No comments about Sammy Spider's Passover Fun Book (Sammy Spider Set).

1 comments about Sammy Spider's Hanukkah Fun Book.

1. I was looking for something that would be educational as well as entertaining and this book was just confusing. I don't get the Spider thing associated with Hanukkah Fun.

1 comments about My Jewish Home (Very First Board Books).

1. I loved this book the first time I saw it. It is a wonderful book for preschool children.

5 comments about There's No Such Thing as a Chanukah Bush, Sandy Goldstein.

1. I first read this book in 1983. It was my feeling then, and remains my belief now, that Ms. Sussman accurately captured the spirit of the religious experience of each of the girls. I believe the story is validating and meaningful for youngsters of both traditions, as it was intended. It also contains valuable insight for now-Jewish adults who may have minimal understanding of the Jewish experience. Each Christmas, THERE'S NO SUCH THING AS A CHANUKAH BUSH, SANDY GOLDSTEIN is displayed in my library along with the Christmas books. I found it to be a validation of both the Jewish and Christian traditions. If I were to make a suggestion, it would be to further explore the feelings of the Christian child whose best friend is Jewish. Christian children are not necessarily oblivious to the conflict presented to Jewish children each December.



2. Dear editors, I am writing re: my review of 1-25-99. There is a one-word error in the fifth line that changes the meaning entirely. It should read, ".....insight for NON Jewish adults...", not "insight for now Jewish adults." Would you kindly change this wording. As it reads now, it is misleading for your potential future customers, and embarrasing for me. (p.s. I actually AM Heather's mother. Susan Sussman wrote the book using our two daughters as the models for her characters Robin and Heather.)



3. "Do you have your tree yet," Heather asked Robin. "There it was! That question. Only this time it was worse, because of what Sandy Goldstein had done." Sandy's family had put up a Christmas tree and called it a Chanukah bush.

   This nub of the first pages in this 9-chapter, 48-page easy reader captures the conflicted feelings of Robin, the main Jewish character whose best friend Heather was Christian. Heather naturally wanted Robin to share the joy of Christmas. Robin wanted to share it too. But of course, being Jewish, her family did not have a Christmas tree, and she had to tell her friend, "There is no such thing as a Chanukah bush."

   Things got worse in school, when Robin's teacher directed the children to construct holiday decorations and Sandy Goldstein sat next to Robin, making the ugliest paper chains she had ever seen. Then all the other children started talking about their tree decorations and Santa Claus. Robin felt so, so, left out.

   At home, Robin had a conversation with her mother about different ways of being Jewish. Robin's mother finished by saying that if Sandy Goldstein's family had a Christmas tree that was their business, but she would not have one in her house. They lit Chanukah candles.

   Then Robin's Grandpa entered. His union was holding a Christmas party and he wanted Robin to go. The story travels through another five chapters and 28 pages before the girls reach an understanding about one another and their holidays. And that understanding is truly magnificent.

   This book shows children the respect that they can and should have for others of varied faiths. Children (and people) can be different, but nevertheless help and love one another, deeply.
   
   And PS, this book is not just for girls. Our copy was a gift from a relative whose son loved the story too. Alyssa A. Lappen




4. As a Christian who's best friend was Jewish in elementary school (and to this very day) the two of us found this story to be such an entertainment that we joke about it to this very day, some nearly twenty years later. It helped to bridge a gap in understanding about what Hanukkah means to the faithful, and even now I fondly remember feeling so special being the one Christian invited to light the candles and "tell the story of God and His glory and how precious freedom was won." Even now, I tell people I was raised by a Jewish mother too, with much pride, and look forward to the festival of lights year after year.



5. This book contains a universal theme that left me saying, "That's me." I was the odd one out. We've all been there at some point, and this book is outstanding. I also feel like it's a great way for kids outside of the Jewish faith to get that small perspective of what it is like for a Jewish child at Christmastime. It's one of those books that I remember fondly and remember well, even though I haven't read it in twenty years.

2 comments about Sam I Am (Apple Signature).

