The marriage of two people committed to sharing a lifetime together is cause for a celebration. Children invited to this magical event bring energy, laughter and a sense of wonder as they ask their elders questions about the meaning of every rite and ritual, the relationship of this or that person to them and for information about weddings past, present and future.  Offering children the opportunity to share blessings for the couple in the form of small drawings or written words is one way to make their presence even more meaningful.

The following books are wonderful examples of the joy children can bring to the mitzvah (good deed) of Hachnasat Kallah/Celebrating the Wedding Couple:

Grandma’s Wedding Album by Harriet Ziefert. Paintings by Karla Gudeon. © 2011. Blue Apple Books. Ages 4-7. Designed to look like a picture album, Grandma shows her grandchildren, Emily and Michael, “photos” from her wedding to Poppy describing how they met, got engaged and were married. The photo/paintings are joyful, beautiful and colorful. The back of the book lists wedding traditions from all over the world.

Nadia’s Hands by Karen English. Illustrated by Jonathan Weiner. © 1999. Boyds Mill Press. Ages 5-8. Nadia, a Pakistani-American girl, has been chosen to be the flower girl for her Aunt Laila’s wedding. This means her hands will be painted with lovely designs and flowers using dye called henna. Nadia worries that the dye will be on her hands when she returns to school following the wedding. How will she explain the red shapes and lines on her hands to her classmates?

Donovan’s Big Day by Lesléa Newman. Illustrated by Mike Dutton. © 2011. Tricycle Press. Ages 4-7.  Donovan has a BIG job to do, but he has a lot of things to remember before he can get his BIG job done. After all, he is the ring bearer at the wedding of his two moms, so he better get up on time, eat his breakfast, stay clean, greet everyone…

Uncle Peter’s Amazing Chinese Wedding by Lenore Look. Illustrated by Yumi Heo. © 2006 Atheneum Books for  Young Readers. Ages 4-8 years. How will Jenny be her Uncle Peter’s favorite girl if he is getting married? Jenny decides to do everything she can to stop the wedding so her Uncle will continue to love her most of all. The hilarious results may inspire playful kids, but they will learn a lot about Chinese wedding traditions in the process.

Wedding Flowers by Cynthia Rylant. Illustrated by Wendy Andeson Halperin. © 2002. Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers. Ages 6-9 years. This is Book 6 of the Cobble Street Cousins Series, although one does not have to have read the previous books to read this one.  The cousins return to Cobble Street to help Aunt Lucy with her wedding to Michael.

Brenda Berman, Wedding Expert by Jane Breskin Zalben.   Illustrated by Victoria Chess. ©2009. Clarion Books. Ages 6-9 years. Brenda Berman knows that a flower girl in a gold lamé dress with sparkly shoes makes any wedding special. Of course, when her Uncle Harry announces his engagement, Brenda is thrilled that her flower girl dreams have arrived. Unfortunately, the bride and her niece have other plans. Can Brenda save the day and plan the perfect wedding?

The Wedding Planner’s Daughter by Coleen Murtagh Paratore. © 2005. Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers.   Ages 9-12 years. Twelve-year-old Willafred “Willa” Havisham  has travelled everywhere with her mother , Stella, a first-class wedding planner. All she wants is to settle down somewhere and find a father. When it appears her wish may at last come true, disaster strikes and her mother packs their bags again.

Sister of the Bride by Beverly Cleary. © 1996. HarperCollins. Ages 11-14 years. Barbara’s sister, Rosemary has announced she is getting married. At first Barbara is very excited, but once the wedding plans begin, the world seems to center around Rosemary. Barbara and her younger brother, Gordy, are shoved to the side-lines. At least that is how they feel. Barbara begins to wonder, “What is so great about getting married anyway?”

Providing children with opportunities to observe how brides and grooms are nurtured by the community allows them to understand the delights and responsibilities of marriage from many points of view. This is a lesson we are never too young to acquire. Share this message a little more with the discussion questions and activities provided in the Speak Volumes Guide for this month.

Happy Reading,

Kathy B.

©2012 Kathleen M. Bloomfield and forwordsbooks.com all rights reserved.
Books used in this review came from publishers as review copies, my personal collection and 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.

Such was the case a few years ago when I was diagnosed with a meningioma (a tumor located on the brain) and required immediate surgery.  Needless to say, neither I nor my family was expecting such a sudden medical crisis. Fortunately, I had a large community of family, friends and colleagues- even people I did not know-willing to help us out with everything from cooking meals to sitting with me in the hospital to sending cards, books and letters of encouragement. My Temple’s Caring Community brought a hand-knit “Healing Shawl” which I still put on occasionally when I feel the need.  As my family and I focused on getting me well, our everyday worries, like getting dinner ready, were taken care of by people we knew and trusted. While I did my best to say thanks to everyone who helped us during those stressful days, there will never be enough words. My family and I try our best to “pay it forward” by helping out whenever we hear of someone in need. The soup pot starts boiling, the cookies begin baking, and we sign up for a dinner.

The following books can be helpful as you and your family explores the mitzvah of Visiting the Sick/Bikkur Cholim:

A Sick Day for Amos McGee. Written by Philip C. Stead. Illustrated by Erin E. Stead, ©2010. Roaring Brook Press.  Ages 3-6.  In this exquisite, Caldecott Award winning book, Amos McGee, a fabulous zookeeper, arrives on time every day to take care of all the wonderful animals. He makes sure to drop by his particular friends to make sure they receive some special attention. However, one morning he wakes up sick and does not come to work. That day, Amos receives some special attention of his own.

