Rumpelstiltskin – retold by Mac Barnett, illustrated by Carson EllisOrchard Books (Scholastic), 2026 Folklorists and authors, from the Brothers Grimm to Jane Yolen, have been drawn to the story of Rumpelstiltskin, the calculating little man who tries to deprive a woman of her child. Artists, from the classic illustrators Arthur Rackham and Walter Crane, to … Continue reading A Deal Not Made in Heaven
Author: Emily Schneider
Emily Schneider is a writer and educator living in New York City. She has published on children's literature, feminism, and politics in Tablet, The Foward, Jewcy, and Family Reading at The Horn Book. She is a regular reviewer for The Jewish Book Council.
Brilliant, Lovely, Compassionate
Audrey Hepburn: An Illustrated Biography – written by Eileen Hofer, illustrated by Christopher Longé, translated from the French by Christopher BradleyAbrams ComicArts, 2025 The subject of Eileen Hofer and Christopher Longé’s meticulously thorough graphic biography is portrayed as embodying the trait know as imposter syndrome. This incredibly gifted actress, stunningly beautiful woman, devoted mother, and … Continue reading Brilliant, Lovely, Compassionate
Jewish American and Asian American Heritage Month
Once again, it’s May, and School Library Journal appears to be facing their annual conflict about Heritage Months. In May, Jewish and Asian Americans share the month. That is absolutely appropriate. Both groups are featured, as only one prominent example, on the New York Public Library’s website. April was both Poetry Month and Arab American … Continue reading Jewish American and Asian American Heritage Month
From Generation to Generation
When I’m a Moshom – written by David A. Robertson, illustrated by Corrie HillTundra Books, 2026 There are many wonderful books about the relationship between grandparents and their grandchildren, but When I’m a Moshom is one of the best I have read. I chose the title of this post from the Hebrew expression, L’Dor Vador. … Continue reading From Generation to Generation
Friendship Doesn’t Splinter
Twig Friends Stick Together – written by Andrew McDonald, illustrated by Ben WoodBright Light (Hardie Grant’s Children’s Publishing), 2025, (Australia, 2023) Twig Friends Branch Out – written by Andrew McDonald, illustrated by Ben WoodBright Light, 2026, (Australia, 2024) The Twig Friends series, which currently has four books, is a welcome excursion into the woods with … Continue reading Friendship Doesn’t Splinter
I Want to Be a Reader
Let’s Have a Sleepover: A Kat and Mouse Book, 2 – written and illustrated by Salina YoonBloomsbury Children’s Books, 2026 Kat and Mouse, the very different but certainly not mismatched friends, are back. In Salina Yoon’s second book in the series (and I've reviewed other books by her here and here and here), they once … Continue reading I Want to Be a Reader
In the Spotlight
Who Hid the Stars?: How Light Pollution Changes Our World- written by Valentina Gottardi, Maciej Michno, and Danio Miserocchi, illustrated by Valentina Gottardi, translated from the Italian by Sylvia NotiniEerdmans Books for Young Readers, 2026 Sometimes books about environmental pollution adopt an all-or-nothing approach. Given the grave dangers posed to our natural world, and the … Continue reading In the Spotlight
Not Out of Left Field
Baseball’s Shining Season: America’s Pastime on the Brink of War – Martin W. Sandler and Craig SandlerBloomsbury Children’s Books, 2026 Given that baseball is America’s pastime, it is not surprising that the sport played at outsized role during World War II. Actually, one of the many facts I learned from this terrific book is that … Continue reading Not Out of Left Field
Trial and Errors
Playmakers: The Jewish Entrepreneurs Who Created the Toy Industry in America – Michael KimmelW.W. Norton & Company, 2026 Anyone who writes a book may make errors. Even careful fact-checking and research cannot prevent every mistake. Editors are responsible for helping authors and publishers avoid this problem. Authors may check carefully if they know they are … Continue reading Trial and Errors
Pride and Resistance
Red River Rose – Carole LindstromBloomsbury Children’s Books, 2026 In Red River Rose, Carole Lindstrom further develops the characters she presented in her picture book with Aly McNight, The Gift of the Great Buffalo. As Lindstrom explains in her author’s note, Rose’s story is rooted in a commitment to telling a story related to Laura … Continue reading Pride and Resistance