While reading this riveting account of the murder of Mary Phagan, a poor, white, 13-year-old factory worker from Atlanta, Georgia, and the trial of her accused murderer, Leo Frank, a 29-year-old, Jewish man from New York,  I often had to stop and remember that this event actually took place on American soil in the 20^th century. To read that witnesses, evidence and juries could be manipulated in such a way as to send an innocent man to his death is appalling enough.  To then learn that a governor stood up for what was right only to be overridden by a lynch mob is sickening. To then read that not one of the men involved in the lynching were ever punished for the crime of taking the law into their own hands is unconscionable. As you can tell, this book cannot be read without causing a plethora of emotions to emerge.

However, some good did result from all of this tragedy. The Anti-Defamation League was created to see that such a situation never arose again.

This is historical writing at its finest. Mesmerizing, factual, leading the reader step-by-step through the unfolding of a tragic occurrence in American history that began with the murder of an innocent child and ended with the murder of an innocent man. Photographs, newspaper clippings, primary sources and excellent research have created a fabulous tribute to a terrible story.

Grade Level: 5^th- 12th

Ages: 10-18

©2010 Kathleen M. Bloomfield and forwordsbooks.com all rights reserved.
Books used in this review were provided by my local public library.
I am an Amazon Affiliate. If you click on a book title referred to on my web site and purchase it from Amazon,

I may receive a very small commission on your purchase.

You will incur no additional cost, however.

I appreciate your support.

© 2010, Farrar Straus Giroux.

In the game of High School popularity politics whose side do you take – friends or family? For Essie, the charming protaganist of this interesting story loosely based on the Book of Esther, the answer to that question can shake up a lot of relationships.

Essie, an orphan raised by her grandparents, finds herself in a sticky situation when her Conservative Jewish and strictly Observant Aunt and Uncle move back to town bringing her cousin Micah with them. Micah enrolls in her high school, wears a kippah and tzitzit and promptly earns a place on the Varsity football team. Essie who has just made the Varsity cheerleading squad as a Sophmore is torn between acknowledging her relationship to her cousin, who is thought of as a freak, and staying connected to the “in crowd” of cheerleaders. She opts for the “in crowd” with almost tragic results.

Essie’s journey from popularity seeker to truth talker is a twisted path filled with family secrets, personal trials, bitter betrayals, startling revelations and ultimately redemption. As always, truth wins out in the end and Essie, being the definition of a good, solid, upstanding citizen finds her way to the right road.

This is a good read with some heart-stopping moments and some great lessons.

Grade Level: 6^th – 11th

Ages: 11-17

©2011 Kathleen M. Bloomfield and forwordsbooks.com all rights reserved.
Books used in this review were provided by my local public library.
I am an Amazon Affiliate. If you click on a book title referred to on my web site and purchase it from Amazon,

I may receive a very small commission on your purchase.

You will incur no additional cost, however.

I appreciate your support.

© 2010, Dial.

Imagine that in the 18^th century Mayer Rothschild, founder of the famous Jewish banking family, found himself lost in the forest and stumbled upon a portal into the Fairie Kingdom. Fascinated by the Fairie society and enamored by their culture, he fell in love with and had an affair with the Fairie Queen. Unfortunately, he had a wife and infant waiting for him at home. Both he and the queen knew he could not stay in the Fairie Kingdom forever, so the queen favored him with a gift – anything he desired. He requested five sons in order to grow his business and make it something of great renown. The queen agreed, on one condition, he must provide a daughter to the Fairie Kingdom in return. After much thought, Mayer Rothchild agreed that after the third generation of children, the first Rothschild daughter who grew up to be an “ordinary” person, would belong to the Fairie Kingdom. The pact was made. The Rothschild’s went on to make history in banking. The Fairie Kingdom did not fair so well, however, as fulfilling Mayer Rothschild’s wish is costing them their lives as they wait for an “ordinary” female Rothschild.

Enter Phoebe Rothschild, who does not see herself as a valuable addition to her storied family. Is she the long awaited “ordinary” Rothschild daughter? She meets Mallory Tolliver, a new student, who clearly needs friendship and guidance if she is to survive the rigors of middle school and beyond. Mallory introduces Phoebe to her brother, Roland, whose good looks and charm sweep Phoebe off her feet.