The Sniffles for Bear. Written By Bonny Becker. Illustrated by Kady MacDonald Denton, © 2011. Candlewick Press. Ages 3-6. Certain that “no one had ever been as sick as he,” Bear awaits his end. Even a visit from his overly cheerful friend mouse cannot sem to turn the tide, until while writing his will…

Say Hello, Lily. Written by Deborah Lakritz.  Illustrated By Martha Avilés, ©2010. Kar-Ben Publishing. Ages 5-8.  Lily wants to go with her mom to visit her elderly neighbor, Mrs. Rosenbaum, who has just moved into Shalom House, the local nursing home. However, when Lily walks into the lobby, she is overwhelmed by the number of new faces who all want to get to know her at the same time. She suddenly turns very shy. It does not take too many visits before she learns everyone’s names and stories. Soon she has a surprise for all her new friends.

The Princess of Borscht. Written by Leda Schubert. Illustrated by Bonnie Christensen, ©2011. Roraring Brook Press. Ages5-8. Ruthie’s grandma is in the hospital. When Ruthie goes to visit, Grandma tells her that the hospital food is terrible. Ruthie hears that if her grandmother does not get a bowl of borscht by 5:00 PM she is going to die of starvation.  Ruthie has never made borscht, so she seeks out the neighbors’ help. The result is hilarious, think Top Chef meets Nickelodeon.

Mr. Putter & Tabby Catch the Cold. Written By Cynthia Rylant. Illustrated by Arthur Howard, © 2002. Harcourt, Inc. Ages 7-10. Mr. Putter catches a cold when he goes outside on a wintery day without his hat.  With the help of his friendly neighbor, Mrs. Teaberry and her wonderful dog Zeke, it turns out to be the best cold Mr. Potter ever caught.

The Lemonade Club. Written and illustrated by Patricia Polacco, © 2007. Philomel Books. Ages 8-11.  “When life gives you lemons, make lemonade” is the motto of Miss Wichelman’s fifth-grade class. Make sure you have your tissue boxes on hand as you read this true-life story about friends helping friends through some difficult times.

Drums, Girls & Dangerous Pie. Written by Jordan Sonnenblick, © 2004. Scholastic Press, Inc. Ages 10-15. Steven is a fairly normal 13-year-old boy in middle school. He is a gifted jazz drummer, dreams about the prettiest girl in school and gets decent grades. Until his 5-year-old brother is diagnosed with leukemia and his entire life is turned upside down.

Fever, 1793. Written by Laurie Halse Anderson, © 2000. Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers. Ages 12-16. When a yellow fever epidemic hits Philadelphia, Matilda Cook finds herself alone in having to face a city in terror. Based on real events.

God is in the Pancakes. Written by Robin Epstein, © 2010. Dial Books. Ages 14 -18. Fifteen-year-old Grace Manning loves being a candy striper at her local nursing home. She especially loves assisting her patient Mr. Sands, who has Lou Gehrig’s disease. They joke around as he teaches her to play and cheat at poker. Then one day he asks her to “help him die.”

As you read these books, discuss them with your children using the “Speak Volumes” guide. The questions and activities will provide you with many opportunities to become comfortable with Visiting the Sick/Bikkur Cholim in a variety of settings. Whether you find you are most at ease in the home of an ailing friend, in a nursing home visiting an elderly relative or in the trauma ward of your local hospital, Visiting the Sick/Bikkur Cholim is an important mitzvah/good deed that plays a significant role in repairing the world. Find where you are most comfortable and make a visit. It will do you and those you visit a world of good.

Happy Reading,

Kathy B.

©2012 Kathleen M. Bloomfield and forwordsbooks.com all rights reserved.
Books used in this review came from publishers as review copies, my personal collection and 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.

“All the days in which Sarah lived, the doors of the entrance [to her tent] were open to the wind (ruah)….  And all the days in which Sarah lived, there was a blessing sent through the dough [with which she baked]…. All the days in which Sarah lived, there was a light burning from one Shabbat evening to the next Shabbat evening….” (Genesis Rabbah 80:16 on Genesis 24:67).

So it seems that Adonai and the angels may not have been the first visitors to the tent of Abraham and Sarah, certainly they were not the last.  The midrash continues that when Isaac took Rebekkah as his wife, these same mystical rituals continued.

Welcoming Guests/Hachnasat Orchim is a wonderful mitzvah that allows us to meet new people and share our traditions with others. This time of year, with Hanukkah beginning on the evening of December 20, provides a perfect opportunity to practice this mitzvah with family, friends and neighbors.

The following books are wonderful examples of this delightful mitzvah:

Bubba and Beau Meet the Relatives. Written by Kathi Appelt. Illustrated by Arthur Howard, ©2004. Harcourt, Inc.  Ages 3-6.  In five short, simple chapters, Bubbaville becomes abuzz with the imminent arrival of the relatives. The house must be rearranged. All the best dishes must be cooked. There is no escape, even when Bubba and Beau try to hide in their favorite mud hole. What are a baby and her buddy dog supposed to do?

The Snow Blew Inn. Written by Dian Curtis Regan. Illustrated by Doug Cushman, ©2011. Holiday House. Ages 3-6. Emma has made plans to have a sleep over with her cousin, Abby. But a snow storm arrives before Abby, bringing with it stranded travelers who need a place to stay for the night. Every space in the tiny inn is taken – even Emma’s bedroom! Will there be room for Abby and her mother if they arrive?

The Paper Crane. Written and Illustrated By Molly Bang, ©1985. William Morrow & Company. Ages 5-8.  A hectic, award winning restaurant sat on a busy road, until one day a new highway was built that bypassed the restaurant. No one came anymore, and the restaurant was empty most of the time.  One day an old man stopped in for food. The restaurant owner, delighted to see a customer at last, fed him generously, even though the stranger had no money. In payment, the old man folded a paper napkin into the shape of a crane. With this simple gift, the restaurant’s future changed.

