Jewish Book Carnival: January 2022

 

The Jewish Book Carnival is a monthly roundup of Jewish literary links from across the blogosphere. Sponsored by the Association of Jewish Libraries, it is hosted by a different blog each month and shares book reviews, author interviews, essays, and other blog posts about Jewish books. Visit the Jewish Book Carnival HQ for the upcoming schedule, past Carnivals, and to learn how to participate!

• Hanukkah and Christmas may be over but this Holiday Heroes interview will still warm your heart. Here on The Book of Life I brought together Lee Wind, author of Red and Green and Blue and White, and Jeff Gottesfeld, author of The Christmas Mitzvah, for a joint interview. Both books are based on inspiring true stories, and I included them both on my Completely Unofficial 2022 Sydney Taylor Shortlist.
  
  
• A Jewish Grandmother reviews The Last Words We Said by Leah Sheier, which is about three close teenage friends, all Jewish from Modern Orthodox homes, trying to deal with the disappearance and probable death of a fourth friend. The issues are universal, and she doesn't find the story at all childish or incomprehensible to the non-religious or non-Jew. Adults can enjoy it and get a lot out of it, too.
  
  
• On her My Machberet blog, Erika Dreifus looks back on her year in Jewish books (2021 edition).
  
  
• Barbara Krasner at The Whole Megillah interviews picture book writer Nancy Churnin about her two latest works, Dear Mr. Dickens and A Queen to the Rescue: The Story of Henrietta Szold, Founder of Hadassah.
  
  
• Is it a fantasy adventure or a bat mitzvah vision quest? It's both! Life Is Like a Library interviews Dani Colman, writer of the amazing (and amazingly Jewish) graphic novel The Unfinished Corner (Wonderbound, 2021).
  
  
• From Barbara Bietz, an interview with Emily Barth Isler is the author of Aftermath (Carolrhoda Books, 2021), a beautiful, honest novel about empathy, compassion, and the deepest kind of loss. Here is the link: Jewish Books for Kids and More 
   
• Ann Koffsky shares the importance of Storytime, not just for children but in our own personal lives.  
  
  
• Shiloh Musings reviews a fascinating book Lighting Up The Nations: Jewish Responsibility Towards Nations Today and in The Messianic Era that examines what the Jewish response should be towards Christians who are sincerely curious about Judaism. In recent decades many Christians have become aware of how their religion contradicts G-d's instructions in the early books of the Bible aka the Jewish Bible. Dr Rivka Lambert Adler PHD has collected a number of interesting essays on the topic.
  
  
• In December, Jill at Rhapsody in Books reviewed Red and Green and Blue and White: Inspired by a True Story by Lee Wind. This picture book for kids is based on what happened in Billings, Montana in 1993 after residents celebrating Christmas came together to support a family celebrating Chanukah whose house had been vandalized when they put a menorah in the front window. It's a lovely story with great illustrations by Paul O. Zelinsky. |
  
  
• Howard Lovy wrote a piece for JTA about Shahrzad Elghanayan and her book, Titan of Tehran.
  
  
•  This month gilagreenwrites interviews author Jonathan Hale, who takes us into a dystopian tale and asks the question: What if Hitler had won the war?
  
  
• On her blog Book Q&As with Deborah Kalb, Deborah interviewed Jill Culiner about her new book, A Contrary Journey with Velvel Zbarzher, Bard.
  
  
• In this guest post on Mockdown Jersey, Bubby writes about how Hitler and the Nazis used the Church to spread Nazism. Traditional symbols were replaced — the cross become the chopped cross. Instead of blessing G-d, one says Heil Hitler. Several books are cited in the post. The summary provides the Jewish point of view.
  
  
• The Association of Jewish Libraries presents a new podcast entitled Nice Jewish Books. Join host Sheryl Stahl as she interviews Mirta Ines Trupp, author of Celestial Persuasion.
  
  
• The Sydney Taylor Shmooze mock award blog reviews Jewish children's books year round. Here are the reviews published during the month of December. Watch the Shmooze website for an announcement on January 20, 2022 of the Mock Sydney Taylor Book Award winners! FYI, Real Winners of the Sydney Taylor Book Award will be announced on January 24, 2022.