1. The trouble all started for twelve-year-old Sam Goodman the day the family dog, Pluto, knocked over the Hanukkah bush. With a Jewish father and a Christian mother, Sam has grown up in a family with mixed religions. Rather than learn about each religion fully, his parents decide to let their children choose their faiths when they are old enough.
   
   After the destruction of the Hanukkah bush (his parents' compromise, created as a mixture of both of their faiths), the Goodmans decide to try something different this year. Since Hanukkah and Christmas Eve fall on the same day, a dual celebration is planned. Both grandmothers join the family for dinner and gift exchanging. Unfortunately, the evening does not go as swiftly as planned. Sam wonders what all the fuss is about religion and why people keep fighting over it.
   
   Sam's best friend Avi is preparing for his Bar Mitzvah, and Sam wonders why no one ever asked him if he wanted to be Bar Mitzvah-ed. In his confusion, he starts talking to God but finds that God doesn't answer back. Instead, Sam has to figure out the answers on his own.
   
   Reminiscent of ARE YOU THERE GOD? IT'S ME, MARGARET by Judy Blume, SAM I AM tells an important story that is common in many families today. Author Ilene Cooper uses humor and warmth to explore the relationships between Sam and his family, but she doesn't forget to also include the other trials and tribulations that typical twelve-year-olds face.
   
   --- Reviewed by Kristi Olson (zooey24@yahoo.com)



2. Barreling inside, Sam was wiping off his shoes when Ellen and Maxie appeared in front of him, both of them looking shaken to the core.
   "Thank goodness you're home," Ellen said, her voice quavering. "Mom and Dad were in a car accident."
   
   Sam I Am, by Ilene Cooper, is a story in which 12-year-old Sam Goodman must discover how his family can stay together when they practice different religions: His mother is Christian and his father is Jewish. It is a riveting novel; it makes you think about the different faiths and why they have fought against each other over the years.
   
   One appealing aspect of the book is how middle schoolers can relate to it. Sam is just a normal 7th grader; he hangs out with friends, does his homework, and sleeps in late. Also, he has younger and older siblings, which can be a pest or a comfort to middle graders.
   
   Another highlight of the novel is how the plot is always moving along. Whether it be going to the mall, hanging out at a party, or participating in a snowball fight, Sam is always doing something. The story flies along even faster when Sam discovers that his dad has been sent to the hospital after a car accident.
   
   One more interesting part of the book is how it relates to the real world, talking about fights over religion from the past and in the present. When Sam learns about the Holocaust in school, he ponders why God let all those people die. He wonders why faiths are still fighting, and speculates on how he can help. Sam tries to figure out why people just can't get along.
   
   Sam I Am is powerful realistic fiction, perfect for any kid or teenager. It truly makes someone think about different religions, and how they are related to the world today.

No comments about Let's Have a Seder.

No comments about Sukkot: A Family Seder (Sukkot & Simchat Torah).

1 comments about Happy Chanukah Sticker Activity Book (Dover Little Activity Books).

1. its a very small booklet, with 2 pages of very small stikers and one activity page were you put this stikers. its a wast

No comments about While the Candles Burn.

3 comments about Too Many Cooks: A Passover Parable.

1. This appealing Passover book is truly a gem for young and old alike! Too Many Cooks offers a fun-filled glimpse into the rich traditions of the Seder preparation. Through the cute characterizations of familiar family members, this story will be reread at many Passovers over years to come!



2. This is such a cool book that kids really love! My 3rd grade teacher read this book to us around Passover time last year when we were learning about Jewish Holidays. Everyone in my class just loved the book, and many of my friends went and bought it. Too Many Cooks has AWESOME illustrations in bright colors. This is a great book for kids of all faiths. Strongly recommended! A+!



3. Written with such zest for family participation during the Jewish Holiday of Passover! Lively pictures help weave the story of Bubbie's family as they perform the traditional tasks for Passover. Educational and fun at the same time! A real treat for young and old, which has always been the true test of great literature. "Too Many Cooks" is a great addition to your personal library collection.