The 2008 Sydney Taylor Book Award Video

This YouTube video gives you a brief overview of the 2008 Sydney Taylor Book Award gold medalists, with some terrific background music from Yale Strom & Hot Pstromi. Feel free to embed at will!

Full List of 2008 Sydney Taylor Book Award Winners

THE 2008 SYDNEY TAYLOR BOOK AWARDS:Winners, Honors & Notable Books

The Sydney Taylor Book Award Winner for Younger Readers:
The Bedtime Sh'ma: A Good Night Book by Sarah Gershman with illustrations by Kristina Swarner (EKS Publishing)

The Sydney Taylor Book Award Winner for Older Readers:
The Entertainer and the Dybbuk by Sid Fleischman (HarperCollins Children’s Books)

The Sydney Taylor Book Award Winner for Teen Readers:
Strange Relations by Sonia Levitin (Knopf, an imprint of Random House Children’s Books)

Sydney Taylor Honor Award Winners for Younger Readers:

The Castle on Hester Street by Linda Heller with illustrations by Boris Kulikov (Simon & Schuster)

Letter on the Wind: A Chanukah Tale by Sarah Marwil Lamstein with illustrations by Neil Waldman (Boyds Mills Press)

Light by Jane Breskin Zalben (Dutton Children’s Books, an imprint of Penguin Young Readers Group)

Sydney Taylor Honor Award Winners for Older Readers:

The Secret of Priest’s Grotto: A Holocaust Survival Story by Peter Lane Taylor and Christos Nicola (Kar-Ben)

Holocaust: The Events and Their Impact on Real People by Angela Gluck Wood
with consulting by Dan Stone (DK Publishing in association with USC Shoah Foundation Institute for Visual History and Education)

Sydney Taylor Honor Award Winner for Teen Readers:
Let Sleeping Dogs Lie by Mirjam Pressler, translated by Erik J. Macki (Front Street/ Boyds Mills Press)

Notable Books for Younger Readers:

My Cousin Tamar Lives in Israel by Michelle Shapiro Abraham with illustrations by Ann Koffsky (URJ Press)

A Nickel, a Trolley, a Treasure House by Sharon Reiss Baker with illustrations by Beth Peck (Viking Children’s Books, an imprint of Penguin Young Readers Group)

Shuli and Me: From Slavery to Freedom by Joan Benjamin-Farren (Black Jasmine)

Papa Jethro by Deborah Bodin Cohen with illustrations by Jane Dippold (Kar-Ben)

Hanukkah Moon by Deborah da Costa with illustrations by Gosia Mosz (Kar-Ben)

Celebrate Passover with Matzah, Maror and Memories by Deborah Heiligman (National Geographic)

Celebrate Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur with Honey, Prayers and the Shofar by Deborah Heiligman (National Geographic)

Five Little Gefiltes by Dave Horowitz (G.P. Putnam’s Sons, an imprint of Penguin Young Readers Group)

Mendel’s Accordion by Heidi Smith Hyde with illustrations by Johanna Van Der Sterre (Kar-Ben)

Abraham’s Search for God by Jacqueline Jules with illustrations by Natascia Ugliano (Kar-Ben)

A Mezuzah on the Door by Amy Meltzer with illustrations by Janice Fried (Kar-Ben)

Ten Good Rules: A Counting Book by Susan Remick Topek with photographs by Tod Cohen (Kar-Ben)

Notable Books for Older Readers:

Out of Line: Growing Up Soviet by Tina Grimberg (Tundra)

A Picture for Marc by Eric Kimmel with illustrations by Matthew Trueman (Random House Children’s Books)

Anne Frank: The Young Writer Who Told the World Her Story by Ann Kramer (National Geographic)

The Silver Cup by Constance Leeds (Viking Children’s Books, an imprint of Penguin Young Readers Group)

Passover Around the World by Tami Lehman-Wilzig with illustrations by Elizabeth Wolf (Kar-Ben)

The Whirlwind by Carol Matas (Orca)

Penina Levine is a Hard-Boiled Egg by Rebecca O'Connell with illustrations by Majella Lue Sue (Roaring Brook Press)

