have endured to this day.

For Families

Bank, Richard. The Everything Judaism Book: Complete Primer to Judaism - Holidays, Rituals, Traditions and Culture. Avon, MA: Adams Media, 2002.
Clear explanations of the basics of the Jewish religion, presented clearly and concisely.

Cooper, Ilene, illustrated by Elivia Salvadier. Jewish Holidays All Year Round: A Family Treasury. New York, NY: Harry N. Abrams, 2002.
History and messages of each holiday, combined with stories, legends, photos of objects from the Jewish Museum, and original illustrations.

Dardashti, Danielle and Roni Sarig. Jewish Family Fun Book: Holiday Projects, Everyday Activities, and Travel Ideas with Jewish Themes. Woodstock, VT: Jewish Lights Publishing, 2002.
"The essential guide to Jewish family life and fun activities at home and on the road!" A rich, informative resource.

Gellman, Marc, illustrated by Harry Bliss. And God Cried, Too: A Kids Book about Healing and Hope. New York, NY: Harper Trophy/Harper Collins, 2002.
Inspired by 9/11, the author gives readers honest yet hopeful answers to questions about injustice and evil.

Zalben, Jane Bresken. Let there Be Light: Poems and Prayers for Repairing the World. New York, NY: Dutton Children's Books, 2002.
A lyrical collection of poems which convey the theme of "tikkun olam." The selections are drawn from many varied cultural traditions.