A Song for Lena. Written by Hilary Horder Hippely.  Illustrated by Leslie Baker, ©1996. Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers. Ages 5-8.  Lena’s Grandma makes delicious apple strudel. While she makes it, she hums a beautiful song to remind her of her childhood. As Lena helps her make the strudel, Grandma tells her the story of a traveler, of hospitality and of a special unexpected gift.

The Stranger. Written and illustrated by Chris Van Allsburg. Houghton Mifflin Company, © 1986 Ages 7-10.  In late summer, early fall, Farmer Bailey accidently hits a man with his truck. The man is unable to speak and does not know who he is. He stays with the family for a few weeks until he suddenly remembers who he is.

Skellig. By David Almond. Laurel Leaf Books, © 1998. Ages 9-12. When Michael moves into a new house in a new neighborhood he hopes that life for him and his family will change for the better, his ailing baby sister will get well and he will do better in school. Nothing like that happens, until he finds a strange person/creature/thing in his dilapidated garage.

The Arrival. Written and illustrated by Shaun Tan. Arthur A. Levine Books, © 2006. Ages 11-15. In this graphic novel, a man must leave his wife and young daughter to emigrate to a new country, find a job and start a new life before sending for them..

I try to keep the “walls of my tent” open as much as possible.  Whether serving my family of four or a house full of guests, I take joy in each moment. Each individual has a story to tell, an experience to share and all together my life has been made richer by each encounter. As you read these books, discuss them with your children using the “Speak Volumes” guide, the questions and activities will provide you with many opportunities to welcome guests during this special holiday-filled month.

Happy Reading,

Kathy B.

©2010 Kathleen M. Bloomfield and forwordsbooks.com all rights reserved.
Books used in this review were provided by publishers as review copies and 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.

The importance of education and learning, the third value outlined in the Eilu D’varim prayer – Arriving Early for Study/Hashkamat beit hamidrash - is one of the hallmarks of the Jewish people. Perhaps because our history has included so many exoduses, expulsions, exiles and the like, we decided long ago that keeping our most valuable possessions – our ideals, ideas and values – in our heads would be the best way to transport them from one place to the next with minimal loss.

However, It is not enough to simply memorize the ideas and facts we are given, we must embrace and understand the reasons behind the information we are given.  Engaging in our education is held in equally high regard as the learning experience itself. We do this through questioning, an essential, if not fundamental, part of the Jewish learning experience. To ask is the bedrock of Jewish life.

The following books embrace education and encourage us to ask some wonderful questions:

Wow! School! Written and illustrated by Robert Neubecker, ©2007. Hyperion Books for Children.  Ages 3-6. Explore school with Izzy as she experiences the wonder and delight of a day in the classroom. From learning the alphabet to singing to making new friends to story time, school is a fun filled and exciting time. The bold, bright, colorful pictures practically shout for you to have a good time.

Sammy Spider’s First Day of School. Written by Sylvia A. Rouss. Illustrated by Katherine Janus Kahn, ©2009. Kar-Ben Publishing. Ages 3-6.  Sammy Spider goes to school with Josh, listens to the story of Noah’s ark and escapes being hurt when the children learn about being kind to animals.

Wolf! By Becky Bloom. Illustrated by Pascal Biet, ©1999. Orchard Books. Ages 4-8.  Wolf is tired and hungry, but is totally ignored by the farm animals engaged in reading their books.  In order to be taken seriously, he must get an education, which he does, with surprising results.

The Art Lesson. Written and illustrated by Tomie dePaola, ©1989. G. P. Putnam’s Sons. Ages 4-8. Tommy plans to be an artist when he grows up, but how will that happen if he only gets one piece of paper during art class, cannot use his own box of 64 Crayola crayons and has to copy the pictures the art teacher draws?

The Royal Bee by Frances Park and Ginger Park. Illustrated by Christopher Zhong-Yuan Zhang, ©2000. Boyds Mill Press.  Ages 6-9.  Song-ho is a poor boy who desperately wants to learn to read and write, a privilege only given to the wealthy. However, he finds a way to listen to the lessons taught outside the schoolroom doors and eventually learns enough to change his circumstances.

Aunt Chip and the Great Triple Creek Dam Affair written and illustrated by Patricia Polacco, ©1996. Philomel Books. Ages 7-10.  ”There will be consequences,” says Aunt Chip as she takes to her bed when the TV Tower goes up and the entire town sits glued to their televisions morning, noon and night.  And consequences there were…

Freedom School, Yes! by Amy Littlesugar. Illustrated by Floyd Cooper, ©2001. Philomel Books. Ages 7-11. In a place where school is not available and where making it available is met with anger and violence, a group of young people find the courage to teach and students find the courage to learn. This was Mississippi in 1964.

The Year of Miss Agnes by Kirkpatrick Hill, © 2000.  Aladdin Paperbacks. Ages 9-12.  After losing another of many teachers because the village is too cold, the children smell of fish  or the parents put hunting over learning, Miss Agness comes to the one-room schoolhouse in Alaska. How long will she stay?

The Report Card by Andrew Clements, © 2005.  Atheneum Books for Young Readers. Ages 10-13. A middle school genius is discovered when she carefully fails several classes in an effort to demonstrate that test scores and grades do not necessarily reflect intelligence.

The Secret School by Avi, © 2001.  Sandpiper. Ages 10-14. When their teacher leaves before the end of the year, the School Board decides to close down the one-room school to save money. But where does that leave the students who must take end-of-year tests in order to move on to the next grade.