All Star Season by Tovah Yavin (Kar-Ben)

Notable Books for Teens:

How to Ruin My Teenage Life by Simone Elkeles (Flux)

Cures for Heartbreak by Margo Rabb (Delacorte Press, an imprint of Random House Children’s Books)

Hidden on the Mountain: Stories of Children Sheltered from the Nazis in Le Chambon by Karen Gray Ruelle and Deborah Durland Desaix (Holiday House)

Homeland: The Illustrated History of the State of Israel by Marv Wolfman, Mario Ruiz and William J. Rubin (Nachshon Press)

The 2008 Sydney Taylor Book Awards! - Press Release

2008 SYDNEY TAYLOR BOOK AWARDS
ANNOUNCED BY THE ASSOCIATION OF JEWISH LIBRARIES

(Chicago—January 7, 2008) Sarah Gershman and Kristina Swarner, author and illustrator of The Bedtime Sh’ma: A Good Night Book, Sid Fleischman, author of The Entertainer and the Dybbuk, and Sonia Levitin, author of Strange Relations, are the 2008 winners of the prestigious Sydney Taylor Book Award.

The Sydney Taylor Book Award of the Association of Jewish Libraries 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. The winners will receive their awards at the Association of Jewish Libraries convention in Cleveland, Ohio this June at a special ceremony celebrating the 40th anniversary of the award.

Gershman and Swarner will receive the 2008 gold medal in the Sydney Taylor Book Award’s Younger Readers Category for The Bedtime Sh’ma: A Good Night Book, published by EKS Publishing. With accessible language, this book helps young children understand the meaning and concepts of the Sh’ma prayers. The stunning artwork matches the mood of the text, and the words of the prayer (in Hebrew, English, and transliteration) are beautifully integrated into double spread illustrations. “The soothing and soulful voice of Rabbi Julia Adelman on the included CD will lull the listener to sleep with sweet dreams,” adds Kathy Bloomfield, a member of the Award Committee. The book is recommended for children up to grade 2.

Fleischman will receive the 2008 gold medal in the Sydney Taylor Book Award’s Older Readers Category for The Entertainer and the Dybbuk, published by HarperCollins Children’s Books. When the spirit of a 12-year old Jewish boy, murdered by the Nazis, possesses the body of an American GI traveling through Europe as a second-rate ventriloquist, the pair is able to unmask the Nazi responsible. “Fleischman’s knowledge of ventriloquism and senses of humor and humanity craft an imaginative and haunting story, and although all the action takes place after the war, the sense of loss and tragedy echo through the book,” comments Kathe Pinchuck, incoming Chair of the Award Committee. “Wry humor adds dimension to the characters and suspense accelerates the pace.” The book is recommended for grades 6-8.

Levitin will receive the 2008 gold medal in the Sydney Taylor Book Award’s Teen Readers Category for Strange Relations, published by Knopf, an imprint of Random House Children’s Books. Fifteen-year-old Marne decides to spend the summer with her Aunt Carole in Hawaii. But, Aunt Carole is now Aunt Chaya, married to a Chabad Rabbi with seven children. What Marne anticipates will be a relaxing summer of jogging on the beach, surfing, sun tanning, and shopping turns out to be a summer of exploration, spirituality, and growth. “Levitin skillfully writes from the perspective of a contemporary teenager and realistically deals with issues such as drinking, drugs, sexuality, and peer pressure,” notes Rachel Kamin, Chair of the Award Committee. Levitin also won the 1987 Sydney Taylor Book Award for The Return and two honor awards for The Singing Mountain (1998) and Silver Days (1989).

Six Sydney Taylor Honor Books were named for 2008. For Younger Readers, Honor Books are: The Castle on Hester Street by Linda Heller with illustrations by Boris Kulikov (Simon & Schuster), Letter on the Wind by Sarah Lamstein with illustrations by Neil Waldman (Boyds Mills Press), and Light written and illustrated by Jane Breskin Zalben (Dutton Children’s Books, an imprint of Penguin Young Readers Group). For Older Readers, the Honor Books are: Holocaust: The Events and Their Impact on Real People by Angela Gluck Wood with consulting by Dan Stone (DK Publishing in association with USC Shoah Foundation Institute for Visual History and Education) and The Secret of Preist’s Grotto by Peter Lane Taylor and Christos Nicola (Kar-Ben). For Teen Readers, the
Honor Book is Let Sleeping Dogs Lie by Mirjam Pressler, translated from the German by Erik J. Macki (Front Street/Boyds Mills Press). It should be noted that The Castle on Hester Street won the Sydney Taylor Book Award when it was first published in 1982 by the Jewish Publication Society, and its Honor Award this year is due to Boris Kulikov’s new illustrations.

