Celebrating Diversity in Jewish Books for Children

Guest post by Barbara Bietz, Past Chair of the Sydney Taylor Book Award Committee, author, and creator of the blog Jewish Books for Children.

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By learning about other cultures through literature, we celebrate our differences as well as our commonalities. Books about different cultures offer young readers access to people whose backgrounds and religious beliefs may be unfamiliar, but through their stories readers establish emotional connections that foster understanding and compassion. Book awards that celebrate diversity help librarians, teachers, and parents identify excellent works that offer meaningful experiences to readers.

The Sydney Taylor Book Award

The Sydney Taylor Book Award, established by the Association of Jewish Libraries in 1968, honors new books for children and teens that exemplify the highest literary standards while authentically portraying the Jewish experience. The award memorializes Sydney Taylor, author of the classic All-of-a-Kind Family series about a Jewish family with five sisters growing up on the Lower East Side of New York City in the early 1900’s. Gold medals are presented in three categories: Younger Readers, Older Readers, and Teen Readers. Honor Books are awarded Silver medals, and Notable Books are named in each category.

Within the genre of Jewish literature for children, there is a wide range of people and cultures represented. Many outstanding books recognized by the Sydney Taylor Book Award Committee fall within the traditional categories of Jewish literature for children such as Jewish holidays, folktales, and Holocaust themes. In addition, noteworthy books that explore the unique religious and cultural diversity within the broader context of Jewish life have also been recognized including books that promote cross-cultural understanding. A few examples include:

Life, After by Sarah Darer Littman explores a contemporary Jewish immigrant story about a Jewish teen and her family as they leave their home in Argentina and struggle to make a new life in New York. 

As Good As Anybody: Martin Luther King, Jr. and Abraham Joshua Heschel’s Amazing March Toward Freedom by Richard Michelson, illustrated by Raul Colon portrays the little known friendship between two religious leaders – Martin Luther King Jr. and Abraham Joshua Heschel, who came together in the fight for freedom. 

Vive La Paris by Esme Raji Codell celebrates the unexpected friendship between a young African American schoolgirl and her feisty piano teacher, a Holocaust survivor who shares life lessons.

The varied Jewish experiences portrayed in Jewish books for children that can enrich and educate readers. The Sydney Taylor Book Award honors books that are accessible to readers of all backgrounds, continuing the legacy and literary standards of the All-of-a-Kind Family series.

For complete book lists, information about the Sydney Taylor Book Award, or to learn more about the Association of Jewish Libraries, please visit www.jewishlibraries.org. For submission guidelines, contact the Committee Chair.