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Karen Morgenstern ELIB 510 Dr. Lesley Farmer December 10, 2011 A6 Order

Collection Order: Judaica Books As discussed in the Collection Map and in the Curriculum Study, Jewish studies are a major component of Brawerman Elementary School’s curriculum. Referred to by the administration and by Jewish educators as Judaica, this broad term encompasses Jewish history, Jewish values (tikkun olam, repairing the world, and behaving like mensches, or good, ethical people), and the study of Torah—including contemporary interpretations of the Torah and its traditions. Part of this curricular area also includes developing an understanding of relationship of contemporary American Jewry to the state of Israel. Brawerman’s Mission Statement, Philosophy and Expected Schoolwide Learning Results (ESLRs), as detailed on the school website, all refer to the importance Judaic learning plays in the school’s curriculum. Listed below are key components of the ESLRs, which serve in place of standards for this area of study (“ESLRs,” n.d.): Every student will be an academically competent individual. Each student may demonstrate this by:

• Meeting or exceeding grade-level standards in language arts, mathematics, social studies, science, Judaics, Hebrew, and physical education

Every student will be a “mensch” (good, ethical, moral human being). Each student may demonstrate this by:

• Contributing to both the secular and Jewish communities • Treating adults and fellow students with respect • Living the concept of Tikkun Olam (Repairing the world) • Helping and showing kindness to others without being asked

As noted in the Curriculum Map, Braweman Library’s 466 Judaica books comprise 5.63% of the total collection, but they mainly consist of Jewish holiday picture books and only 1.76% of them have a copyright date after 2008. Because of the importance Judaica plays in the overall education of Brawerman students, updating the library’s Judaica collection is a worthwhile goal and a perfect use of the any funds available to the librarian. In the order list below, I have included a book on how Shabbat (the Sabbath) is celebrated by Jews around the world, including Jews of different nationalities and Mizrahi Jews. Many of our students are considered originally to be Mizrahi Jews, who originate from Iran and other Middle Eastern and Near Eastern countries. There is a variety of Judaica topics included in the books below, including Bible stories, a book about our morning prayer, Modeh Ani, and a book for older students on the Warsaw Ghetto during World War II.

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Bernhard, Durga. 2011. Around the world in one Shabbat: Jewish people celebrate the Sabbath together. Woodstock, VT: Jewish Lights Pub. Price: $20.00

from Kamin, Rachel. School Library Journal, May2011, Vol. 57 Issue 5, p94-94, 1/6p Gr 1-3-On Friday morning, Avi and Rachel accompany their grandmother to the market in Jerusalem to purchase the ingredients for their Sabbath meal. In Buenos Aires, Alicia and her sister help to make challah. Leyla and David watch as their mother lights the Sabbath candles in Istanbul, and Isaac listens to his grandfather recite the blessing over the wine in St. Petersburg, Russia. Young girls in France and America, and a boy in

Germany, celebrate Shabbat in the synagogue while children in Casablanca, Thailand, and India spend Saturday afternoon with their families. The book concludes with Avi and Rachel, saying good-bye to Shabbat through the havdalah ceremony. A full page of text in a small font narrates each family's experience and is accompanied by pleasant watercolors illustrating the rituals and the unique settings. The Shabbat blessings, in Hebrew and English, are integrated nicely into the text. While Tami Lehman-Wilzig's Passover Around the World (2007) and Hanukkah Around the World (2009, both Kar-Ben) are more comprehensive, Bernhard successfully provides an introduction to Shabbat rituals, prayers, and customs, and many vibrant Jewish communities. Gershman, Sarah, and Kristina Swarner. 2010. Modeh ani: a good morning book. Oakland, Calif: EKS Pub. CO. Price: $19.44

from the Sydney Taylor Book Awards website; 2011 Sydney Taylor Honor Book for Younger Readers (IL K-3) A lyrical interpretation of a selection of Morning Blessings taken from the “Birchot HaShachar” and written with a simplicity and elegance that can be understood by young listeners and readers. The illustrations are full of emotion, expressing the mystery of the dawn, the innocence of a child, the warmth of family, and the excitement and awe of

facing each new day. Kimmel, Eric A., and Martina Peluso. 2011. Joseph and the Sabbath fish. Minneapolis: Kar-Ben. Price: $17.95