This is a page-turner of a Jewish fantasy, coming-of-age novel that will keep you wondering from one chapter to the next who is the good guy and who is the bad? Where is all of this leading and why? Who can you trust? What is real and what is illusion?

The writing is vivid and emotional, bringing you into the fairie world as easily as into real life. The stresses of adolescent uncertainty, the roiling emotions of teenage love and the fluctuations in juvenile friendships are all described in exactly the right way. The realization that an ultimate sacrifice must be made in order for the Fairie Kingdom to survive is heart-wrenchingly palpable and the conclusion breathtaking.  If you enjoy fantasy fiction, this will be an excellent choice.

Grade Level: 9^th-12th

Ages: 14-18

©2011 Kathleen M. Bloomfield and forwordsbooks.com all rights reserved.
Books used in this review were provided by my local public library.
I am an Amazon Affiliate. If you click on a book title referred to on my web site and purchase it from Amazon,

I may receive a very small commission on your purchase.

You will incur no additional cost, however.

I appreciate your support.

In February, we celebrate President’s day, the holiday that combines Washington’s Birthday and Lincoln’s Birthday. When I was growing up (or back when the dinosaurs roamed the earth, as my kids would say), we celebrated both those holidays. I listened to stories about George Washington admitting to chopping down the cherry tree and Honest Abe studying by the fireplace. It was clear – through those stories – that telling the truth would get us ahead in this world.

We are also in the Hebrew month of Adar, the month when we celebrate the holiday of Purim. On 14 Adar, which begins at sundown on February 27, we start our Purim celebration with the reading of the Megillat Esther, The Book of Esther. The Book of Esther is full of palace intrigue and mystery. There are many secrets, slights and lies, all leading to misunderstandings, mistakes and apprehension. When the truth comes out, it makes for quite an impressive story.  The story of Esther, Mordechai and Hamen cleverly teaches us that truth wins out in the end.

To honor this month’s “Heroes of Truth,” I have selected some of my favorite “telling the truth-themed” books to share with you:

The Empty Pot adapted and illustrated by Demi. Henry Holt & Company, 1996. Ages 4-8. 32 pages. Ping has a Green Thumb. When the Emperor decides that his successor will be the child who can grow the best plant from the seeds the emperor provides, Ping is sure he will be the winner.  However, in spite of his best efforts, Ping’s seeds do not grow. Disappointed but proud of his attempt, Ping goes to the Emperor with his empty pot. Ignoring the pots filled with gorgeous flowers and overflowing plants, the Emperor chooses Ping to be his successor, stating that the seeds he handed out were boiled and nothing should have grown.  The exquisite illustrations mimic round Chinese fans and beautifully support the simple yet powerful story.

The Emperor’s New Clothes by Hans Christian Anderson. Illustrated by Virginia Burton. Houghton Mifflin, 1977. Ages 4-8.  48 pages.  The classic story about the sovereign who, thinking more about his wardrobe than about his kingdom, spends more time in the day changing clothes than listening to his people. When two thieves offer him the opportunity to have an outfit made out of cloth that “could not be seen by anyone unfit for the office he held or was very stupid,” he jumps at the chance. Providing them with anything they want – jewels, coins, gold – they begin “weaving” the cloth. Seeing nothing, but not wanting to seem incompetent or stupid, every trusted person the king sends to review the progress reports back that the cloth is gorgeous. When the suit is ready and the king parades through the town in his “new suit,” it takes a child to point out the truth – “The king is not wearing any clothes!”  This version illustrated by Virginia Burton is absolutely classic in every detail.

The Principal’s New Clothes by Stephanie Calmenson. Illustrated by Denise Brunkus. Scholastic. Ages 4-8. 40 pages. There are many adaptations of Hans Christians Anderson’s story. Some have different illustrators, some put a slightly different twist to the story. In this version, a couple of con artists visit a snappily dressed school principal.  They explain they will provide him with a suit that will be “invisible to anyone who is no good at his job or just plain stupid.” It takes a kindergarten child to point out what everyone clearly sees, but is unwilling to report – “The principal’s in his underwear!”

