Spring has officially sprung here in Israel and the hills are alive with wildflowers. We’re beginning to venture out in public again after a long and strange year! So to ease back into what passes for normal, here are some literary recommendations from around the Jewish blogosphere (in more or less alphabetical order). Note that cover images link to the relevant affiliate-linked book page on Amazon.
Enjoy!
At Jewish Books for Kids, Barbara Bietz interviews Alexis O’Neill about her children’s book, Jacob Riis’s Camera – Bringing Light to Tenement Children.
The newest episode of The Book of Life Podcast features an interview with Susan Kusel and Sean Rubin, author and illustrator of The Passover Guest. This retelling of an old I.L. Peretz story was named a Holiday Highlights title by the Association of Jewish Libraries.
Each week, Erika Dreifus’s My Machberet blog curates links from the world of Jewish books and writing. Here’s one recent example.
This month on gilagreenwrites, Leslea Newman shares her thoughts about poetry and promises and her new work.
On her website, Book Q&As with Deborah Kalb, Deborah interviewed Molly Golubcow about her new book The Hotel on St. James Place, which focuses on growing up in her family’s Atlantic City, N.J., hotel.
On the Rachak Review, Rabbi Reuven Chaim Klein reviews Rabbi Dr. Ethan Eisen’s new book about psychology, Talmud on the Mind: Exploring Chazal and Practical Psychology to Lead a Better Life.
A Jewish Grandmother tells us about a lovely children’s book The Lonely Ayil by Rochell Weisfogel. She describes The Lonely Ayil as a wonderful tool for having meaningful discussions with children, as well as an enjoyable story.
On the “People of the Books” blog, the Association of Jewish Libraries shares recommendations for the best recent children’s books about Passover.
Shiloh Musings has a review of Letters from Planet Corona by Chaya Passow. Passow’s book is a series of letters she wrote to family and friends as our world evolved into what she calls “Planet Corona.” The book combines humor, Jewish religion and stories from that planet.
On The Sydney Taylor Shmooze, read reviews of Jewish children’s books! Here’s a recent review of The Matzah Craze by Jamie Kiffel-Alcheh.
On her blog, Mirta Ines Trupp interviews award-winning Israeli author Sara Aharoni.
And what have I been up to lately at the Memory & Redemption blog? I’m glad you asked! I’ve been reading a remarkable book called Judaism Reclaimed by Shmuel Phillips, which has furnished me with food for thought for the past year. Check out the review here!
Visit the headquarters of the Jewish Book Carnival, a monthly event where bloggers who blog about Jewish books can meet, read and comment on each others’ posts.