from Kirkus Reviews, 8/15/2011, Vol. 79 Issue 16, p1476-1476, 1/3p (Picture book/religion, 5-7) Award-winner Kimmel retells a Jewish fable of greed and generosity. At Joseph's weekly Sabbath table, all are welcomed-rich or poor, young or old. Joseph's neighbor, Judah, also sets a bountiful table each week, but he prefers to invite only important people to his Sabbath meal; he gives his charity to the beggars in

the street. Judah chastises Joseph for is excessive hospitality and correctly predicts that he will soon lose all his wealth. A foreboding dream warns Judah that he, too, might lose his fortune and that Joseph will one day count Judah's money for himself. Judah, shaken, sells his property, buys a large ruby and leaves Tiberias by sea-and loses the jewel, the last of his wealth, in a strong storm. Returning to Tiberias, he approaches the always kind and benevolent Joseph for help. Joseph's luck has once again changed with a fish he received at market: Cutting it open revealed the ruby Judah lost. As in Marilyn Hirsh's Joseph Who Loved the Sabbath, illustrated by Devis Grebu (1986), Kimmel reconciles the differing attitudes through a conclusion about the importance of celebrating the Sabbath "with an open door and an open heart."Blended shades of blues, purples and greens done in watercolor, pen and pastel illuminate the old Israeli scenes integral to the narration. Heartwarming for Jewish collections and religious-school settings.

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Lakritz, Deborah, and Martha Avilés Junco. 2010. Say hello, Lily. Minneapolis: Kar-Ben Pub. Price: $17.95

from Kirkus Reviews, 8/1/2010, Vol. 78 Issue 15, p732-732, 1/4p (Picture book, 4-6) Shy Lily needs time to get used to all the new faces and people she is meeting at Shalom House, an assisted-living facility where her mother does volunteer work. Although Mrs. Seidel compliments Lily on her new shoes and Dr. Berman encourages her to smile, Lily is not quite ready to say "hello" the way her mother suggests. Mrs. Rosenbaum, Lily's former neighbor and friend who has just moved into Shalom House, tells everyone,

"She'll be ready when she's ready." Several visits later, Lily is more than ready not only to say "hello" but to share in the activities and even celebrate a special day with her newfound friends. Pencil-and-gouache illustrations brightly delineate an elder community of kind, thoughtful faces opposite one curious and eager-to-please little girl who learns to temper her shyness while she welcomes a new set of friends into her young life. A gentle and satisfying introduction to a senior residential situation that is becoming ever more typical; that this is a Jewish facility in no way compromises the book's relevance to all audiences. Levy, Debbie. 2010. The year of goodbyes: a true story of friendship, family and farewells. New York: Disney-Hyperion Books. Price: $16.99

from Kirkus Reviews, 2/15/2010, Vol. 78 Issue 4, p149-149, 1/4p (Poetry/nonfiction. 10 & up) Writing for modern readers about the Holocaust is fraught, and when children are the intended audience, the difficulties can be insurmountable. Levy meets the challenges admirably, partly because she had access to unique primary sources: Her mother's autograph book, a poesiealbum, written by friends and family in Hamburg in 1938 and a diary from that same year, when she was 12, form a poignant and chilling basis for the true story of her family's experiences. Each chapter is a translation of an album or diary entry

followed by a poem that evokes sadness, despair, anger and longing to escape. The author's introduction and afterword are integral to the work, as they explain some of the history and tell the fates of friends and family members--those who escaped and survived, those who "died at the hands of the Nazis" and those whose exact fate she was unable to discern. While writing as truthfully as the subject demands, she also spares young readers the gruesome details of those deaths. An immensely powerful experience that needs to be read with an adult. Marshall, Linda Elovitz, and Francesca Assirelli. 2011. Talia and the rude vegetables. Minneapolis: Kar-Ben. Price: $16.95

from Publishers Weekly, 7/18/2011, Vol. 258 Issue 29, p148-148, 1/5p: (Ages 3-8) This laugh-out-loud title keeps the little jokes coming. Young Talia, a city girl, mishears her grandmother's request for the child's help in fetching root vegetables from the garden for a sweet Rosh Hashanah stew. Talia proceeds to wrestle assorted insolent veggies--crooked carrots, peculiar parsnips, and, of course, rude-abagas-- from the garden, gathering at the same time nice, compliant ones that she gives to the local

rabbi, since her grandmother has specifically requested the rude ones. Talia manages to perform both familial and social duty--she has done a mitzvah to feed the hungry, explains her pleased grandmother, who also gently clarifies the original request. An easy and flexible recipe for "Rude Vegetable Stew" concludes the volume. Quirky, cool-palette color illustrations by Italian artist Assirelli perfectly convey the whimsical narrative in Marshall's first children's book. This lovely New Year's book can be read and enjoyed year-round.

