Pickled Watermelon, Kar-Ben Publishing 2018 It's the summer of 1986, and eleven-year-old Molly just wants to go to camp with her friends. Instead, she's off to Israel to visit family she barely knows for an entire month! With only the few words of Hebrew she picked up in Hebrew school, Molly wonders how she'll be able to communicate and have fun in a country that is new and foreign to her. But surprises are in store for Molly -- about Israel, her family and herself. Pickled Watermelon is a PJ Library selection! Check out the wonderful kid reviews! Pickled Watermelon is a Junior Library Guild selection! Purchase Pickled Watermelon here: Kar-Ben Publishing Barnes and Noble Amazon Target Indiebound Book Q&A with Deborah Kalb Interview with Jewish Books for Kids PJ Our Way video |
Waiting for a Sign, Lewis Court Press 2014 Shelly and Ian used to be close, but after Ian leaves home to attend the Hawthorne School for the Deaf, Shelly feels abandoned, and the two drift apart. When Ian returns home with news that the future of Hawthorne is in jeopardy, Shelly isn’t sure she wants him back. And Ian, who has enjoyed living with students and staff who sign all the time, feels angry when his family forgets to do the same. An explosive argument that could drive brother and sister further apart actually offers hope for reconciliation—a hope that grows as Shelly’s spirited best friend, Lisa, helps strengthen their bond. The siblings grow closer still when they find themselves coping with an unexpected tragedy. To fully heal her relationship with Ian, however, Shelly needs to acknowledge and understand why Hawthorne—and access to the Deaf community—is so important to him. To do so, she’ll need to take action and stop waiting for a sign. Written by clinical social worker Esty Schachter, Waiting for a Sign celebrates the beauty and power of Deaf culture, offering readers an opportunity for insight and understanding. Waiting for a Sign was chosen for the preliminary round of Gallaudet University's 2017-2018 Battle of the Books Competition! Purchase Waiting for a Sign here: Amazon.com Barnes and Noble Harris Communications Buffalo Street Books, Ithaca, NY |
Anya's Echoes, Lewis Court Press, 2024 "Sometimes, even nothing is something.…" Lea is in middle school, and it doesn’t seem fair that she has to share a room with her little sister when great-aunt Anya arrives for an extended visit. As if that wasn't enough, two of her friends are fighting, and it feels like things won't be the same again. When Lea discovers a cassette tape Anya has recorded, she learns of a time in history she can barely imagine. A survivor of the Holocaust, Anya becomes the one person Lea can confide in as, faced with bullying behavior unfolding in her friend group, Lea needs to choose between staying on the sidelines and finding the courage to do something about it. Purchase Anya's Echoes here: Amazon.com Bookshop.org Barnes and Noble Indiebound |