The Rabbi's Girl's by Johanna Hurwitz

Stars: ****

This is a novel for ages 8-12, mostly for girls. It’s the story of the daughters of Rabbi Levin after they move to Lorain, Ohio in 1923.

There are good things and bad things that happen, just like in real life. This is a good book for non-Jewish kids to learn what it’s like to be Jewish. Many aspects of Judaism are explained. How the Shabbos is celebrated (like the Christian Sabbath), what Rosh Hashanah is all about, the special preperations for Passover and how the Jewish wedding works.

It also shows a bit of how life was different in the 20’s. Mama is a very superstitious person which I believe was very common in the 20’s. She forbids the family to talk of her pregnancy so as not to attract the evil eye. She doesn’t like people admiring her children for the same reason.

It is a very good book about Jewish life in the 20’s for pre-teens.

Even Higher by Richard Ungar

Stars: ****

I received this book for review from Tundra Books.

The story of the town’s Rabbi who mysteriously disappears the day before Rosh Hashanah every year. The villagers think he must be soaring up to heaven to beg forgiveness for the sins of the townspeople, but is he? Young Reuven and his friends aren’t so certain so Rueven follows the rabbi to learn the truth. Reuven follows the rabbi, disguised as a woodcutter passed the synagogue, the cheder and Beryl the Baker’s House and enters the great forest. Where could be possibly be going?

This is a great Jewish folktale with a great ending. If I was raising my chidren Jewish this is a book I would want and even though I’m not, it’s a good book to teach of my Jewish background (and therefore my daughter’s.) The book is for ages 7-10 although I could see reading it as young as 5.

The illustrations are much different than anything I’ve ever seen which you can get a glimpse of via the book cover.