The Wise Men of Chelm stories are retold for a new generation by award-winning author Eric Kimmel. An appealing chapter book format and humorous, edgy illustration combine with a timeless old country setting and a modern gender balance to appeal to today's young readers.

This accessible guide to Jewish children’s literature explores many of the enduring questions of the Jewish tradition: What is Jewish history? What are love, wisdom, humor, ritual, evil, and justice? Jewish children’s literature matters for all children, and with this practical guide parents and teachers will be empowered to choose and discuss books and stories with Jewish or non-Jewish children. Jewish children’s literature is often absent in school classrooms and when it is available, it presents a picture to children of Jews as victims. Enduring Questions provides teachers with guidance in the use of Jewish children’s literature in the preschool and elementary school classroom. Enduring Questions includes extensive bibliographies of Jewish children’s literature, digital resources for teachers, and suggestions for further reading. With summaries of suggested books and texts, honest recommendations from teachers who have used these texts in the classroom, and practical curricular connections, this comprehensive book is suited for those looking for an introduction to teaching Jewish children's literature and those familiar with it. The book provides a framework about the use of Jewish children’s literature as an opportunity for all children, both Jewish and non-Jewish, to be philosophers and engage in dialog and debate. The enduring questions thoughtfully explored through Jewish literature are important for all students growing up in a diverse multicultural world.

This book serves as both a textbook and reference for faculty and students in LIS courses on storytelling and a professional guide for practicing librarians, particularly youth services librarians in public and school libraries. Storytelling: Art and Technique serves professors, students, and practitioners alike as a textbook, reference, and professional guide. It provides practical instruction and concrete examples of how to use the power of story to build literacy and presentation skills, as well as to create community in those same educational spaces. This text illustrates the value of storytelling, covers the history of storytelling in libraries, and offers valuable guidance for bringing stories to contemporary listeners, with detailed instructions on the selection, preparation, and presentation of stories. It also provides guidance around the planning and administration of a storytelling program. Topics include digital storytelling, open mics and slams, and the neuroscience of storytelling. An extensive and helpful section of resources for the storyteller is included in an expanded Part V of this edition.

Set in biblical times, the story of Nicanor's Gate—one of the entrances to the Temple in Jerusalem—shows how a man's faith is important to living a happy, fulfilled life. Nicanor, a wealthy merchant from Alexandria, is thrilled when King Herod calls on him to assist in rebuilding the ruined Temple in Jerusalem. Nicanor orders massive, beautifully intricate doors to be built, especially for the Eastern Gate of the Temple, but disaster strikes while the gates are being shipped from Alexandria to Jerusalem. To escape sinking, the ship must reduce its load, and one of the doors is pushed into the sea. But a miracle happens: the heavy door surfaces, is recovered from the sea, and installed as an entrance to the Temple area.

"Beautifully written, brilliant, and necessary," (Matt de la Pena, Newbery Medalist), here is a body-positive book about how a boy deals with fat-shaming. Ari has body-image issues. After a move across the country, his parents work selling and promoting his mother's paintings and sculptures. Ari's bohemian mother needs space to create, and his father is gone for long stretches of time on "sales" trips. Meanwhile, Ari makes new friends: Pick, the gamer; the artsy Jorge, and the troubled Lisa. He is also relentlessly bullied because he's overweight, but he can't tell his parents—they're simply not around enough to listen. After an upsetting incident, Ari's mom suggests he go on a diet, and she gives him a book to help. But the book—and the diet—can’t fix everything. As Ari faces the demise of his parents' marriage, he also feels himself changing, both emotionally and physically. Here is a much-needed story about accepting the imperfect in oneself and in life.

How to enhance your personal prayer relationship with God, making it more unique fulfilling

Queen Vashti is relaxing with her friends when the king demands that she dress up and entertain him and his friends, but she refuses, making him very angry. Includes author's note about the queens of Purim.

How the Wise Men Got to Chelm is the first in-depth study of Chelm literature and its relationship to its literary precursors. When God created the world, so it is said, he sent out an angel with a bag of foolish souls with instructions to distribute them equally all over the world—one fool per town. But the angel’s bag broke and all the souls spilled out onto the same spot. They built a settlement where they landed: the town is known as Chelm. The collected tales of these fools, or “wise men,” of Chelm constitute the best-known folktale tradition of the Jews of eastern Europe. This tradition includes a sprawling repertoire of stories about the alleged intellectual limitations of the members of this old and important Jewish community. Chelm did not make its debut in the role of the foolish shtetl par excellence until late in the nineteenth century. Since then, however, the town has led a double life—as a real city in eastern Poland and as an imaginary place onto which questions of Jewish identity, community, and history have been projected. By placing literary Chelm and its “foolish” antecedents in a broader historical context, it shows how they have functioned for over three hundred years as models of society, somewhere between utopia and dystopia. These imaginary foolish towns have enabled writers both to entertain and highlight a variety of societal problems, a function that literary Chelm continues to fulfill in Jewish literature to this day.

The classic Hanukkah tale, shared by families all around the world-- now available in a beautiful anniversary edition. A Caldecott Honor book. An original tale featuring a traditional Jewish folk hero, this clever story, which received a Sydney Taylor Honor, has been a family favorite for decades. On the first night of Hanukkah, a weary traveler named Hershel of Ostropol eagerly approaches a village, where plenty of latkes and merriment should warm him. But when he arrives not a single candle is lit. A band of frightful goblins has taken over the synagogue, and the villagers cannot celebrate at all! Hershel vows to help them. Using his wits, the clever trickster faces down one goblin after the next, night after night. But can one man alone save Hanukkah and live to tell the tale? Trina Schart Hyman’s leering goblins are equal parts terrifying and ridiculous as they match wits with Hershel, trying to keep him from lighting the menorah and celebrating Hanukkah. This beautiful 25th Anniversary Edition includes an insightful afterword from the author and publisher explaining the book's origins, and remembering Trina Schart Hyman, the illustrator who brought the tale to life. This classic picture book is a perfect Hanukkah gift and a wonderful read-aloud. For more tales of this clever folk hero, read The Adventures of Hershel of Ostropol— another collaboration between master storyteller Eric A. Kimmel and Trina Schart Hyman. Caldecott Honor Book ALA Notable Children’s Book NCTE Notable Children’s Book in the Language Arts A Sydney Taylor Award Honor Book Colorado Children’s Book Award Washington Children's Choice Picture Book Award

The collection of Jewish folk tales that the "New York Times" called "a delightful little book . . . a classic of its kind . . . full of merriment and wisdom". Illustrated with whimsical drawings, these humorous stories are just right for children.