Open Books Challenge 2026: By a Jewish AuthorUnpublished

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An award-winning writer reimagines the life of Jesus, from the points of view of four people closest to him before his death. This is the story of Yehoshuah, who wandered Roman-occupied Judea giving sermons and healing the sick. Now, a year after his death, four people tell...

An incisive, deeply resonant debut novel about a nonconsensual sexual encounter that propels one woman's final semester at an elite New England college into controversy and chaos--and into an ill-advised affair with a married professor. It's 1998 and Isabel Rosen, the only...

Winner of the Sydney Taylor Book Award Named a best book of the year by the Boston Globe, Publishers Weekly, Kirkus Reviews, SLJ, ALA Booklist, the Horn Book, and more Recipient of five starred reviews From Michael L. Printz honoree & National Book Award...

Named a Best Book of the Year by: Time * New Yorker * Sunday Times (UK) From New York Times bestselling author Jami Attenberg comes a dazzling memoir about unlocking and embracing her creativity--and how it saved her life. In this brilliant, fierce, and funny memoir of...

This exceptional novel about family, love, and the innocence and terror of childhood was one of the most applauded and auspicious debuts of the last year. Compared by reviewers to Angela's Ashes and Wuthering Heights, The Hiding Place was the only debut work to be shortlisted for England's...

"The best fantasy novel I've read in years, because it's about real people... Impossible to put down." --Stephen King Enter a mesmerizing world of power, privilege, and dark magic among the Ivy League elite in the first book in the Alex Stern series. ...

An unforgettable coming-of-age novel following a young Cuban-Jewish immigrant girl in 1960s New York City who must overcome the sudden derailment of her American Dream. WINNER OF THE PURA BELPRE AWARD * A KIRKUS REVIEWS BEST MIDDLE GRADE BOOK OF THE CENTURY "A...

From four stunning and accomplished French women--a charming bestseller about how to slip into your inner cool and be a Parisienne. In short, frisky sections, these Parisian women give you their very original views on style, beauty, culture, attitude and men. The authors--Anne...

A BEST BOOK OF THE YEAR TIME Magazine・NPR・Library Journal・The Globe and Mail・Lilith・Forward Magazine・Toronto Star・The New Yorker Winner of the Choix Goncourt Prize, Anne Berest...

New York Times Bestseller * Winner of the Ribalow Prize, awarded by Hadassah Magazine An estranged mother and daughter reunite to confront their family's role in World War II in this harrowing, unforgettable novel about lost love and inherited shame from New York Times bestselling author...

Part of the classic Fudge series from Judy Blume, bestselling author of Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing! Farley Drexel Hatcher--otherwise known as Fudge--thinks he's a superhero, but his older brother, Peter, knows Fudge is nothing but a big pain! Dealing with Fudge...

'The funniest book I've read in ages. Savage but compelling' Ian Rankin 'Funny, rumbustious, unstinting and wonderfully Hogarthian' The Observer 'His relish is infectious' Times _____________________________ What a thing...

Named a Best Book of the Year by Entertainment Weekly, Vogue, Time, Esquire, BookPage, and more This darkly hilarious and "delicious new novel that ravishes with sex and food" (The Boston Globe) from the acclaimed...

NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER * NATIONAL BOOK AWARD LONGLIST * "A masterpiece" (NPR) about marriage, divorce, and the bewildering dynamics of ambition Now an Emmy Award-nominated FX limited series on Hulu, starring Claire Danes, Jesse Eisenberg, Lizzy Caplan, and...

In 1665, a young man from Martha's Vineyard became the first Native American to graduate from Harvard College. Upon this slender factual scaffold, the author of the "New York Times" bestseller "People of the Book" has created a luminous tale of love and faith, magic and adventure.

The New York Times bestselling author of Tell Me Three Things and What to Say Next delivers a poignant and hopeful novel about resilience and reinvention, first love and lifelong friendship, the legacies of loss, and the stories we tell ourselves in order to survive.

For sixty years, Jewish refugees and their descendants have prospered in the Federal District of Sitka, a "temporary" safe haven created in the wake of revelations of the Holocaust and the shocking 1948 collapse of the fledgling state of Israel. Proud, grateful, and longing to be American, the...