As you read these books, discuss them with your children using the “Speak Volumes” guide for this month. You may be surprised to learn that you are practicing the value of Arriving Early for Study/Hashkamat beit hamidrash. Think of the many times you practice this value every day as you answer questions, teach new skills and ask or learn about new things yourself.

Happy Reading,

Kathy B.

©2011 Kathleen M. Bloomfield and forwordsbooks.com all rights reserved.
Books used in this review came from my own collection or 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.

So important are these deeds that they are part of what, according to The Rabbis, is holding up the world: “The world stands on three things: Torah, Avodah (worship), and Gemiilut Chasadim (acts of loving kindness)” (Ethics of the Fathers/Pirke Avot, 1:2).

Acts of Loving Kindness/G’milut Hasidim are the actions we perform for others that require us to give a little bit of ourselves. They are activities we put some thought or effort into before, during and after we do them. We think about the people we are helping, the organization we are serving, or how exactly the money we are donating is going to help whoever we are giving it to.

Are we supposed to give until it hurts? Well not exactly, but we certainly should be aware that we are doing something important, not mindlessly going through the motions. We should be working, writing or acting with intention or kavannah.

The books I want to suggest to you this month, clearly demonstrate Acts of Loving Kindness filled with intention.

The Lion & the Mouse Written and illustrated by Jerry Pinkney. Little, Brown Books for Young Readers, © 2009 (ages 3-9) In this Caldecott Award winning, wordless picture book adaptation of the classic Aesop’s fable, a meek little mouse disturbs a resting lion. Unexpectedly, the lion lets the mouse go. When later, the lion is captured in a rope trap, the mouse repays the kindness by freeing the lion.

The Bear Who Shared Written and illustrated by Catherine Rayner. Dial Books for Young Readers, © 2010 (Ages 3-7) The plorringe is about to ripen. Norris, the bear, patiently waits as Tulip, the raccoon, and Violet, the mouse, touch and test the delicious fruit. Who will get the ripened fruit when it finally falls?

Rabbit’s Gift By George Shannon. Illustrated by Laura Dronznek. Harcourt, Inc., © 2007 (Ages 3-8) Winter is coming. When Rabbit finds two turnips, he is happy thinking he will be set when the snow comes. However, when he thinks about his friend Donkey, who is all alone, Rabbit decides to give his second turnip to her. But Donkey has plenty of food, so she shares with Goat, who shares with Deer, who shares with…As each animal thinks of another friend, they come to realize there is enough food for all of them to share what they have together.

Ordinary Mary’s Extraordinary Deed By Emily Pearson. Illustrated by Fumi Kosaka. Gibbs Smith, Publisher,   © 2002 (Ages 4-8) Ordinary Mary changed the world by picking some ordinary blueberries from an ordinary bush, putting them in an ordinary bowl and setting them on Mrs. Bishop’s porch. Mary’s simple act sets off a chain reaction that sends a message of love to every person in the whole world.

God Said Amen By Sandy Eisenberg Sasso. Illustrated by Avi Katz. Jewish Lights Publishing, © 2000 (ages 5-9) The Kingdom of Midnight has plenty of water but needs oil to light their lamps at night. The Kingdom of the Desert has lots of oil but needs water for their garden plants.  Unfortunately, the Prince of Midnight and the Princess of the Desert are both too proud to ask for what they need and too stubborn to give what they have without being asked. In the end, a simple act of kindness by two young people brings the two kingdoms together.

Mercedes and the Chocolate Pilot: A True Story of the Berlin Airlift and the Candy that Dropped from the Sky By Margot Theis Raven. Illustrated by Gijsbert van Frankenhuyzen. Sleeping Bear Press, © 2002 (Ages 8-11) Mercedes and her mother are living in West Berlin during the Soviet blockade of the city in 1948. Food and fuel are scarce, but when Mercedes’ mother reads her a newspaper story about a Berlin Airlift pilot who is dropping candy for children out of his ariplane, Mercedes decides she must get some.

Love, Ruby Lavender By Deborah Wiles. Harcourt, Inc., © 2001 (ages 9-12). Ruby Lavender loves her grandmother, Eula.  She has the exact opposite feelings about her schoolmate, Melba Jane. When Ruby is “abandoned” by her grandmother, who must leave their small town of Halleluia, Mississippi to visit a new grandchild in Hawaii, Ruby puts her loneliness and energy into raising her three chickens.

Maniac Magee By Jerry Spinelli. Little, Brown Books for Young Readers, © 1990 (Ages 10-14). In this Newbery Award Winning book by a master storyteller, we read the legend of Jeffrey Lionel Magee.  As with most legends, the lines between fact and fiction are a bit blurry. What is true, however, is that Jeffrey Lionel Magee left a definite impression on the town in which he lived.

Makeovers by Marcia By Claudia Mills. Farrar Straus Giroux Books for Young Readers, © 2005 (Ages 11-15). Marcia is “overweight” by 5 whole pounds, is praying her 8th grade dream date will ask her to the fall dance and has just learned her art teacher thinks her drawing of a girl looks like “Barbie.” Things could not get any worse…until her Social Studies teacher assigns her to a community service project at the nursing home! What is she supposed to do with a bunch of old people?

Every Soul A Star By Wendy Mass. Little, Brown and Company, © 2008 (Ages 11-15). Three teens come together to witness a total eclipse of the sun and find that their lives are about to be changed forever.

Notes from the Dog By Gary Paulsen. Wendy Lamb Books, © 2009 (ages 13-16). Finn planned to spend the summer sitting at home, reading and not talking to any more than 12 people. That was until Joanna moved in to house sit next door. Joanna decided that Finn should plant a garden for her – in his back yard! But wait, there’s more…much more.