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Marx, Trish, and Cindy Karp. 2010. Sharing our homeland: Palestinian and Jewish children at summer peace camp. New York: Lee & Low Books. Price: $20.00

from Estrin, Heidi. School Library Journal, Oct2010, Vol. 56 Issue 10, p102-102, 1/5p (Gr 3-6) Alya, an Israeli Palestinian girl, and Yuval, an Israeli Jewish boy, attend Peace Camp where kids learn respect for one anothers' cultures. This photo-essay explores the home lives of both children, and follows them through the camp experience. The author provides very basic history and context for the Middle East conflict, always circling back to its effect on Alya's and Yuval's lives. She paints a compelling portrait of the camp,

which combines familiar activities like swimming and crafts with more serious ones like a bomb-squad demo or field trips to Jewish and Arab communities. Quotes from interviews with the children, their families, and camp staff add life to the narrative. Large, clear, colorful photos create a "you are there" feeling. While the depiction of the two ethnicities is fairly evenhanded, the subtitle's descriptors may trouble some adult readers. Why not "Arab" and "Jewish" or "Muslim" and "Jewish"? However, the editor has stated that the people at Peace Camp, all of whom are Israeli citizens, preferred to be identified this way. The lens of summer camp provides a positive introduction to a troubled region. The book's hopeful tone may inspire readers to explore the topic further. Rosenstock, Barbara, and Melanie Hall. 2011. The littlest mountain. Minneapolis: Kar-Ben Pub. Price: $17.95

from Estrin, Heidi. School Library Journal, Apr2011, Vol. 57 Issue 4, p152-152, 1/5p (PreS-Gr 3) This pourquoi story about why God chose Mount Sinai as the location for giving the Ten Commandments has its roots in Jewish legend. Various mountains in the land of Israel list their best qualities and argue over which should be chosen. In the end, God picks humble, faithful Mount Sinai, who says, "Whichever mountain You choose will

be the best." This is a lovely tale, but a few points in the story require some suspension of disbelief. Talkative, mobile mountains are a bit of a stretch, especially as the illustrations are realistic rather than anthropomorphic. Also, God plans to give the people "laws to follow so that the world will finally know peace." The statement feels anticlimactic, since even young readers know that this goal was not achieved. That said, kids will get a kick out of the folktale feeling and the talking mountains, caregivers will like the lesson on the value of being humble and faithful, and Jewish educators will be thrilled to have a great read-aloud for the holiday of Shavuot, which commemorates the receiving of the Ten Commandments. The story can easily be adapted for performance as reader's theater, a puppet show, or a stage play. The pastel-colored illustrations are very soft, perhaps a bit on the gentle side for a tale about rocky peaks, but they are well executed and do enhance the fairy- tale atmosphere. A solid choice for Judeo-Christian collections that may be enjoyed in secular settings as well. Rubin, Susan Goldman, and Bill Farnsworth. 2011. Irena Sendler and the children of the Warsaw Ghetto. New York: Holiday House. Price: $18.95

from Booklist starred (April 15, 2011 (Vol. 107, No. 16)) Grades 3-6. Irena Sendler, a young Catholic social worker in Warsaw during WWII, watched as the city’s Jews were confined in the overcrowded ghetto and, later, taken in groups to Treblinka. Risking her life, Irena worked with an underground organization, talking with parents in the ghetto, helping their babies and children escape its walls, teaching them enough Polish to deceive the Nazis, and placing them in convents and foster homes. Though

she was captured by the Gestapo, tortured, and sentenced to death, Irena escaped and continued her work. By the war’s end, she had rescued nearly 400 children and helped many more. The book concludes with an afterword, which explains why Sendler remained virtually unknown for decades, as well as lists of resources and source notes for quotes in the text. Rubin tells Sendler’s dramatic story with quiet dignity and grace and lets her speak for herself in the last lines of the afterword. The book’s large format gives plenty of scope for Farnsworth’s impressive oil paintings. The many night scenes, in particular, make

