Jewish Detective Stories for Kids

An anthology of detective stories with Jewish themes for young adults. Each story has a boy or girl as the main character who must uncover a hidden secret. This is the third in the "Stories for Kids" series and follows on the heels of the successful humor and science fiction volumes (both in their second printings). Ths is the first book of detective stories with Jewish themes for this market and fills a gap that has existed for years. The books feature both boys and girls as detective heroes. 

Back of Beyond

Danny, about to celebrate his Bar Mitzvah, wins a trip to Australia where he meets Muri, an Aborigine. Muri initiates Danny into his manhood ceremony, which includes dancing, singing, presents...and blood!

Review: School Library Journal
An exciting spiritual adventure. When 12-year-old Danny sees a contest to win a trip to Australia, he works hard to develop the winning entry. Unfortunately, the vacation comes just before his Bar Mitzvah and at a time when his parents cannot go along. Accompanied by a chaperon and his older sister Rebecca, he sets off on his dream trip. When Muri, an Aborigine boy who works in the hotel where they are staying, asks him to go for a walk, Danny finds himself on a walkabout in the "back of beyond," immersed in an alien culture. While Rebecca and their chaperon work desperately to get him back, Danny has become part of Muri's ritual of manhood. Lost and dependent on his new friend who would like to make him his brother, Danny passes through a crisis of the soul that defines his awareness of himself as a Jew. With his sister's help and his own judicious explanation to the Aborigines of how his culture and ritual forbids him to participate in their worship, though he is their friend, Danny is released. Safe at home he realizes that he has gained knowledge of another culture, but more importantly of his own. While written for a Jewish audience, this story should have wider appeal. The characters in this Orthodox family and the sibling friction will be familiar to readers of any religious background. The book also gives insight to the Bar Mitzvah for those who are unfamiliar with Jewish ritual.-Anne Connor, Los Angeles Public Library

My Jewish Days of the Week

		Review: Children's Literature Rhyming text describes the activities of an Orthodox Jewish family on each day of the week. On Sunday, the family spends the day together outside having a picnic or tending the garden. "Sunday is a fun day," the narrator explains, "but I can't wait for Shabbos!" On Monday, the children attend a school where they daven (pray), give tzedekah (charity), and learn about the Parshah (weekly Torah portion). Monday is described as a "fizzy, tizzy, dizzy day" but nothing in comparison to Shabbos (the Sabbath). While most of the rhymes are clever and perfect, one page unexpectedly uses made-up words in its description of Shabbos—"A purple-spotted shirty day/A twirly dress-up skirty day." The illustrations are colorful and pleasant, but the printing quality does not rival the larger presses. The characters are dressed in Orthodox Jewish attire (i.e. yarmulkes for boys and long skirts for the girls). A glossary provided on the copyright page is useful, but for some pages, must be consulted too frequently for the comfort of the general reader. This book will be most useful in Orthodox Jewish day schools. 2001, Hachai Publishing, $9.95. Ages 2 to 5. Reviewer: Jackie Hechtkopf Review: Children's Book Watch My Jewish Days Of The Week is a fun-filled, day-by-day journey through the week. Beginning with a family Sunday spent in the garden, a busy Monday spent at school, and ending with Thursday grocery shopping and Friday cooking and cleaning -- all in preparation for ushering in and observing Shabbos. Catchy rhymes and old-world illustrations portray everyday life as a joyous adventure for young children. Melanie Schmidt's illustrations wonderful showcase Dvora Waysman entertaining text which is enhanced with a glossary explaining words that may be unfamiliar to a young reader, and a beautiful chart at the end of the book reviewing all the days of the week in both English and Hebrew. Highly recommended!

To Any Jewish Teenager

Through a collection of letters to two teens, the author explains her personal interpretation of what Judaism is and what it has to say on a variety of subjects from drugs and dating to intermarriage. The letters span the Jewish calendar year touching on holidays, customs, the collective Jewish experience and the centrality of Israel to Diaspora Jews.