The Power of Half: One Family’s Decision to Stop Taking and Start Giving Back. By Kevin Salwen & Hannah Salwen. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, © 2010 (ages 14-Adult). Seeing a homeless man and a person driving an expensive car at the same time on the same street corner triggers a life changing decision for one family. They will sell their house and give half of the profits to charity.

In order that each child reading these books will get the most from them, I created Speak Volumes: A Jewish Values Based Family Reading Program. Go to the Family Reading Program Section of my website, locate the October/Tishrei list of discussion questions and activities. Use these when reading together with your children to see and understand the value of G’milut Hasidim/Acts of Loving Kindness in each of these books.

Wishing you a wonderful Sukkot.

Happy Reading,

Kathy B.

©2011 Kathleen M. Bloomfield and forwordsbooks.com all rights reserved.
Books used in this review came from my own collection or 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.

As I think about preparing for this tradition, however, I am reminded that bees are in trouble all over the world.  What if there was no honey for us to dip our apples in? Several new books have been published recently to warn of the bees’ plight and seek everyone’s help in looking out for them.

What’s the Buzz? Honey for a Sweet New Year by Allison Ofanansky. Photographs by Eliyahu Alpern. ©2011. Kar-Ben Publishing. Ages 4-9.  In this companion book to Harvest of Light and Sukkot Treasure Hunt, the author and photographer take us on a visit to the Dvorat Havator Bee Farm and Education Center in Israel to learn how bees collect pollen to make honey and to see how it is processed into the food we eat.

The Buzz on Bees: Why Are They Disappearing? by Shelley Rotner & Anne Woodhull. Photographs by Shelley Rotner.  ©2010. Ages 6-10. Holiday House, Inc. In 2006, Dave Hackenburg, a professional beekeeper noticed that all of his hundreds of hives were empty. The bees were not dead, they had disappeared.  This fascinating book explains why the vanishing of bees would be a terrible thing for the world. Bees do more than simply produce honey, they pollinate “one out of every three mouthfuls of food we eat.” That makes bees a pretty important insect.

The Hive Detectives: Chronicle of a Honey Bee Catastrophe by Loree Griffin Burns. Photographs by Ellen Harasimowicz. ©2010. Houghton Mifflin Books for Children.  Ages 8-12. This captivating book, part of the Scientists in the Field Series, delves deeply into the disappearance of bees around the world and the scientific search into the cause of Colony Collapse Disorder (CCD). You will be reintroduced to Dave Hackenburg, the professional beekeeper who first discovered this frightening problem and to the beekeepers, farmers, scientists and the many others who are pursuing the various leads to the potential causes of the problem.

Honey: A Gift from Nature by Yumiko Fujiwara. Illustrated by Hideko Ise. ©2006. Kane/Miller Book Publishers, Inc.  Ages 3-6. This book, for the very young, looks at bees and how they make the honey we love so much. The language is simple and direct. The illustrations are beautiful and take on the colors of each season being discussed – the greens of spring, the warm yellows of summer, the autumn golds and reds, the greys of winter.  Because it was published before its discovery, this book does not go into the bee problem.  Nevertheless, for the very young, this is a perfect introduction to the wonders of how honey is made.

And with all of this honey, we should have some apples to dip it in, right?

One Red Apple by Harriet Ziefert. Illustrated by Karla Gudeon.  ©2009. Blue Apple Books.  Ages 3-8.  Using simple language, this charming book takes us on a journey from picking apples to eating, to leaving some apples for the birds. Seeds fall, a tree grows – with a pull out page – and the cycle begins again. Karla Gudeon’s paintings are bright, bold, colorful and attractive.  Pair this book with What’s the Buzz? Honey for a Sweet New Year or Honey: a Gift from Nature and you will have a lovely read-aloud time with your family for the New Year.

Wishing you and yours a sweet, healthy and book-filled New Year.  L’Shanah Tovah Tikatevu – May you be inscribed in the Book of Life for a good year.

Happy Reading,

Kathy B.

©2011 Kathleen M. Bloomfield and forwordsbooks.com all rights reserved.
Books used in this review came from my own collection, my local public library or the publisher as a review copy.
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.

While searching for books that would be helpful, I came across a wonderful poem that fit the bill perfectly.

Seeds

You drew pictures of life

with your words.

I listened and ate these words you said

to grow up strong.

Like the trees, I grew,

branches, leaves, flowers, and then the fruit.

I became the words I ate in you.

For better or worse

the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree.

Javaka Steptoe, In My Daddy’s Arms I AM TALL: African Americans Celebrating Fathers. Illustrated by Javaka Steptoe. ©1997. Lee & Low Books Inc.

With those words in mind, the following is a list of books for all ages to read and enjoy. To get the most out of reading these books, “For Values’ Sake,” go to  the Family Reading Program Section of my website and find the September/Elul/Tishrei list of discussion questions and activities.  Use these when reading together with children to reinforce your understanding of Honoring One’s Parents/Kibud Av va-Em .

Old Bear and His Cub. Written and illustrated by Olivier Dunrea. Philomel Books, © 2010. Ages 3-5. Old Bear and Little Bear love each other very, very much. Even though Little Bear doesn’t always want to listen to Old Bear, a gentle stare sets him in the right direction. When Old Bear doesn’t want to listen to Little Bear, he learns that his lessons have paid off in a very important way.

A Chair for My Mother. Written and illustrated by Vera B. Williams. Greenwillow Books, © 1982. Ages 4-6.   A young girl, her mother and grandmother, lose everything when their apartment burns down. Despite the generosity of their neighbors who provide furniture and toys for their new apartment, what the girl longs for is a comfortable chair for her mother to sit in when she comes home from work.

