Hershel and the Hanukkah Goblin
by Eric A. Kimmel

An entertaining, engaging folktale-like offering of how Hershel of Ostropol, arriving at an anonymous Eastern European village on the Eve of Hanukkah, with clever wile, with courage and perseverance rids the village synagogue of an army of nasty demonic goblins that had been preventing Hanukkah celebrations.

Golem
by David Wisniewski

Retold from traditional sources and accompanied by David Wisniewski’s unique cut-paper illustrations, Golem is a dramatic tale of supernatural forces invoked to save an oppressed people. It also offers a thought-provoking look at the consequences of unleashing power beyond human control. The afterword discusses the legend of the golem and its roots in the history of the Jews.

The Keeping Quilt
by Patricia Polacco

A homemade quilt ties together the lives of four generations of an immigrant Jewish family, remaining a symbol of their enduring love and faith. 

Mrs. Katz and Tush
by Patricia Polacco

Larnel doesn’t know his neighbor, Mrs. Katz, very well, until he asks her to adopt an abandoned kitten. Mrs. Katz agrees on one condition: that Larnel help her take care of the kitten she names Tush. When Larnel starts spending more and more time with Mrs. Katz to help with Tush, Mrs. Katz tells him stories about coming to America from Poland and about the good times she spent with her late husband. As Larnel grows to love Mrs. Katz, he also learns about the suffering and triumph black history shares with the Jewish heritage.

Something From Nothing
by Phoebe Gilman

The blanket Joseph’s grandfather made him is transformed into many things as the years go by: a jacket, a vest, a tie, a handkerchief–and finally a button. Gilman’s modern adaptation and lively illustrations turn this favorite Jewish tale into a contemporary classic.

Winter Candle
by Jeron Ashford Frame

Multiple residents at the Juniper Court Apartment complex are celebrating their family traditions during the holidays. As each family begins their celebration, they realize they are missing an important component- a candle. As the candle is passed from family to family, children will learn about Havdalah, Saint Lucia Day, and Kwanzaa. 

It Could Always Be Worse: A Yiddish Folk Tale
by Margot Zemach

Once upon a time a poor unfortunate man lived with his mother, his wife, and his six children in a one-room hut.

When the poor man was unable to stand it any longer, he ran to the Rabbi for help.

As he follows the Rabbi’s unlikely advice, the poor man’s life goes from bad to worse, with increasingly uproarious results.

Baxter, the Pig Who Wanted to Be Kosher
by Laurel Snyder

While waiting for the bus, a man tells Baxter the pig about the joys of Shabbat dinner. But before Baxter can find out how he, too, can join in the fun, the man has boarded the bus. Soon after, Baxter learns that he certainly cannot be a part of Shabbat dinner because he’s not Kosher. So begins one pig’s misguided quest to become Kosher. Will Baxter succeed or will his dreams of taking part in Shabbat dinner remain unfulfilled? Readers will cheer as a series of misunderstandings leads to a warm message of welcome and community.     

The Hardest Word: A Yom Kippur Story
by Jacqueline Jules

The Ziz, a wonderful bird who lived long ago, is so big and clumsy that he can’t keep from bumping into things. When a tree he knocks over destroys the children’s garden, he seeks God’s help to fix things. “Bring me the hardest word,” God instructs him, and the Ziz flies off to search. He brings back words like rhinoceros, rock, and Rumplestiltskin, but none is acceptable, until he makes an important discovery. 

When Life Gives You O.J.
by Erica S. Perl

When her grandfather suggests that Zelly Fried show her parents she’s ready for the responsibility of taking care of a dog by making a “practice dog” out of an orange juice jug, Zelly is not entirely sure about the idea. 

The Blessing Cup
by Patricia Polacco

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. 

The Trees of the Dancing Goats
by Patricia Polacco

Trisha loves the eight days of Hanukkah, when her mother stays home from work, her Babushka makes delicious potato latkes, and her Grampa carves wonderful animals out of wood as gifts for Trisha and her brother. Trisha’s neighbors are all bedridden with scarlet fever. It is difficult for them to enjoy their Hanukkah feast when they know that their neighbors won’t be able to celebrate their holiday. Then Grampa has an inspiration: they will cut down trees, decorate them, and secretly deliver them to the neighbors.

Not a Nickel to Spare: The Great Depression Diary of Sally Cohen
by Perry Nodelman

Coping with being poor during the Depression is hard enough, but Sally also has to deal with the anti-Jewish feelings in her community when she ventures outside her familiar Jewish neighbourhood. And her cousin Benny is always getting into scrapes Sally has to try to get him out of. Sally must find the strength and learn to cope with the world around her. 

Turned Away: The World War II Diary of Devorah Bernstein (Dear Canada)
by Carol Matas

This dramatic story tells of 11-year-old Devorah’s efforts to help her cousin and pen pal Sarah emigrate from Paris before the Nazis deport the Jews to internment camps. Devorah learns that 5,000 Jewish children in France have visas to leave the country, but the Canadian government will not let them in, leading Devorah to desperately lobby the government to change its policies.

Nosh, Schlep, Schluff: Babyiddish
by Laurel Snyder

Learning and using Yiddish is fun for the whole family, from the youngest mamaleh to the oldest bubbe and zaideh. As the mother tongue of millions of Jewish immigrants, Yiddish has made its way into everyday English. The sprightly text follows a toddler through a busy day and is peppered from beginning to end with Yiddish words. 

To Hope and Back: The Journey of the St. Louis
by Kathy Kacer

The true story of the ship St. Louis, which left Germany in May 1939 full of Jewish passengers seeking refuge in Cuba. Denied port in Cuba, the US, and finally Canada, the St. Louis was forced to return Europe, where many passengers later died in the Holocaust. Through the eyes of two children, Sol and Lisa, both of whom survived the war and shared their experiences, we see as their journey begins with excitement and hope, only to end in frustration and fear. The children’s chapters alternate with those of Captain Schroeder, who reveals the full history of the journey.