Shabbat Books for Children

(Page 2)


If you wish to purchase any of these books, click on either the title or the book cover to be directed to Amazon.com. As a warning, I have put up pictures of the book covers to give you somewhat an idea of the style of each book (I know, I know. "Don't judge a book by its cover") so the pages may load slowly, depending on the speed of your internet connection.

For Family Siddurs, go to the Siddurim, Haggadahs, and Other Prayerbooks Page

For books containing all the Jewish holidays, go to The Holiday Collection Page

If this page came up without frames, Click here to see the complete "Books for Jewish Children" website



Other Pages of Interest:

Shabbat Picture Books (Page 1) (Page 2) (Page 3) (Page 4)


Holiday Picture Books:
Jewish Holiday Collections | Shabbat Picture Books (Page 1) (Page 2) (Page 3) (Page 4) | Rosh Hashanah & Yom Kippur Books | Sukkot & Simchat Torah Books | Hanukkah Books | Tu B'Shevat & Lag B'Omer Books | Purim Books | Passover Books | Shavout Books

Easy Reader and Picture Books:
Jewish Children's Books (General) | Jewish Board Books | Biblical Stories for Children | Jewish Holiday Books | Jewish Family Cookbooks | Folktales and Talmudic Stories for Children | Jewish Life Books (Mitzvot, Keeping Kosher, etc.) | Jewish Life Cycle Books | Family Haggadahs | Children's Prayerbooks | Introductory Hebrew Books | Jewish History and Historical Fiction Picture Books | Israel Books

Middle School and YA Books:
Bar Mitzvah Books | Jewish Fiction | Historical Fiction | Torah Study | Prayer and Jewish Life Books | Jewish Holidays | Jewish Biographies | Jewish History Books | Holocaust Books for Teens | Israel Books


And More ...
Jewish Books for Children | Bar Mitzvah Books | Jewish Parenting Books | Hanukkah Books | Jewish Music for Children | Jewish Videos | Jewish Toys and Gifts | Jewish Gift Baskets and Gourmet Food | Jewish Jewelry | Amazon.com Coupons, Promotions, and Sales

 Peanut Butter and Jelly for Shabbos
Peanut Butter and Jelly for Shabbos

By Dina Rosenfeld
The famous Jewish brothers Yossi and Laibel once again work together to do a good deed. In this book, the brothers are anxiously awaiting the arrival from the hospital of their new baby sister and parents. The boys are worried that their parents won't arrive home in time to prepare for Shabbos, thus they take over and set a delightful Shabbos table filled with their favorite foods. Peanut butter and jelly was their choice for the main entree. The book exudes positive values. The brothers think and plan and share the responsibility of helping their family celebrate the Shabbos. Each brother uses his creativity to create the specialness that they feel is a part of their family's Shabbos experience. The book has illustrations that show effectively the strong emotions and temperament of young boys. Warm colors are used to enhance the sense of the family's warmth.

from The Kansas City Jewish Chronicle

Here is a rhymed book for 3 to 6 year olds with Yossi and Laibel preparing for Shabbat and the arrival of their mother home from the hospital with a newborn... Shows how young children deal with a situation that is important to them.

Description from The Jewish World

Hanna's Sabbath Dress

By Izhak Schweiger-Dmi'el
Delighted with the beautiful white dress Mother has made for her to wear on the Sabbath, Hanna goes outside to show it off to her dog Zuzi and Edna the cow, warning them not to get too close or they'll get her dress dirty. As she walks on, Hanna meets an old man carrying a heavy sack of charcoal on his back and hurrying to get home before the Sabbath begins. Seeing how heavy his burden is, Hanna offers to help by walking behind him and holding the heavy sack up a little. When she is done, Hanna starts for home happily, until she looks down and realizes that she has charcoal stains all over her white dress. Beginning to cry inconsolably, she hears a whisper from the moon asking why she is crying and whether she regrets helping the old man. Hanna answers that she's not at all sorry but she is still heartbroken about spoiling the dress her mother made for her. Whispering, "All will be well," the moon follows Hanna home, flooding her with moonbeams until her dress glows like silver and every stain is gone. Originally published in Hebrew in 1937, the simple story is a perfect example of the moral tale in which a child's act of kindness is rewarded in a mysterious and magical way. Hanna's joy in her new white dress is made palpable by Eitan in four small poses in which Hanna turns this way and that to admire herself. In many scenes, Hanna is little more than a white silhouette against a simple but vividly colored background, yet the stylized illustrations create an endearing portrait of the little girl and her adventures.

