Posted: 11/10/2008 5:07:00 PM
Author: Compiled by Andrea Rapp for the AJL
Source: This bibliography was originally annoiounced on the AJL website on 11/6/2008.
Israel at Sixty Bibliography:
Compiled by Andrea Rapppp for the Association of Jewish Libraries
Children Age 11 and above:
Homeland: The Illustrated History of the State of Israel. Marv Wolfman, writer, Mario Ruiz, graphic designer. Skokie, IL: Nachshon Press, 2007.
A history of Israel from biblical times to today, presented through the latest graphics and design techniques.
Gilbert, Martin. The Story of Israel: From Theodor Herzl to the Roadmap for Peace. London: Carlton Books, 2008.
Gilbert has created a keepsake volume by accompanying his abundantly illustrated text with dozens of pull-out, facsimile documents representing the significant moments in Israel’s life. A most unusual work.
Garfinkle, Adam. Israel. Philadelphia: Mason Crest, 2004.
Written by a Ph.D. in International Relations, this straightforward work focuses on Israeli life from a political, historical, and foreign affairs perspective.
Goldstein, Margaret J. Israel in Pictures. Minneapolis: Lerner, 2004.
Despite the title, this is not a “picture book” for young children, but a book for students interested in Israeli history, culture, and geography.
DuBois, Jill and Rosh, Mair. Israel. Benchmark Books, 2004.
A book that emphasizes culture(s) of Israel: arts, foods, religions, languages, government, and economy.
Feiler, Bruce. Walking the Bible: An Illustrated Journey for Kids through the Greatest Stories Ever Told. NY:HarperCollins, 2004.
Scaled down, illustrated version of Feiler’s best-selling account of his journey of discovery--a travelogue though present-day Israel as well as through the Bible itself.
Sofer, Barbara. Ilan Ramon: Israel’s Space Hero. Minneapolis: Lerner, 2004.
Biography of Israeli hero and its first astronaut, who died in the crash of the space shuttle Columbia.
See also: Ilan Ramon: Jewish Star, by Devra Speregen. Philadephia, JPS, 2004, and Stone, Tanya Lee: Ilan Ramon: Israel’s First Astronaut. Brookfield, CN: Millbrook Press, 2003.
The Bat Chen Diaries. Edited by Judyth Groner. Minneapolis: Kar-Ben, 2008.
Fifteen year-old Bat-Chen Shahak was among the victims of a terrorist attack in Tel Aviv on the holiday of Purim, 1996. After her death, her family gathered and published many of her writings and drawings. Together they capture the life of a sensitive youngster living in a country not at peace.
Fiction:
Roseman, Kenneth. Jeremiah’s Promise: An Adventure in Modern Israel. NY:URJ Press, 2002.
By making choices and following different paths in this “choose your own adventure” format, readers will discover the possibilities that young people found when they made new lives in the State of Israel.
Zenatti, Valerie. A Bottle in the Gaza Sea. NY:Bloomsbury Children’s Books, 2007.
A Jewish teen from Jerusalem establishes an email correspondence with an Arab boy in Gaza.
Elkeles, Simone. How to Ruin a Summer Vacation. Woodbury, MN:Llewellyn Pubs, 2006.
The last thing sixteen year-old Amy wants to do over the summer is go to Israel to visit the family that she doesn't even know. By summer's end, her feelings about everything in her life have changed. (A YA novel).
VIDEO:
Israel UpClose. www.israelupclose.org
Twenty DVD’s of approximately 15 minutes in length, each consisting of three short TV-style news features about Israeli life-- things you never knew about Israel, no matter how many times you’ve visited. Each DVD costs only $2.50, and covers stories such as: American baseball comes to Israel, children from the third world coming to Israel for heart surgery; Israel’s rescue of Sudanese refugees; and a school that teaches karate to Arab and Jewish children together. Appropriate for adults and for children 11 and above. The series is added to periodically.
Ages 8-11:
Gresko, Marcia S. Israel. Minneapolis: Carolrhoda Books, 2000.
Shows aspects of Israeli life such as the diversity of peoples and languages, archaeology, and kibbutz.
Roy, Jennifer Rozines. Israel. NY: Benchmark Books, 2004.
Roy introduces Israel’s cultural and geographic features, from school life and pop culture to kibbutzniks and Bedouin tribes.
Burstein, Chaya. Kids’ Catalog of Israel. Philadelphia: JPS, 1998.
Schwartz, Howard. Jerusalem of Gold: Jewish Stories of the Enchanted City. Woodstock, VT: Jewish Lights, 2003.
A collection of timeless tales, for children seven and up, which celebrate the magical city.
For Youngest Readers:
Rouss, Sylvia: Sammy Spider’s First Trip to Israel. Minneapolis: Kar-Ben, 2002.
Sammy uses his five senses to experience the sights, sounds, and feel of Israel.
Segal, Sheila F. Joshua’s Dream: A Journey to the Land of Israel. NY::URJ Press, 1992.
Israel’s pioneer spirit is presented in a picture book narrated in the form of a conversation between a young boy and his mother, as they look through a photo album of the boy’s great-aunt, who was a pioneer in the Land of Israel.
My First Hebrew Word Book. Minneapolis: Kar-Ben, 2005.
Picture dictionary of basic Hebrew words, in Hebrew and English translation and transliteration.
Tal, Eve. A New Boy. Denver, CO:Milk and Honey Press, 2006.
An original Israeli children’s story about a new Russian immigrant boy in kindergarten class. Despite a few glitches in translation into English, where the puns on the word “oleh”/immigrant do not translate from Hebrew, this story about the “new kid” at school is authentically Israeli, yet crosses cultures. Told in Hebrew and in English.