In addition to the medal-winners, the Award Committee designated twenty-three Notable Books of Jewish Content for 2008: eleven in the Younger Readers Category, eight in the Older Readers Category, and four for Teens. Notable titles, and more information about the Sydney Taylor Book Award, may be found online at www.SydneyTaylorBookAward.org. A special video announcement of the awards can also be accessed at www.youtube.com/SydneyTaylorAward.

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Jen Robinson Reviews Julia's Kitchen

The acclaimed Jen Robinson of Jen Robinson's Book Page (and recent interviewee on Just One More Book) has posted a glowing review of Julia's Kitchen by Brenda Ferber, which was the 2007 Sydney Taylor Book Award winner in the Older Readers Category. Jen, in fact, mentions the award and discusses the Jewish content of the story:

Julia's Kitchen won the 2007 Sydney Taylor Book Award, which recognizes the best in Jewish children's literature. Cara's Jewishness is an essential part of the story. The community from their local Synagogue supports Cara and her father in their tragedy. They follow the Jewish customs of mourning. Cara analyzes her feelings about God, in light of the events. She misses the food-related rituals that her mother celebrated, and eventually learns from her grandmother how to make challah. The details about Cara's family's Jewish customs are organic to the story, never over-explained or feeling "educational". The funeral details, in particular, give Cara, and the reader, something to focus on besides sadness. Here's an example:

"We weren't allowed to get any food for ourselves or help with the dishes or anything. Friends and relatives did it all. We didn't have to greet anyone or say thank you either. I liked those customs." (Page 24)

For the full review, click here. And thanks to Jen for this lovely review!

Markus Zusak Video

Last year, the Sydney Taylor Book Award winner in our new Teen Readers Category was Markus Zusak for The Book Thief. School Library Journal's Under Cover video series recently featured an interesting interview with Markus. Unfortunately, the video is not embeddable, but you can view it by clicking here.

Enjoy!

Last Year's Winner

While you are waiting for the 2008 winners to be announced, here is a lovely post from the Young Readers blog about the 2007 Sydney Taylor Book Award winner (Older Readers Category), Julia's Kitchen by Brenda Ferber. Blogger Becky says:

There are not enough words to describe how much I loved Julia's Kitchen by Brenda A. Ferber. I enjoy much of what I read. I love many. But there are a few that touch my heart and I know that I'll always alwayslove. Julia's Kitchen is now one of them. It is the story of a young girl, Cara Segal, as she goes through a heartbreaking journey of grief and sorrow when her mother and sister die in a fire. When we first meet Cara she is happy and carefree. Having stayed overnight at a friend's house she is unaware that her life is forever changed. One phone call changes everything. Suddenly a happy family of four is a confused and grief-stricken family of two. Having been her mother's pet, the two liked to bake together, she is struggling trying to connect with her father emotionally. Her mother, Julia, owned her own catering business "Julia's Kitchen" and Cara loved helping her mother. Now she's vowed never to eat another dessert. Cara's journey of how she learns to live again, love again, believe in God again, and yes, even bake chocolate chip cookies again is unforgettably touching. And there is even a recipe for those cookies in the book!

Award Announcements are Coming!

On Monday, January 7, 2008, the newest batch of Sydney Taylor Book Award winners will be announced! How can you make sure you get the news?

• Watch this space
• Visit www.sydneytaylorbookaward.org
• Get yourself on the email list by clicking "Sign up for AJL E-News" at jewishlibraries.org
• Keep an eye on youtube.com/sydneytayloraward
• Subscribe to The Book of Life podcast, which will feature an interview with Awards Chair Rachel Kamin