from Horn Book
Thank You, G-d!
Thank You, G-d! :
A Jewish Child's Book of Prayers

By Judyth Groner and Madeline Wikler,
A first prayerbook for young children, with 21 traditional prayers in simple Hebrew, transliteration and English. Blessings for a new day, bounty of our food, Sabbath, and holiday rituals.

Description from Publisher


Haas' finely worked watercolors evince a sense of serenity, as though echoing one of prayer's purposes. The morning sun highlights the silhouettes of two awakening children; parents' heads bend in a sheltering posture over the children with whom they are welcoming Shabbat; the havdalah candle's broad flame reflects from the faces of youngsters transfixed by its flare. Children catching fireflies and decorating a succah are among the other tenderly painted images that frame the blessings and prayers, which are printed in Hebrew block letters, with a Roman alphabet transliteration and an English translation below. In addition, brief, explanatory notes often place the prayers within a relevant context for youngsters. This thoughtfully prepared book not only teaches the blessings that herald the holidays and that welcome and close each day and each meal, but also includes parts of the Mi Sheberach and the Kaddish, prayers to turn to as needed when a loved one is ill or has died or when praying for peace. There is surprisingly little duplication between this and Edwards' "Blessed Are You: Traditional Everyday Hebrew Prayers".

from Booklist
Starlight and Candles
Starlight and Candles : The Joys of the Sabbath

By Fran Manushkin
This affectionate look at the traditions of the Sabbath follows a family through the hectic preparations to the peaceful time of the Sabbath itself--a time for dinner with the family, stories from grandparents, attendance at the Synagogue. Three stars in the sky signal the end of the Sabbath, but the children know there will be another one--forever and ever.

A Jewish family prepare to observe Shabbat, the day of rest, which begins at sundown every Friday. Information about the holiday and glimpses of the past are woven easily into the book. Chwast's crisp illustrations use strong black lines and warm colors to heighten the joy. While somewhat idealized, the book conveys the spirit and purpose of this weekly celebration

from Horn Book

The Shabbat Box

By Lesley Simpson
It was finally Ira's turn to take home the Shabbat Box -- a velvet-covered shoe box with candlesticks, a kiddush cup, and fresh raisin challah rolls. He had waited 14 weeks (98 sleeps!) which seemed like forever. But a bad snowstorm blew open his book bag, and the box was lost. What would Ira do? A warm introduction to Shabbat in the life of a preschooler.

Description from Publisher

Ira can't wait until it is his turn to bring home his class's "Shabbat Box," but when it finally comes, he loses the box in a snowstorm. Extremely upset, he takes his mother's words to heart when she asks, "How do you think we can solve this?" and he makes a new one to replace the original. Everyone at school loves it, but it turns out that his teacher found the lost box in the snow, so now there are two. The cartoon illustrations are done in a rather cloying greeting-card style and most people have round, red, pursed lips. The concept of Shabbat and the box's importance are never really explained, which limits the book's accessibility to people familiar with the holiday. Ira's dilemma and his solution are positive plot elements, if somewhat predictable, and the simple text, which captures the child's voice and concerns, will be accessible to young listeners.

Description from School Library Journal

10 Great Jewish Children's Stories

By Chaya Burnstein
Double-spread Shabbat and Holiday stories with simple "Do You Know That..." facts at the end of each story. The illustrations have hidden holiday items scattered throughout the pictures. Children use the magnifying glass attached to the front of the shrink-wrapped cover to find the hidden items.