The Emperor and the Kite. By Jane Yolen. Illustrated by Ed Young. Philomel Books, © 1988. Ages 5-8. Largely ignored, Princess Djeow Seow finds her inconspicuous nature and talent for kite flying to be of tremendous value to her father when he is kidnapped and shut away in a prison.

Winter Shoes for Shadow Horse. By Linda Oatman High. Illustrated by Ted Lewin. Boyds Mill Press, © 2001. Ages 5-8. A boy watches his father as he shoes a horse in their blacksmith shop. When his father tells him it is his turn to put the last two shoes on the horse’s hooves, he cannot believe it.  Slowly and carefully, he does the job, just as his father had taught him.

Brave Irene. Written and illustrated by William Steig. Farrar, Straus and Giroux, © 1986. Ages 6-9. When Irene’s mother falls sick and cannot take the ballgown she has made to the duchess, Irene takes it for her. In spite of a blizzard, she manages to get the dress where it belongs.

Papa’s Mark. By Gwendolyn Battle-Lavert. Illustrated by Colin Bootman. Holiday House Books, © 2003. Ages 6-9. Election Day is coming and Simms wants to be sure his Papa can write his own name on the ballot.

In Our Mothers’ House. Written and illustrated by Patricia Polacco. Philomel Books, © 2009.  Ages 7-10. A special family with two moms shows a neighborhood that all families are the same when the house is filled with love.

The Janitor’s Boy. By Andrew Clements. Aladdin Paperbacks, © 2000. Ages 9-12. Jack Rankin leaves a huge wad of watermelon bubblegum under a desk to make the school janitor work hard for making him so angry.Unfortunately, the trick backfires and Jack gets caught. Now he has to work for the school janitor cleaning gum from under desks, and the school janitor is his dad!

Up a Creek. By Laura E. Williams. Henry Holt and Company, © 2001. Ages 11-14. Starshine Bott has had just about enough of her mother, Miracle’s, causes. This time she is living in an oak tree to protect it from being cut down. What is a daughter to do with such an embarassing mom?

Just Ask Iris. By Lucy Frank. Atheneum Books for Young Readers, © 200.  Ages 11-14.  Iris’ mother has left her father and moved to a new apartment building. It’s summertime and her mother wants Iris to stay inside and use an ancient program to learn to type.  Iris tries, but decides to help out some of the neighbors instead.

Child of the Owl. By Laurence Yep. HarperCollins, © 1977. Ages 13-16. When Casey’s dad winds up in the hospital, she is sent to live with her Chinese grandmother in San Francisco. There she learns more about life, love and family then she ever expected.

Level Up. By Gene Luen Yang. Illustrated by Thien Pham. First Second, © 2011. Ages 13-18.  In this extraordinary graphic novel, the son of immigrants is made to live up to his parents’ expectations that he become a doctor. When he rebels, his life takes some interesting turns.

I was honored to be given a grant by the Combined Jewish Philanthropies to write a monthly column about the Speak Volumes program for the CJP’s Family Connections Newsletter. You can sign up to receive this monthly newsletter, a great source of information for parents of young children, at the Combined Jewish Philanthropies’ website..

As you read and process these books, if you need any additional information, have questions or comments about the Speak Volumes program or are looking for a book for a specific need, please contact me at kathyb-at-forwordsbooks-dot-com.

Happy Reading!

Kathy B.

©2011 Kathleen M. Bloomfield and forwordsbooks.com all rights reserved.
Books used in this review came from my own collection or 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.

Remember the days of old,

Consider the years of ages past;

Ask your father, he will inform you,

Your elders, they will tell you…

(Deuteronomy 32:7)

It is appropriate to focus on Zachor/Remembrance as the value for this month, since in and around the month of May/Iyar many new holidays were established to remember the Holocaust and the events leading to the founding of the state of Israel.

Jews are a remembering people. We love a Torah scroll written just as it has been written for thousands of years and read in exactly the same way in every synagogue on every Shabbat the world over. We place a stone on the gravesites of those we loved and revered, formerly to protect their place of rest, now as a statement of remembrance. The traditions, rituals and foods surrounding our holidays and life cycle events embed them deeply into our minds and those of our children.  Judaism uses every means at its disposal to embrace the mind, the body and all the senses to make sure we implant a concrete memory of whatever we are doing firmly into our souls.

This list of books speaks to the need to keep our important memories alive. Whichever title you or your children decide to read, you will capture a sense of the importance of zachor/remembrance.

Wilfrid Gordon McDonald Partridge By Mem Fox. Illustrated  by Julie Vivas. © 1985. Kane/Miller Book Publishers. With the assistance of his family and friends and using items he collects from all around, Wilfrid Gordon McDonald Partidge helps his friend Miss Nancy get her memory back. (Ages 4-8)

The Name Quilt By Phyllis Root. Illustrated by Margot Apple. © 2003. Farrar, Straus and Giroux.  Sadie loves to hear the stories about all the people whose names are part of the name quilt on her grandmother’s bed, but one day the quilt is blown away in a terrible windstorm. How will they remember all those stories now? (Ages 4-8)

The Keeping Quilt Written and illustrated by Patricia Polacco. © 1998. Simon & Schuster Books. for Young Readers.  A beautiful quilt is passed down from one generation to the next as it is used for births and birthdays, weddings and deaths in a family.(Ages 4-8)

The Rag Coat Written and illustrated by Lauren Mills. © 1991.  Little, Brown and Company. A young Appalachian girl needs a coat in order to attend school. When the Quilting Mothers create a coat of clothing scraps, the school children laugh at her. Until she tells them the stories of each piece of cloth. (Ages 5-9)