Wolf! Wolf! Adapted and illustrated by John Rocco. Hyperion Books for Children, 2007. Ages 4-8. 32 pages. There are also many versions of the Aesop’s fable, The Boy Who Cried Wolf. Here, an old wolf, “too slow…and too stiff” for chasing the small animals he likes, is trying to grow a vegetable garden. Alas, all he is getting is weeds.   Hearing a boy’s voice calling, “Wolf! Wolf!” He slowly climbs to the meadow to check it out. Sitting behind some rocks, he watches a young boy play his “trick” with the adults.  He yells, “Wolf!” The adults run up the hill to help. The boy laughs at their funny looks when he tells them there is no wolf, he is just playing a joke on them. At last, the boy yells, “Wolf!” However, no adults respond. Instead, the wolf comes out from hiding and makes a deal with the terrified boy who will no doubt tell the truth from now on. The twist at the end of the story is sure to delight everyone, as will the beautiful, richly colored illustrations. .

The Honest-to-Goodness Truth by Patricia C. McKissack. Illustrated by Giselle Potter. Simon & Schuster, 2000. Ages 5-9. 36 pages.  Are there a right and a wrong way to tell the truth? Libby Louise Sullivan is about to find out. When Libby tells her mother a small white lie, she gets in some big trouble. She decides she will only tell the truth from that moment on. By the end of the week, she had told so many truths – like Ruthie Mae had a hole in her sock, Willie had not done his geography homework and Miz Tusselbury’s garden looked like a jungle – she had no friends left. Boy was she confused! When someone called Ol’ Boss, Libby’s aged carriage horse, an “old flea-ridden swayback,” she finally got it…and spent some time apologizing to her friends for being a little too truthful. This is a fun, engaging story with primitive-style illustrations.

Holes by Louis Sachar.  Farrar Straus and Giroux, 1998. Ages 9-12. 233 pages. This Newbery Medal and National Book Award winner is for older kids, but younger children may also enjoy it as a read-aloud. There are many stories in this amazing book, but among them is the story of Camp Green Lake, the juvenile detention center, where Stanley Yelnats and the other children are sent to dig their holes. What is the truth of the camp? Why are they really digging all of those holes? Stanley is in search of the truth, and it is quite an adventure.

Nothing but the Truth by Avi. Scholastic, 1991. Ages 9-12. 208 pages. Philip Malloy wants to run on the track team. He is not doing well in English. His English teacher is also his Homeroom teacher. Feeling she has it “out for him” and looking to find a way to get away from her, he comes up with a plan.  The school policy is to “stand at respectful silent attention” as the national anthem is played over the loud speaker during Homeroom. Philip Malloy stands and hums. This book, written in a documentary style format, demonstrates how a small act turns into a national debate on Freedom of Speech, individual rights and how society determines “the truth the whole truth and nothing but the truth.”

I hope you find these books helpful in your efforts to teach your children the importance of being honest and truthful. After all, Pirke Avot, the Sayings of the Fathers, informs us that “Rabbi Simeon, son of Gamliel, said: ‘On three things the world stands: on Justice, on Truth and on Peace…’ (Pirke Avot 1:18), so telling the truth is no small thing.

I wish you a Hag Sameach- Happy Holiday! May your Purim be filled with colorful costumes, noisy groggers, tasty hamentashen and lots of joy.

Happy Reading!

Kathy B.

This post is linked to the Kidlitosphere’s February Carnival of Children’s Literature, hosted this month at Ye Olde Blog – Whispers of Dawn. Visit for an excellent list of author interviews, book reviews and more.

©2010 Kathleen M. Bloomfield and forwordsbooks.com all rights reserved. Books used in this review were borrowed from my local library or my personal collection.
I am an Amazon Affiliate.

If you click on a book title referred to on my web site and purchase it from Amazon,

I may receive a very small commission on your purchase.

You will incur no additional cost, however.

I appreciate your support.