(4) K-3 Translated by Nancy Wellins. Illustrated by Yossi Abolafia. In ancient Jerusalem, Itamar searches for a golden bell missing from a garment he’s helping to mend; in 2011, an archaeologist finds it. The ending is abrupt, and back matter would be useful to give context to the real-life find, but the book demonstrates the human stories behind archaeology. Smoothly translated text and cartoon-style illustrations add interest and bring the long-ago setting to life.

Reviewer: Shoshana Flax

(3) YA This inclusive history of Jerusalem's Temple Mount and the Noble Sanctuary profiles its several incarnations as a holy place of worship for Jews, Christians, and Muslims. Beginning almost four thousand years ago, Cooper relates the site's convoluted, volatile history through objective text, black-and-white photographs, maps, and detailed architectural drawings. It's a valuable source for research or general enlightenment. Timeline. Bib., ind.

Reviewer: Jessica Bushore

(3) K-3 Photographs by Eliyahu Alpern. Tisha B'Av, a Jewish day of mourning commemorating the destruction of two ancient temples in Jerusalem, has "become a symbol of Jewish suffering and loss." With few children's books on the topic, this unique photo-essay focuses on contemporary children from a religious Israeli family, who visit the archaeological sites and learn about the temples and holiday practices. More about Tisha B'Av is appended.

Reviewer: Melinda Greenblatt

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Nuria Balaguer. In this extended parable based on a quote by Rabbi Hillel, a young man journeys to Jerusalem seeking a teacher who can teach him the Torah "while standing on one foot." After encountering naysayers, wise Rabbi Hillel finally provides the answer. Dialogue in bold typeface helps readers to focus on the key concepts, and striking, desert-toned collage illustrations support the allegorical tone.

Reviewer: Miriam Steinberg-Egeth

(4) YA Flea, part of a first-century Jerusalem street gang, witnesses the arrival, public reception, and crucifixion of "Magician" Yeshua in a retelling that casts Jesus and Judas in new light. Flea's brutally conveyed desperation is a compelling backdrop for the well-paced narrative, which is skillfully built from the source material, but anachronistic dialogue ("Look, lady...") and a passive protagonist tend to undercut both believability and impact.

Reviewer: Claire E. Gross

(4) K-3 Illustrated by Shahar Kober. When Engineer Ari's train breaks down, he ends up in Modi'in ("The ancient home of the Maccabees...Where the miracle of Hanukkah began"). There he celebrates Hanukkah with Kalil, a Bedouin who offers to help. The text, while wordy, provides a fresh take on the story. Illustrations emphasize the lush greenery of a Middle Eastern winter. An author's note is appended. Glos.

Reviewer: Shoshana Flax

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Janice Lee Porter. Five-year-old Yuvi narrates her Jewish family's flight from Ethiopia, traveling the desert with little food, harassed by robbers, and ending up in Jerusalem. Throughout her travails, Yuvi is reassured by her grandmother's refrain: "We have angels with us. We'll fly home." Flowing illustrations in browns, blues, and oranges bring this story, based on one woman's experience with Operation Moses, to life.

Reviewer: Amy Kellman

(2) 4-6 Hayaat's Muslim family lives in a small apartment in Israeli-occupied Bethlehem. When her grandmother, Sitti Zeynab, falls ill, Hayaat embarks on a mission to bring back a jar of earth from her homeland. The long journey to Jerusalem through numerous checkpoints is vividly depicted, along with the trials of occupation and the extreme fortitude of the people living under it.

Reviewer: Lauren Adams | Horn Book Magazine Issue: January, 2011

(4) 4-6 Translated by Hillel Halkin. Michael (or Mikha'el, as he's called in Israel) moves with his parents from New York to Jerusalem to be near his grandfather. There he learns that his grandfather has the ability to bring people into his dreams. While the magic realism of the dream world is evocatively drawn, the novella may be too quiet to engage many readers.

Reviewer: Christine M. Heppermann

(1) 4-6 In this prequel, wisecracking djinni Bartimaeus is bound to one of King Solomon's evil magicians. Meanwhile, Asmira, trusted guard to the queen of Sheba, is sent to Jerusalem to assassinate Solomon. Stroud has crafted a worthy companion to the Bartimaeus trilogy, keeping what worked (snarky first-person voice, labyrinthine plotting) but adding enough new elements to keep the story inventive and satisfying.

Reviewer: Jonathan Hunt | Horn Book Magazine Issue: November, 2010

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Aurélia Fronty. King Solomon settles a land dispute by recounting a folktale from both Arab and Jewish traditions. Two brothers from nearby villages equally share their best harvest. Each then tries to secretly give the other a gift of more grain; where they meet on their generous mission becomes Jerusalem. The peaceful, loving tale is accompanied by folk art–like paintings evocative of the Middle Eastern setting.

Reviewer: Melinda Greenblatt

(3) 4-6 Translated by Betsy Rosenberg. When his elderly friend is accused by an old rival of stealing a valuable portrait, twelve-year-old David must track down the real thief before the pig-headed seniors harm themselves in an "honour or death" duel in a Jerusalem orchard. David slowly doles out pieces of the backstory leading up to the duel, generating suspense in this quirky, poignant novel.

Reviewer: Tanya D. Auger

(2) YA In the time of the Crusades, sixteen-year-old Pagan, a smart-mouthed orphan, applies to the Templars, the order devoted to protecting travelers. Assigned as a squire to a paragon of knightly virtue, impious Pagan ducks his chores and tries to provoke Lord Roland into cracking a smile. With such lively and engaging characters as these, readers will be glad to see there are three books of their adventures yet to come.

Reviewer: Anita L. Burkam | Horn Book Magazine Issue: September, 2003

(4) K-3 Holy Places series. A colorful photo accompanies each page of information about the significance of various holy places, including history and references to and comparisons of the religions covered. Large text boxes interrupt the flow of information told in simple, sometimes misleading language. Bodh Gaya, Mecca, and Western Wall offer first-hand accounts from pilgrims. Glos., ind. [Review covers these Holy Places titles: The Ganges, The Golden Temple, The Vatican, Bodh Gaya, Mecca, and The Western Wall.]

Reviewer: Christina Dorr

(4) 4-6 Cities Through Time series. Illustrated by Ray Webb. These books deliver what their titles promise by a combination of readable text, archival photos and drawings, boxed quotations, and static illustrations. The books consider lower classes as well as middle and upper. Background artwork often creates a problem for textual legibility, but generally these are accurate, brief surveys of the cities and the culture that has evolved in each. Time lines are appended. Bib., ind.

Reviewer: Frieda F. Bostian

(4) K-3 Illustrated by Cornelius Van Wright & Ying-Hwa Hu. Avi, a young Jew living in Jerusalem, follows a stray cat he's befriended only to discover that Hamudi, an Arab boy, is caring for the animal in the Muslim quarter. The watercolor paintings that accompany this familiar, somewhat didactic tale realistically depict the ancient city and successfully extend the story's hopeful mood. An author's note is appended. Glos.

Reviewer: Amy Lois Cohn

(4) K-3 This picture-book overview looks at the history of Jerusalem over three thousand years, focusing mainly on the period from Moses' time through Muslim rule and concentrating on Jewish experience. The soft paintings, on cream-colored, textured paper, give an air of formality to the straightforward text. Waldman includes a time line, but a list of additional references would have made the book more useful.

Reviewer: Maeve Visser Knoth