Spunky, strong-willed eleven-year-old Mirka Herschberg isn't interested in knitting lessons from her stepmother, or how-to-find-a-husband advice from her sister, or you-better-not warnings from her brother. There's only one thing she does want: to fight dragons! Granted, no dragons...

New York Times bestseller An unforgettable novel about a young Jewish woman growing up in Boston in the early twentieth century, told "with humor and optimism...through the eyes of an irresistible heroine" (People)--from the acclaimed author of The Red Tent<...

A thrilling reimagining of the world of Charles Dickens, as seen through the eyes of the infamous Jacob Fagin, London's most gifted pickpocket, liar, and rogue. "Fagin the Thief takes one of literature's greatest rogues and gives him a soul, a backstory, and a spotlight....

Now a Netflix original series! Unorthodox is the bestselling memoir of a young Jewish woman's escape from a religious sect, in the tradition of Ayaan Hirsi Ali's Infidel and Carolyn Jessop's Escape, featuring a new epilogue by the author. ...

The astonishing true story of a girl who survived the Holocaust thanks to Oskar Schindler, of Schindler's List fame. Rena Finder was only eleven when the Nazis forced her and her family -- along with all the other Jewish families -- into the ghetto in Krakow, Poland. Rena worked as...

With only a yellowing photograph in hand, a young man -- also named Jonathan Safran Foer -- sets out to find the woman who may or may not have saved his grandfather from the Nazis. Accompanied by an old man haunted by memories of the war; an amorous dog named Sammy Davis, Junior, Junior; and the...

NATIONAL BESTSELLER * Updated with enlightening new material, this is the complete, definitive edition of Anne Frank's diary, "the single most compelling personal account of the Holocaust" (The New York Times Book Review) Discovered in the attic where she spent the last...

THIS EDITION IS NO LONGER IN PRINT. Please get the regular edition ISBN: 9780807014271. This edition is no longer in print. Please check ISBN: 9780807014271 for the most recent edition. Psychiatrist Viktor Frankl's memoir has riveted generations of readers...

  During the fall leading up to her bat mitzvah, Tara (Hindi for "star") Feinstein has a lot more than her Torah portion on her mind. Between Hebrew school and study sessions with the rabbi, there doesn't seem to be enough time to hang out with her best friend Ben-O--who might also...

From "a marvelous new voice" (Rebecca Makkai), these "extraordinarily imaginative" (Sigrid Nunez), "revelatory" (Nicole Krauss), "superb" (Kiran Desai) stories transcend borders as they render the intimate lives of people striving for connection. WINNER OF THE...

A dazzling Sephardic multigenerational saga that moves from Istanbul to Barcelona, Havana, and New York, exploring displacement, endurance, and family as home. A kaleidoscopic portrait of one family's displacement across four countries, Kantika--"song" in Ladino-...

Every Tuesday, Yotam's grandfather takes him to a coffee shop after kindergarten, where Grandpa Amnon drinks coffee and Yotam likes to draw. One day, Yotam has a question: "Grandpa, what's on your face?"  Grandpa Amnon explains that the lines on his face are wrinkles, and they are...

Searing essays from International Booker Prize-winning Israeli author and long-time peace activist David Grossman carry us up to and through the cataclysm of Oct 7th and what followed We know David Grossman's voice of ringing moral clarity from way back: since the late 1980s and...

"[A] luminous, Marquez-esque tale." -O, The Oprah Magazine From the New York Times bestselling author of The Dovekeepers and The Museum of Extraordinary Things: a forbidden love story set on the tropical island of St. Thomas about the extraordinary woman who...

NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER Inspired by the incredible true story of one Jewish family separated at the start of World War II, determined to survive--and to reunite--We Were the Lucky Ones is a tribute to the triumph of hope and love against all odds  <...

WINNER OF A NATIONAL JEWISH BOOK AWARD AUSA TODAY BESTSELLER An intellectual and emotional jigsaw puzzle of a novel for readers of A. S. Byatt'sPossessionand Geraldine Brooks'sPeople of the Book ...

CALDECOTT MEDAL WINNER * #1 NATIONAL BESTSELLER * The magic and wonder of winter's first snowfall is perfectly captured in this classic seasonal board book celebrated by generations of readers--a beautiful gift for the holiday season! New York Public Library's #1 book on the...

