The Kids' Catalog of Jewish Holidays

Plot

Presents stories, poems, songs, recipes, crafts, and other activities for special days that are significant to Jews.

From School Library Journal
Grade 3-6. A year-long compendium of celebrations, festivals, and days of remembrance. The section for each holiday includes stories, crafts, recipes, songs, games, and background information. Black-and-white illustrations and simple cartoons appear on almost every page. The stories vary from Biblical episodes to remembrances of the Holocaust and holiday observances around the world. The text for the songs is in transliterated Hebrew with the English and Hebrew verses at the bottom. While the recipes include warnings about the necessity of adult help in the kitchen, they seem more appropriate to experienced cooks. The information about each holiday includes more than average readers will want and often presupposes a knowledge of Jewish customs. Also, the emphasis is on Orthodox practices. Resources list books, magazines, and music distributors. Jewish day schools may find this useful as an additional source for classroom craft activities.?Susan Pine, New York Public Library
Copyright 1997 Reed Business Information, Inc.
From Booklist
Gr. 4^-7. Although it is not as attractive as Drucker's The Family Treasury of Jewish Holidays (1994), which also includes games, songs, crafts, and stories, and Adler occasionally takes for granted a familiarity with special terms and historical incidents, this wide-ranging book still has plenty to offer. Adler briefly introduces the history and traditions associated with 13 major holidays, including Shabbat, as well as a few lesser-known days of prayer or celebration. One of the best sections concerns Yom Hashoah, Holocaust Remembrance Day. Many famous photographs are reproduced (though not necessarily well), a detailed chronology is included, and there is an enormous list of further readings. The crafts in each section are nicely varied, though not always well illustrated; the selection of traditional songs (with music and lyrics) is more extensive than what is found in most books of this sort; and there is a surprisingly wide variety of recipes, which represent the culinary traditions of several nations. Black-and-white sketches, cartoons, and photographs are scattered throughout, giving readers lots to look at as they enjoy the stories, poems, facts, and fun that fill the pages. Stephanie Zvirin