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effective use of light, movement, and gesture. Although reflecting the quiet tone of the writing, the large-scale paintings also express the story’s essential drama. A moving tribute to a courageous woman. Simpson, Lesley, and Janice Lee Porter. 2011. Yuvi's candy tree. Minneapolis: Kar-Ben Pub. Price: $17.95

from Kirkus Reviews, 4/15/2011, Vol. 79 Issue 8, Special Section p45-46, 2p (Picture book, 5-8) The hardship many Ethiopian Jews faced to successfully reach Israel is recounted in the voice of a 5-year-old girl who escapes with her grandmother, determined to reach their destination. Yuvi's trip begins on a donkey at night with her grandmother's strong religious conviction that angels will help them join mother and baby brother in their real home. "We are going to Jerusalem. We have angels with us. We'll fly

home." The long, arduous and dangerous journey is made bearable through role-playing familiar family Shabbat rituals. Several encounters with robbers take almost all their money, except for the small amount Yuvi cleverly hides within her hair curls. Starved and parched from the endless days and nights of traveling, mostly on foot. Grandmother's new promise of unlimited candy, clothes, games and bread is a wonder to Yuvi. Finally when they reach Jerusalem aboard a big plane, Yuvi sees her first orange tree and learns that after picking and eating one, so juicy and sweet, another will grow back--the candy tree she imagined. Large, mostly double-page paintings in soft yellow, tan and blue hues on a textured canvas reflect the intrigue, emotion and difficulty of the journey. Uncomplicated language expressed in a direct and honest voice plus vibrant illustrations make Israel's Operation Moses easily accessible for early-elementary children. Schwartz, Howard, and Kristina Swarner. 2010. Gathering sparks. New York: Roaring Brook Press. Price: $16.99

from Luch, Janet. Library Media Connection, Nov/Dec2010, Vol. 29 Issue 3, p73-73, 1/8p This delightful book is based on the Jewish tradition known as "tikkunolam," which means to repair the world with each person being responsible to do their part. The myth of the shattering of vessels and the gathering of sparks is recounted in the second person and begins when the grandfather takes the young child outside one night to look

at the stars. He explains that before the world was created God sent forth ten vessels carrying a cargo of light. The ships broke apart and spread sparks of light everywhere, creating the stars. Every time a person does a good deed, one of the sparks is set free and rises up; each freed spark helps repair a little bit of the world. The pictures are large, bright and help illustrate the story, using color to set the tone. The book is easy to understand and promotes the idea of being nice to siblings, animals, plants, and the environment in general. Recommended. Stampler, Ann Redisch, and Eugene Yelchin. 2010. The rooster prince of Breslov. Boston: Clarion Books. Price: $17.95

from Kamin, Rachel. School Library Journal, Oct2010, Vol. 56 Issue 10, p104-104, 1/6p (Gr 1-3) When the prince rips off his clothes and insists on crouching naked on the floor and crowing like a rooster, the king and queen offer a bag of gold to anyone who can cure him. The doctor, the magicians, and the sorcerers all fail. Yet a frail old man with a very peculiar plan turns the rooster prince into a real mensch, full of compassion and ready to become a wise and benevolent king. Stampler's witty retelling and Yelchin's imaginative, graphite and gouache illustrations bring to life this well-loved Yiddish folktale from Rabbi

Nachman of Breslov (1772-1810). Children will enjoy picking up on the visual clues that reveal the old man's plan. An author's note provides background information. With more creativity and humor, the text and illustrations are far superior to Izzi Tooinsky's The Turkey Prince (Viking, 2001) and Sydell Waxman's The Rooster Prince (Pitspopany, 2000). Perfect for reading aloud.

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References “Expected Schoolwide Learning Results (ESLRs).” Brawerman.org, http://www.brawerman.org/pages/eslr, December 7, 2011. “Mission Statement.” Brawerman.org, http://www.brawerman.org/pages/mission_statement, December 7, 2011. “Philosophy.” Brawerman.org, http://www.brawerman.org/pages/mission_statement, December 7, 2011.