The award-winning author of modern classics such as Schindler's List and Napoleon's Last Island is at his triumphant best with this "engrossing and transporting" (Financial Times) novel about the adventures of Charles Dickens's son in the Australian Outback during the 1860s.<...

From award-winning author Eric A. Kimmel with gorgeous, brightly patterned illustrations from artist Mara Penny, Hank and Gertie brings a modern twist to the classic Hansel and Gretel folktale combined with the high-adventure landscape of the Oregon Trail. While taking a...

*A New York Times Notable Book of 2022* *A Washington Post Notable Work of Fiction* *An NPR Best Book of the Year* *A New Yorker Best Book of 2022* From the New York Times bestselling author of The...

Leo Gursky taps his radiator each evening to let his upstairs neighbor know he's still alive. But it wasn't always like this: in the Polish village of his youth, he fell in love and wrote a book. . . . Sixty years later and half a world away, fourteen-year-old Alma, who was named after a character...

New York Times bestseller! Terri Libenson returns with another endearing, relatable story of friendship and finding confidence. Perfect for fans of Raina Telgemeier and Jennifer L. Holm. Middle school is full of challenges. Everyone knows how much brainy Bri likes the spotlight (not...

In Lois Lowry's Newbery Medal-winning classic, twelve-year-old Jonas lives in a seemingly ideal world. Not until he is given his life assignment as the Receiver does he begin to understand the dark secrets behind his fragile community. Life in the community where Jonas lives is idyllic....

"An unflinchingly honest romance." --Kirkus, starred review From the author of THE MATZAH BALL and MR. PERFECT ON PAPER comes this hilarious and emotional rivals-to-lovers romance. Step 1: Get the secret recipe. Step 2: Don't fall in love......

From the author of the multi-million copy bestseller The Tattooist of Auschwitz comes a new novel based on a riveting true story of love and resilience. Her beauty saved her -- and condemned her. Cilka is just sixteen years old when she is taken to...

Set in the Allegheny Mountains of Appalachia, Take What You Need traces the parallel lives of Jean, and her beloved but estranged stepdaughter, Leah, who's sought a clean break from her rural childhood. In Leah's urban life with her young family, she's revealed little about Jean, how much she misses...

NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER * The "stunning" debut novel  (Los Angeles Times) from the bestselling author of The Flight Portfolio--the inspiration for the Netflix series Transatlantic--is a grand love story set against the backdrop of Budapest and Paris, a...

The International Bestselling memoir from award-winning author Amos Oz, "one of Isreal's most prolific writers and respected intellectuals" (The New York Times), about his turbulent upbringing in the city of Jerusalem in the era of the dissolution of Mandatory Palestine and the beginning of the...

SYDNEY TAYLOR BOOK AWARD HONOREE FOR OLDER READERS!                                       ...

"Anyone who finds it is finding a jewel. Its themes are profound and universal."--The Wall Street Journal It is the now-classic story of two fathers and two sons and the pressures on all of them to pursue the religion they share in the way that is best suited to each. And...

A New York Times Editors' Choice "[An] intelligent, funny, and remarkably assured first novel. . . . [Andrew Ridker establishes] himself as a big, promising talent. . . . Hilarious. . . . Astute and highly entertaining. . . . Outstanding." --The New York Times Book...

A Lambda Award Finalist, A Today Show Best Book, A Forbes Best Book, and an ALA Rainbow List Top Ten selection Set in a summer camp, this sweet and sharp screwball comedy set in a summer camp for queer teens examines the nature of toxic masculinity and self...

Beloved for more than 30 years, this award-winning classic from Michael Rosen and Helen Oxenbury celebrates the joys of an afternoon outdoors with family. We're going on a bear hunt. We're going to catch a big one. Will you come too? Join a father and his four...

New York Times Bestselling AuthorEditor's Choice #5 TitleIn this profound and intense novel of love and redemption, Linden Malegarde returns to Paris from the United States as the whole Malegarde family gathers for their father's 70th birthday. Each is on edge, afraid one wrong move will shatter the...

PULITZER PRIZE WINNER * NATIONAL BESTSELLER * From one of the most acclaimed writers of the twentieth century--a compulsively readable elegy for America's promises of prosperity, civic order, and domestic bliss, and "one of Roth's most powerful novels ever" (The New York Times)....

