Children's Book Suggestions | Jewish American Heritage Month

Celebrate Jewish American Heritage Month with these books about Jewish kids of all ages! More books about Jewish characters can be found in our online catalog.

For books about specific Jewish holidays, check out our Holiday books. Hanukkah has its own section and the rest are in the general Holiday section under 296.

For readers looking for books about the Holocaust, browse books about the Holocaust in the online catalog or check out 940.5318 in the Children's Nonfiction section.

Updated February 15, 2024
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Dear Mr. Dickens
Churnin, Nancy
Paper Book
2021 National Jewish Book Award Winner - Children's Picture Book 2022 Sydney Taylor Book Award Honor for Picture Books Chicago Public Library Best Informational Books for Younger Readers 2021 The Best Jewish Children's Books of...

The true story of Eliza Davis, a 19th century Jewish woman, convinced the popular novelist Charles Dickens to discontinue Jewish stereotypes and include positive portrayals of British Jews in his books. (Children's Nonfiction Age 4-8)

Just shy of ordinary
Sass, A. J.
Paper Book
In this heartfelt novel about family, friendship, and identity perfect for fans of The List of Things That Will Not Change and Ivy Aberdeen's Letter to the World, a thirteen-year-old nonbinary kid discovers that life doesn't always go according to plan--especially when they start...

A nonbinary, autistic middle schooler adjusts to life post-pandemic despite questions about identity, friendships, and relationships that complicate their "new normal" routine. (Young Teen Fiction Grades 5-7)

Shira & Esther's double dream debut
Jordan, Anna E.
Paper Book
A 2023 Publishers Weekly Best Book of 2023  "This book is pure magic."--Maulik Pancholy, actor and Stonewall Honor-winning author  The switcheroo fun of The Parent Trap meets the showbiz spirit of The...

A Parent Trap style story in which a pair of remarkably similar girls switch places, so one can pursue her acting dreams and the other can study the Torah in their 1940s Jewish resort community. (Children's Fiction Grades 3-5)

Black bird, blue road
Pasternack, Sofiya
Paper Book
In this historical fantasy novel, praised as a "rich, omen-filled journey that powerfully shows love and its limits*" and "propulsive, wise, and heartbreaking,"** Ziva will do anything to save her twin brother Pesah from his illness--even facing the Angel of Death himself....

A girls is determined to save her brother, who has leprosy, from the Angel of Death in this fantasy story inspired by medieval central Asian Jewish communities. (Children's Fiction Grades 3-5)

A place at the table
Faruqi, Saadia
Paper Book
A timely, accessible, and beautifully written story exploring themes of food, friendship, family and what it means to belong, featuring sixth graders Sara, a Pakistani American, and Elizabeth, a white, Jewish girl taking a South Asian cooking class taught by Sara's mom. Sixth graders Sara...

A South Asian cooking class brings Sara, a Pakistani American, and Elizabeth, a white Jewish girl together who overcome their differences to create a British-Pakistani fusion cuisine for a cooking competition. (Young Teen Fiction Grades 5-7)

The many mysteries of the Finkel family
Kapit, Sarah
Paper Book
Fans of the Penderwicks and the Vanderbeekers, meet the Finkel family in this middle grade novel about two autistic sisters, their detective agency, and life's most consequential mysteries. When twelve-year-old Lara Finkel starts her very own detective agency, FIASCCO (Finkel...
A pair of Jewish, autistic sisters launch a detective agency as they navigate middle school and difficult family dynamics. (Young Teen Fiction Grades 5-7)
Linked
Korman, Gordon
Paper Book
An unforgettable novel from the New York Times bestselling Gordon Korman. Link, Michael, and Dana live in a quiet town. But it's woken up very quickly when someone sneaks into school and vandalizes it with a swastika. Nobody can believe it. How could such a symbol of hate end up in the...

Told in three different voices, a group of middle schoolers try to unravel the mystery of anti-Semitic vandalism that appears on school property. (Young Teen Fiction Grades 5-7)

Becoming Brianna
Libenson, Terri
Paper Book
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...

A girl who prefers not to be the center of attention navigates school and family challenges when her mom pushes her into a Bat Mitvah she isn't totally ready for. (Young Teen Fiction Grades 5-7)

The dubious pranks of Shaindy Goodman
Lowe, Mari
Paper Book
SYDNEY TAYLOR BOOK AWARD WINNER NATIONAL JEWISH BOOK AWARD WINNER Kirkus Top 10 Middle Grade for Fall '23 SHAINDY is a twelve-year-old Orthodox Jewish girl who struggles in school and has no good friends. She watches with...

A lonely Orthodox Jewish girl gets drawn into a series of nasty pranks by popular neighbor Gayil and must decide how to make amends as Yom Kippur approaches. (Young Teen Fiction Grades 5-7)

Eddie Whatever
Ruby, Lois
Paper Book
"Comic, creepy, calamitous, and . . . completely satisfying."--Claudia Mills, author of The Lost Language and Zero ToleranceWith his bar mitzvah on the horizon, thirteen-year-old Eddie needs to do a community service project, and he needs to start yesterday. Against his better judgment, he ends up...

In preparation for his bar mitzvah, a Jewish teen volunteers at a retirement home--until he's falsely accused of theft and must investigate the crimes himself. (Young Teen Fiction Grades 5-7)

All-of-a-kind family
Taylor, Sydney
Paper Book
Meet the All-of-a-Kindnbsp;nbsp;Family -- Ella, Henny, Sarah, Charlotte, and Gertie -- who live with their parents in New York City at the turn of the century. Together they share adventures that find them searching for hidden buttons while dusting Mama's front parlor and visiting with...

The OG Jewish classic featuring a Jewish family growing up in turn-of-the-century New York City. (Children's Fiction Grades 3-5)

Turtle boy
Wolkenstein, M. Evan
Paper Book
The heartwarming and heartbreaking story of a boy who's afraid to live, learning to embrace the life he has from a boy who soon may die. This is a powerful story of hope and friendship, perfect for fans of Wonder and The Goldfish Boy. Exploring self-image, family and grief, this...

A bar mitzvah volunteer project to befriend a terminally ill peer helps a shy middle schooler with a medical condition that causes a receding chin come out of his shell and process some long-buried grief. (Young Teen Fiction Grades 5-7)

Two tribes
Bowen Cohen, Emily
Paper Book
In her poignant debut graphic novel inspired by her own life, Emily Bowen Cohen embraces the complexity, meaning, and deep love that comes from being part of two vibrant tribes. Mia is still getting used to living with her mom and stepfather, and to the new role their Jewish...

A Jewish/Muscogee teen embraces both sides of her heritage when she runs off to Oklahoma to learn more about her dad's Indigenous side of the family. (Young Teen Graphic Novel Grades 5-7)

Chunky
Mercado, Yehudi
Paper Book
In this full-color middle grade graphic memoir for fans of Raina Telgemeier and Jerry Craft, Yehudi Mercado draws inspiration from his childhood struggle with his weight while finding friendship with his imaginary mascot, Chunky, as he navigates growing up in a working class Mexican...

A graphic novel memoir starring a Mexican Jewish teen whose dreams of pursuing a comedy career on SNL are hampered by a medical condition that requires him to find a sport to maintain his physical health. (Young Teen Graphic Novel Grades 5-7)


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