Shortly before Pesach, my children saw in the Artscroll catalog a new book by M. Kenan, Wildlands. Immediately, they all asked if we could buy it. Having read M. Kenan’s other books, I happily agreed.
And I’m so glad I did. With the libraries closed and our other book order stuck somewhere in a post office in New York, this was the only new novel in the house, and we all took turns reading it. Fortunately, it is rather long! And it remained the topic of family conversation all Pesach.
With lots of adventures yet seriousness and depth, the book provided not only enterntainment but also much food for thought. My children and I highly recommend it for ages 10 and up.
It’s a comic book that tells a funny adventure story and at the same time teaches the readers about each of the blessings of the Shemoneh Esreh prayer and their deeper meanings. I actually found myself thinking about one of the insights on the prayer long after we finished the book.
My son and I just read a new Chanuka book, Bold and Brave by Shainy Peysin, just out from Hachai Publishing. It’s a cute and very child-friendly story that takes place in the times of the Maccabees. There is no violence whatsoever, which I was impressed with, given the time period it’s set in. According to the cover, it’s for ages 7-10 – children who grew out of the picture book stage, but are not yet ready for real Chanuka history, which is rather heavy.
And while we’re on the subject, if you’re looking for Chanuka reading for older children, please check out my YA trilogy:
If you and your family enjoy learning about Tanach and Jewish history, you will appreciate this collection of six stories set in the times of the Tanach. The stories feature King Shaul, King David, Daniel, Zerubavel, Ezra, and Nechemia. They were originally published in Hamodia’s Inyan Magazine, and I am grateful to Hamodia for allowing me to use their illustrations and layout, which appeal to the whole family.
My family is excited about the following new releases:
We just received this new parsha book by Rabbi Nachman Zakon, published by Artscroll. It’s beautifully written and illustrated, and I am looking forward to reading it with my family once we begin Sefer Bereishis.
The fifth book in the Naftali in the Beis Hamikdash series is out! I haven’t seen it yet, but I ordered it and hope to read it with my family before Sukkos.
This book looks fascinating for anyone interested in Jewish history and the history and development of Jewish texts. I am still waiting for my copy.
Hello everyone and welcome to the new blog readers!
I’m excited to tell you about some promisng new releases that I haven’t read yet, some not-so-new releases that my family enjoyed recently, and giveaways for a Jewish homeschool curriculum.
Another new release is Paper Hearts – A Collection of Stories for Jewish Teenage Girls, edited by Sterna Citron. These stories were previously published in Shoshanim, a Jewish girls’ magazine that, unfortunately, no longer exists. My teenage daughters love the old issues.
I’ve already written here about Avner Gold’s classic Ruach Ami series that is getting reprinted in an expanded and much improved version. There are four books out so far, and my children and I enjoyed them very much.
The fifth book in the series is scheduled to be released this August.
And last, but not least, the Ani VeAmi Jewish homeschool curriculum is holding back-to-school book giveaways. As one of the people behind Ani VeAmi, I highly recommend all the books we’ve listed on our website. The current giveaway is for curriculum guides by yours truly :). Hope you take advantage of it. And if you win, please let me know what you think!
The third, and final, Chanuka novel in the series is finally available, just in time for Chanuka! Secret and Sacred by Yehudis Litvak, a sequel to Swords and Scrolls and Spies and Scholars, is a YA novel set in the times of Chanuka. Here is the description from Amazon.com:
Only a miracle can save the Maccabees when King Antiochus’s massive army enters the land of Yehuda to crush the Jewish rebellion once and for all. Elisha and Pinchas prepare for the biggest battle of their lives. Meanwhile, a mysterious stranger appears in Modiin. Miriam must find out if she is friend or foe. But facing one’s own relatives turns out to be the greatest challenge of all.Sequel to Swords and Scrolls and Spies and Scholars.
The first two novels in the series are currently on sale at Feldheim.com.
The Three Weeks — the time of mourning for Jerusalem and the destroyed Temple — are here, and my family and I are reading books relevant to the Temple and to Jerusalem.
With my eight year old son, we just read The Kingdom Didn't Fall by Meir Baram, a novel about the destruction of the Second Temple. It is very age-appropriate, with lots of adventures and not too much graphic content.
For myself, I’m reading Herod -- The Man Who Had to Be King by Yehuda Shulewitz. It’s a novel about King Herod and his reign, towards the end of the Second Temple era. I’ve only read the first few chapters so far, but it’s thoroughly researched and has real, relatable characters.
I’ve been so busy with the Ani Ve-Ami homeschool curriculum that I haven’t posted about the books we enjoyed recently. So here are some of them:
The Miracles of Elisha by Sterna Citron is a new release — a beautifully written and illustrated book of stories about the Prophet Elisha, based on Kings 2. My eight-year-old son loved this book.
Another exciting piece of news is that Avner Gold’s Ruach Ami series is being expanded and reprinted by Artscroll. These books are classics in Jewish literature. I used to read them as a teenager, and I enjoyed rereading them to my older children. So when I saw The Promised Child in a new and expanded edition I bought it immediately. It’s twice as long, and much better, than the original. My son and I had a great time reading it. The second book in the series, The Dream, was just reprinted, and I ordered a copy.
I’m very excited to announce Ani Ve-ami: a Jewish Living Education Curriculum. It is the first ever Jewish homeschool curriculum. Ani Ve-ami is Charlotte Mason inspired and is structured around living books. Please check it out! If you are a homeschooler, I hope you find it helpful. Even if you’re not a homeschooler, you might enjoy our book recommendations.
Ani Ve-ami is a grass roots effort of several homeschooling mothers, myself included. It is a work in progress, and as of now, we only have one time period for history, but we are working on adding more. Please don’t hesitate to contact us with any feedback and let us know what you’d like to see included on the website.
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by Yehudis Litvak, a sequel to 