Maurice Sendak's Caldecott Medal-winning picture book has become one of the most highly acclaimed and best-loved children's books of all time. A must for every child's bookshelf. This iconic story has inspired a movie, an opera, and the imagination of generations. When Max dresses in his...

This first English translation of Sholom Aleichem's rediscovered novel, Moshkeleh the Thief, has a riveting plot, an unusual love story, and a keenly observed portrayal of an underclass Jew replete with characters never before been seen in Yiddish literature. The...

NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER * NATIONAL BOOK CRITICS CIRCLE AWARD FINALIST NAMED ONE OF THE TEN BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR BY MICHIKO KAKUTANI, THE NEW YORK TIMES * NAMED ONE OF THE TEN BEST NONFICTION BOOKS OF THE YEAR BY TIME NAMED ONE OF THE BEST...

In this tender, nuanced coming-of-age love story, two boys--one who is cis, and one who is trans--have been guarding their hearts, until their feelings for each other give them a reason to stand up to their fears. Two boys are starting over at a new high school. Jules is still...

After recovering from a life-changing injury, a teen girl must navigate a new job, an ex-best friend, and two surprisingly attractive coworkers in this "sweet, romantic summer tale" (Kirkus Reviews) for fans of Jenny Han and Siobhan Vivian. Hannah used to be all about...

From Shel Silverstein, the New York Times bestselling creator of Where the Sidewalk Ends and The Giving Tree, comes a riotous rhyming picture book about a boy and his giraffe! Featuring rhythmic verse and iconic illustrations, A Giraffe and a Half will leave every reader, young and old,...

In the years since this publishing house was founded, we have worked with an array of wondrous authors who have brought illuminating clarity to our bewildering world. Now, instead, we bring you Lemony Snicket. Over the course of his long and suspicious career, Mr. Snicket has investigated...

AN INSTANT NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER | READ WITH JENNA BOOK CLUB PICK AS FEATURED ON TODAY "This may be the most epic love story I've ever, ever read."--Jenna Bush Hager on TODAY An intimate and lyrical celebration of great love, great art, and the...

A New York Times bestseller! From the author of Today Tonight Tomorrow comes a magical, "emotionally savvy[,] and genuinely romantic" (Publishers Weekly, starred review) story in the vein of Groundhog Day about a girl forced to relive her disastrous...

The bestselling first installment of the graphic novel acclaimed as "the most affecting and successful narrative ever done about the Holocaust" (Wall Street Journal) and "the first masterpiece in comic book history" (The New Yorker) * PULITZER PRIZE WINNER * One of Variety's...

NATIONAL BESTSELLER * Named a Best Book of the Year by the New Yorker, NPR, Vogue, the Washington Post, Electric Lit, and more! A "dryly witty" (The New Yorker) and "fabulously revealing" (The New York Times Book Review) debut that...

A riotously funny, emotionally raw New York Times bestselling novel about love, marriage, divorce, family, and the ties that bind--whether we like it or not. The death of Judd Foxman's father marks the first time that the entire Foxman clan has congregated in years. There...

Helene Wecker's dazzling debut novel tells the story of two supernatural creatures who appear mysteriously in 1899 New York. Chava is a golem, a creature made of clay, brought to life by a strange old man who dabbles in dark Kabbalistic magic. Ahmad is a jinni, a being of fire, born...

A new translation from the French by Marion Wiesel. Night is Elie Wiesel's masterpiece, a candid, horrific, and deeply poignant autobiographical account of his survival as a teenager in the Nazi death camps. This new translation by Marion Wiesel, Elie's wife and frequent...

"A triumphantly moving book."  --Kirkus Reviews, starred review Hannah dreads going to her family's Passover Seder--she's tired of hearing her relatives talk about the past. But when she opens the front door to symbolically welcome the prophet Elijah, she's...

Duffy and the Devil was a popular play in Cornwall in the nineteenth century, performed at the Christmas season by groups of young people who went from house to house. The Zemachs have interpreted the folk tale which the play dramatized, recognizable as a version of the widespread...

#1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER * ONE OF TIME MAGAZINE'S 100 BEST YA BOOKS OF ALL TIME * A NEW YORK TIMES READER TOP 100 PICK FOR BEST BOOKS OF THE 21ST CENTURY * A KIRKUS REVIEWS BEST YOUNG ADULT BOOK OF THE CENTURY The extraordinary, beloved novel about the...