Listen! By Stephanie S. Tolan. © 2006. HarperCollinsPublishers.  This summer, twelve-year-old Charley must recover from an accident but also from the loss of her mother. When a strange dog appears, Charley feels she must follow it, even into the woods that hold the memories of her mother she most wants to forget. (Ages9-12)

Eleven By Patricia Reilly Giff. © 2008.  Wendy Lamb Books. Sam has been having strange dreams of escaping from castles. Then he finds a box in his grandfather’s attic that makes him think he may have been kidnapped. Is any of this possible? Who can help him? (Ages 10-14)

The Giver By Lois Lowry. © 1993. Houghton Mifflin Company. Twelve-year-old Jonas receives his Lifetime Assignment fom the Elders. He is to become the receiver of memories. He will carry the memories of the entire community which he will receive from the Giver. (Ages 11-14)

I Am the Cheese By Robert Cormier. © 1977. Dell Laurel Leaf. Adam Farmer is trying to discover who he is and the more he dsicovers the more complex his life is becomig. (Ages 12-16)

Someone Named Eva By Joan M. Wolf.  © 2007. Clarion Books. After her town is destroyed by the Nazis, Eleven-year-old Milada is separated from her family, her name is changed to Eva and she is taken to a school where she is trained to be a perfect German. She is then adopted by a German family. Based on true events from WWII. (Ages 12-16)

Broken Memory By Elisabeth Combres. Translated by Shelley Tanaka. © 2007. Groundwood Press. A young Tutsi girl survives the brutal Rwandan genocides, then goes on to remember and heal from the pain of the experience. (Ages 14-18)

I have prepared a list of discussion questions and activities that parents and/or teachers can use when reading these books together with children to reinforce the value of zachor/remembrance and learn together about the need to keep family memories from being lost. If you would be interested in using this material, please see the Family Reading Program Section of my website for May/Iyar. May your memories of the month of May be filled with bright sunshine and spring flowers.

Happy Reading,

Kathy B.

©2011 Kathleen M. Bloomfield and forwordsbooks.com all rights reserved.
Books used in this review came from my own collection or 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.

The heaven, the Earth, and all that fills it –

All these things

Are the external garments of God.

Rebbe Shneur Zalman (1745-1812), The “Alter Rebbe”

Happy Earth Day 2011! Although I am still in Passover mode, today is the perfect opportunity to share a few of the latest “Green Books” that have come across my desk in the past few weeks:

Can We Save the Tiger? By Martin Jenkins. Illustrated by Vicky White. ©2011. Candlewick Press. In this exceptional book, Mr. Jenkins shares the stories of animals teetering on the edge of extinction as a result of human behavior.  He gives us the choice of saving these beautiful creatures or having them disappear forever. Ms. White’s stunning pencil and oil paint illustrations support his efforts to see these animals as masterpieces of God’s creation. Can the loss of these species be any less devastating than losing works by Picasso or Michelangelo? (Ages 6-11)

Dear Tree by Doba Rivka Weber. Illustrated by Phyllis Saroff. ©2010. Hachai Publishing. In this endearing story, a young boy writes a New Year’s (Tu B’Shevat)  letter to his tree wishing it all good things for the year to come. The lovely illustrations show, in detail, exactly what the boy hopes the tree receives – sunlight, rain, birds, bees, strength, etc. The boy promises to take good care of his tree and knows, in return, the tree will provide fruit and shade.  As appropriate for Earth Day as for Tu B’Shevat.  (Ages 3-8)

Gabby & Grandma Go Green written and illustrated by Monica Wellington. ©2011. Beginning with sewing the bags they will use to go shopping, Gabby and her grandmother shop at the Farmer’s Market, walk to the park, recycle their plastic bottles and newspapers and check out Earth Day books at the library. Instructions for making cloth bags and many “Green Tips” accompany the simple text. The brightly colored pictures are a collage of cut-out photographs and gouache on paper artwork.  (Ages 3-7)

A Grand Old Tree written and illustrated by Mary Newell DePalma. ©2005. Arthur A. Levine Books. The life cycle of trees is explained in this marvelously simple yet eloquent book. The bright, colorful tissue paper collage illustrations show a tree filled with life, branching out, creating new trees and finally aging until it’s branches wither back into the earth where it gives life to another generation of trees. (ages 3-7)

Let the Whole Earth Sing Praise illustrated by Tomie dePaola.  ©2011. G.P. Putnam’s Sons.  Inspired by Psalm 148, this exquisitely illustrated book is a beautiful prayer for Earth Day and every day. Whenever you want to appreciate the world we live in and renew your pledge to work toward repairing all the harm that has been done to it in recent years, simply pull this book off the shelf. (all ages)

Who Will Plant a Tree? By Jerry Pallotta. Illustrated by Tom Leonard. ©2010. Sleeping Bear Press. An amazing fact of nature is the different ways seeds have found to disperse themselves. Some seeds have developed burrs to stick to the fur coats of black bears, others have tough coverings to withstand being coughed up by an owl or pooped out by an elephant, and even others have developed parachutes to float in the wind. Whatever it is seeds find their way around the environment in a variety of interesting and wily ways. Using simple language and extraordinarily beautiful illustrations, this book for young readers makes it clear that from horses to humans, we all have a role in planting trees around the world. (Ages 4-8)

Any one of these books will enrich and enlighten your Earth Day experience. Most importantly, however, go out and enjoy this beautiful day. Take a walk. Plant a tree. Whatever you do, make sure you honor the earth and everything in it.

Happy Reading,

Kathy B.

©2011 Kathleen M. Bloomfield and forwordsbooks.com all rights reserved.
Books used in this review were provided by the publisher, my local public library or are from my own 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.

