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32 pp.
| Hachai
| September, 2003
|
TradeISBN 1-929628-12-9$$9.95
(4)
PS
Illustrated by
Fayge Devorah Blau
&
Fayge Devorah Blau.
Dovid can't sleep. Is he thirsty? Bothered by household noises? No, he's just lonely. When his mother assures him that Hashem, God, is always by his side, Dovid rests peacefully. Though the story and illustrations are somewhat awkward, both convey a feeling of warmth, and the setting evident in text and art will be appreciated by observant Jewish families.
104 pp.
| Enslow
| June, 2003
|
LibraryISBN 0-7660-1992-6$$20.95
(4)
4-6
Holocaust in History series.
These books deal with Holocaust victims and survivors. Altman gives a vivid image of some of the atrocities committed by Hitler's henchmen against Jews, Poles, Gypsies, homosexuals, and other groups. Each book, illustrated with archival photos, presents events in an accessible, sequential format but is often too abbreviated for the complex topics. Chapter notes, maps, reading list, timeline, websites. Glos., ind. [Review covers these Holocaust in History titles: The Forgotten Victims of the Holocaust, The Jewish Victims of the Holocaust, and Resisters and Rescuers--Standing Up against the Holocaust.]
104 pp.
| Enslow
| November, 2003
|
LibraryISBN 0-7660-1994-2$$20.95
(4)
4-6
Holocaust in History series.
These books deal with Holocaust victims and survivors. Altman gives a vivid image of some of the atrocities committed by Hitler's henchmen against Jews, Poles, Gypsies, homosexuals, and other groups. Each book, illustrated with archival photos, presents events in an accessible, sequential format but is often too abbreviated for the complex topics. Chapter notes, maps, reading list, timeline, websites. Glos., ind. [Review covers these Holocaust in History titles: The Forgotten Victims of the Holocaust, The Jewish Victims of the Holocaust, and Resisters and Rescuers--Standing Up against the Holocaust.]
32 pp.
| Volcano
| September, 2003
|
TradeISBN 1-884244-23-8$$16.95
(3)
K-3
Illustrated by
Tennessee Dixon
&
Tennessee Dixon.
The small chicken of the story is a chick caught in a hailstorm on a farm in Nebraska. The mother of the Jewish pioneer family rescues the little bird and sews him some long johns until his feathers grow back in. Told at a leisurely pace, with plenty of observation and a nod to motherhood at the end, the story is gentle and not flashy, illustrated in realistic monochrome.
(3)
YA
Holocaust series.
These books offer informative accounts of the Holocaust, from its roots through contemporary views of the mass murder. Quotes from survivors, former Nazis, journals of death camp victims, and historians are effectively integrated into the clearly written narrative, which is complemented by clear black-and-white and color photos and sidebars. There are five other spring 2003 books in this series. Glos., ind. [Review covers these Holocaust titles: Viewing the Holocaust Today, Life and Death in the Camps, Prelude to the Holocaust, and Art, Music, and Writings from the Holocaust.]
32 pp.
| ABDO
| September, 2003
|
LibraryISBN 1-57765-986-4$$22.78
(4)
K-3
Checkerboard: One Nation series.
Each book follows the same formula: brief historical background, reasons for immigrating to America, encounters with discrimination, assimilation into the mainstream, and the contributions of individuals. Family-style photographs augment the simplistic text. A pronunciation guide and a "Path to Citizenship" feature appear in all the volumes. There are four other fall 2003 titles in this series. Glos., ind. [Review covers these Checkerboard: One Nation titles: German Americans, Haitian Americans, Hmong Americans, Jewish Americans, Mexican Americans, and Somali Americans.]
(2)
YA
This emotionally charged novel about a Jewish girl who befriends a German soldier imprisoned in her Arkansas town is, according to the jacket, "celebrating thirty years in print."
112 pp.
| Raintree
| January, 2003
|
LibraryISBN 0-7398-5261-2$$32.85
(3)
YA
Twentieth-Century History Makers series.
These books profile six influential figures of the last century and their accomplishments. Little attention is paid to their personal lives, but the authors adequately detail the history of the times and their subjects' particular influences on it. Captioned black-and-white and color photos illustrate the books. There are six other spring 2003 books in this series. Reading list, timeline. Glos., ind. [Review covers these Twentieth-Century History Makers titles: Winston Churchill; Martin Luther King, Jr.; Sigmund Freud; Anne Frank; Albert Einstein; and Fidel Castro.]
(4)
K-3
Illustrated by
Vicki Jo Redenbaugh
&
Vicki Jo Redenbaugh.
It is a familiar theme: a group of friends are invited to a latkes dinner the first night of Hanukkah and asked to contribute side dishes. For one reason or another the neighbors' best intentions fail and they all bring latkes. The soft color illustrations set the story in a small village of the past. This is a pleasant, if undistinguished, addition for large collections. A recipe is included.
(3)
4-6
Roman Mysteries series.
In Assassins, Jonathan goes on a secret mission to find his long-missing mother; in Dolphins, Jonathan, Flavia, and friends search for sunken treasure, in the process stumbling over the source of Lupus's muteness. As in the other Roman Mysteries series titles, these books are fast paced and compulsively readable, with heaps of atmosphere and information about life in ancient Rome. [Review covers these Roman Mysteries titles: The Assassins of Rome and The Dolphins of Laurentum.]
111 pp.
| Whitman
| March, 2003
|
TradeISBN 0-8075-3148-0$$15.95
(3)
4-6
Alternating the story of Hana, a Jewish girl who died at Auschwitz, with that of a contemporary Japanese museum curator determined to commemorate her, this nonfiction account, liberally illustrated with documentary photos, tries both to bear honest witness and to tell a good story. It has limited success on both counts, but the book's warm closure makes this a good introduction to the subject for third and fourth graders.
Reviewer: Roger Sutton
| Horn Book Magazine Issue:
May, 2003
48 pp.
| Tricycle
| October, 2003
|
TradeISBN 1-58246-098-1$$16.95
(3)
4-6
Illustrated by
Ann Marshall
&
Ann Marshall.
During the Holocaust, Luba Tryszynska, herself a prisoner, hid, fed, and ultimately saved the lives of more than fifty Jewish children in the Bergen-Belsen concentration camp. The dark oil and collage illustrations help tell the the difficult but triumphant story. An epilogue relates what happened after liberation and the details of a 1995 reunion between Luba and her "children." Bib.
110 pp.
| Chelsea
| March, 2003
|
LibraryISBN 0-7910-7103-0$$22.95
(4)
YA
Sieges That Changed the World series.
These two books provide relatively in-depth overviews of the sieges of, respectively, Constantinople in 1453 and Masada in the first century, as well as the events leading up to them and their aftermaths. Contemporary color photos and reproductions of period art add interest, but some maps, especially in Constantinople, would have been helpful. Reading list, timeline. Bib., ind. [Review covers these Sieges That Changed the World titles: Constantinople and Masada.]
139 pp.
| Eerdmans
| February, 2003
|
TradeISBN 0-8028-5243-2$$16.00
(4)
YA
Fourteen-year-old Netta Hofman is shocked and heartbroken when her older brother disappears without a trace. Because the Hofmans are recent Israeli immigrants to America, Netta fears that Adam may have been the victim of Palestinian terrorists. Though the prose is superficial and the themes unsubtle, the novel contains solid characterizations of teenagers who come to question their own prejudices.
186 pp.
| Houghton/Lorraine
| October, 2003
|
TradeISBN 0-618-16465-0$$15.00
(2)
4-6
Translated by Hillel Halkin.
In this novel of heartbreaking resilience based on a Holocaust survivor's account, Srulik, a nine-year-old boy on the run in the Polish countryside, learns from his encounters with strangers that he can't reveal himself as a Jew. Like his protagonist, Orlev does not waste words; he resists embellishment. We learn what happens, but we must construct our feelings about those happenings for ourselves.
Reviewer: Susan P. Bloom
| Horn Book Magazine Issue:
November, 2003
48 pp.
| Dutton
| March, 2003
|
TradeISBN 0-525-46999-0$$14.99
(3)
1-3
Inspired by a hat on display at the Jewish Historical Museum in Amsterdam, the author speculates about the appearance, habits, and fate of the woman who might have worn it. Subdued pencil sketches sometimes incorporate period photographs in this worthy addition to Holocaust literature. An author's note is appended.
280 pp.
| Philomel
| May, 2003
|
TradeISBN 0-399-23984-7$$18.99
(1)
YA
Translated by Brian Murdoch.
Alternating sections follow seven-year-old Malka and her doctor mother, Hannah, who become separated while fleeing the Nazis in WWII Poland. Hannah reaches sanctuary across the Hungarian border, but Malka ends up alone in the Jewish ghetto. Pressler's calm, unadorned prose makes Malka's ordeal rivetingly immediate; the images she evokes are unforgettable.
(4)
K-3
Holy Places series.
A colorful photo accompanies each page of information about the significance of various holy places, including history and references to and comparisons of the religions covered. Large text boxes interrupt the flow of information told in simple, sometimes misleading language. Bodh Gaya, Mecca, and Western Wall offer first-hand accounts from pilgrims. Glos., ind. [Review covers these Holy Places titles: The Ganges, The Golden Temple, The Vatican, Bodh Gaya, Mecca, and The Western Wall.]
56 pp.
| Heinemann
| April, 2003
|
LibraryISBN 1-4034-0813-0$$28.50
|
PaperISBN 1-4034-3205-8$$8.95
(3)
YA
Holocaust series.
These books offer informative accounts of the Holocaust, from its roots through contemporary views of the mass murder. Quotes from survivors, former Nazis, journals of death camp victims, and historians are effectively integrated into the clearly written narrative, which is complemented by clear black-and-white and color photos and sidebars. There are five other spring 2003 books in this series. Glos., ind. [Review covers these Holocaust titles: Viewing the Holocaust Today, Life and Death in the Camps, Prelude to the Holocaust, and Art, Music, and Writings from the Holocaust.]
(4)
4-6
A homeless young boy joins an unruly gang of Jewish street kids. The horrors of the Holocaust don't become evident until Misha (another of Spinelli's exuberant, good-hearted protagonists) and his friends are rounded up and confined to the Warsaw ghetto. Though this novel suffers from uneven pacing and a conclusion that's unconvincing and cloying, it also contains some memorably harrowing images that will remain in the reader's mind.
Reviewer: Peter D. Sieruta
| Horn Book Magazine Issue:
November, 2003
38 reviews
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