What I think about each Passover – OK,  after the Seder invitations are out, the plague bags are decided upon and the menu is finalized…What I think about as I am putting together our Haggadah, is the amount of courage it must have required for the Ancient Israelites to pack up their families, what few possessions they had and to leave it all behind, for something they could not see or touch-freedom. And though we read several times in the Torah, that the people complained and  may have wanted to go back, they never did. Freedom once tried cannot easily be returned.

This month’s book list honors the courage shown by our ancestors as they travelled out of their slavery and into freedom by providing a taste of that courage through the reading experience.

Younger Readers

Sheila Rae, the Brave. Written and illustrated by Kevin Henkes. Greenwillow Books, © 1987. Everyone knows that Sheila Rae is very, very brave. She giggles when the principal walks by,  steps on sidewalk cracks, and rides her bike with no hands.  One day, however, after deciding to take a different path home from school, she loses her way.  Suddenly, she is not as brave as she thinks. Fortunately, she receives help from a very special source. Ages 4-8.

The Empty Pot. Written and illustrated by Demi. Henry Holt and Company, © 1990. The Emperor of China is growing old and must chose a successor.  He decides to give all the children in China a seed from his garden and tells them to grow it. Ping loves to grow plants, but no matter what he does, his seed does not grow. When all the other children bring pots full of beautiful flowers to share with the Emperor, will Ping have the courage to share his empty pot? Ages 4-8.

Nachshon Who Was Afraid to Swim. By Deborah Bodin Cohen. Illustrated by Jago. Kar-Ben Publishing, © 2009. Nachshon is a slave to the Ancient Egyptian Pharaoh. He is very brave, avoiding the Pharaoh’s taskmasters and spying for his people, until he is invited to swim in the water. Then he steps back.  Nachshon is frightened by the water. When the slaves are freed from Pharaoh’s slavery and they find themselves at the Red Sea, however, someone must be the first to step in or the waters will not open. Who will have the courage to enter the sea first? Ages 5-9.

Mirette on the High Wire Written and illustrated by Emily Arnold McCully. G.P. Putnam’s Sons, © 1992. Winner of the Caldecott Medal. Mirette’s mother runs a boarding house for performers visiting Paris. One day, Mirette meets a very talented man who is practicing walking the tightrope in her backyard. He dismisses her requests to learn this skill. Nevertheless, she begins to teach herself. Seeing that she has talent, and determination, he begins her training. Mirette learns however, that he will not take her on the road with him, because he is very afraid after suffering an accident. Can she help him find the courage to return to show business? Ages 5-10.

Call It Courage. Written and illustrated by Armstrong Sperry. Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers, © 1940. Winner of the Newbery Award. Mafutu is the son of the great chief of a Polynesian clan that worships the sea and courage. However, he is afraid of the water because when he was a young child the sea took his mother’s life and almost his own. In this classic story, Mafutu becomes a legend when he decides to overcome his fear and take on the challenges of the sea. Ages 8-12.

Older Readers

Hereville: How Mirka Got Her Sword. Written and illustrated by Barry Deutsch. Amulet Books, © 2011. Winner of the Sydney Taylor Award for Older Readers. Mirka, an 11-year-old Orthodox Jewish girl, wants to fight dragons. In order to do that,  she must find a sword. No easy task in the Ultra-Orthodox community where she lives. However with the help of her wise stepmother, a talking pig, a wicked witch and an evil ogre, Mirka achieves her dream. Ages 10-14.

The Breadwinner. By Deborah Ellis. Groundwood Books, © 2000. Parvana and her family are living in a one room apartment in a bombed-out neighborhood in Kabul, Afghanistan. Her father has been arrested for having a college education and is in prison. The only way for her mother, three siblings and herself to survive is for her to dress as a boy and earn a living on the streets. However, the consequence if she is caught…she does not want to think about, she must simply find the courage to do what must be done to survive.  Ages 11-14.

The Storyteller’s Beads. By Jane Kurtz. Harcourt Brace & Company, © 1998. Due to war, famine and drought, Sahay, a Christian orphan girl, must leave Ethiopia immediately. For religious reasons, Rahel, a blind, Jewish Ethiopian girl is also leaving the country. When these two girls’ paths cross, they must overcome deep animosities toward each other in order that they may both achieve their dreams: Freedom in another country. Ages 11-14.

Homeless Bird. By Gloria Whelan. HarperCollins Publishers, © 2000. A National Book Award Winner. Koly, a 13-year-old Indian girl,  is forced to marry a sickly boy. This is her fate. When he dies, she  becomes part of an Indian widows’ community. When her talent for embroidery is discovered by the community’s benefactor and a new young man begins to take interest in her, will she have the courage to change the path tradition and fate have handed her? Ages 13-16.

The Boy Who Dared: A Novel Based on the True Story of a Hitler Youth. By Susan Campbell Bartoletti.  Scholastic Press, © 2008. Not every German believed the propaganda that was fed to them during World War II. Some individuals did what they could to deliver a different message to the people. This is the story of one such individual who gave up his life for the truth. Ages 14-18.

* * * * * * * *

These titles provide a broad understanding of the value of Ometz Lev/Courage. As you sit at your Seder, whether at home or elsewhere,  listen carefully as the Haggadah is read. If you hear a story, a song or a prayer that sounds like it is describing a brave, daring or courageous moment, shout out, “Ometz Lev. Courage!”  Of course, others at the Seder may stare at you. That’s OK. You can share what you learned and the book you read later, during dinner.  If you are looking for additional information about Passover including a free downloadable Haggadah, visit JewishBoston.com.

Wishing you a Passover season filled with fabulous food, fun and frogs,

Happy Reading,

Kathy B.

©2011 Kathleen M. Bloomfield and forwordsbooks.com all rights reserved.
Books used in this review were from my personal collection and from 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.