This is the only Jewish Holiday title featuring an attached magnifying glass that helps the children recognize and discover Jewish Holiday objects.

Description from Publisher

39 Av Melachoth of Shabbath

By Baruch Chait
Illustrated guide to the forbidden Shabbat activities. Simplifies the complex laws in a way that is easy for children to understand.

God Must Like Cookies, Too
In this tender story of a little girl and her grandmother enjoying Shabbat together, award-winning author Carol Snyder has created a warm, modern story for very young Jewish children. We join the two as they attend a sculpture class, go ice skating, then prepare for the Sabbath and go to synagogue together. It is all told in a charming blend of humor and sensitivity. It is a wonderful introduction to Friday night services in a Reform temple. It celebrates the special joys of Shabbat when shared between generations.

Description by Publisher

Let's Talk About the Sabbath

By Dorothy K. Kripke
How do you teach Shabbat to children so that it really matters in their lives? Let's Talk about the Sabbath, a new book by veteran children's writer Dorothy Kripke, helps parents and teachers do just that-by capturing a bit of Shabbat's magic within its pages.

For over 45 years Kripke has been teaching children and adults about the beauty of Judaism, its celebrations and lifecycle events. Best known for her Let's Talk About... series for young children, Kripke's signature style draws readers in with simple yet meaningful descriptions of Jewish life. Let's Talk about the Sabbath delves into one of Judaism's most beautiful and central concepts, providing young people with their own guide to the Sabbath.

Beautifully written in poetry and prose, Kripke enchants readers with all the aspects of Shabbat, including candles and wine, Sabbath angels, study and prayer, and the beautiful Havdalah ceremony that ends the day. Kripke's well-rounded work also includes a description of how Shabbat has been observed throughout history, as well as explanations of how other Jewish lifecycle events such as brit milah and bar/bat mitzvah connect with Shabbat to create the fabric of Jewish life. The final chapter confronts the challenges of observing Shabbat in the modern world, noting that, although some families may not be able to observe Shabbat fully, there are still unique aspects of Shabbat that they can bring into their home.

As in her previous books, Kripke addresses her reader intimately, as a close friend. Let's Talk about the Sabbath opens with a letter to the reader, using a parable to gently set the tone for a magical journey into the world of Shabbat. Children will be drawn in by the letter's first lines, "Have you ever found secret treasure? You can! Where? In 'make-believe' stories! Not gold, or silver, or jewels, but something even more precious-ideas!" Each chapter also begins with a rhymed verse about different aspects of the Sabbath, such as prayer, study and rest.

With Kripke's graceful text and rich, original artwork by artists Stacy Crossland and Joy Nelkin Weider, Let's Talk about the Sabbath will be a truly valuable addition to any family's Judaica collection. Nothing else-except Shabbat itself-quite captures the cadences of this special day.

from the Publisher

Just Like Mommy

By Baila Olidort
Shoshana's almost three, and a special surprise awaits her on her birthday -- a beautiful silver candlestick because now she is big enough to light her own Shabbos candle. Rhythm and repetition help form the suspense in this charming picture book, just right for young children.

Description from Publisher

Welcoming the Sabbath:
Creative Projects, Rituals, and Recipes for Kids

By Mark Falstein
Includes:
  • Preparing for Shabbat
  • Lighting Candles & Family Blessing
  • Shabbat Meditation
  • Havdalah
  • Family Projects
  • Organize a Shabbat Picnic
  • Take a Creation Walk
  • Go-Filte-Fish: A Card Game
  • Family Tikkun Olam Project
  • Make a Challah Cover
  • Twelve Tribes Cups
  • Make a Shabbat Mural
  • Mezuzah Growth Chart
  • Challah Recipe
  • Tabbuleh
  • Bubbe's Mandelbroit
And More!

There's Room in My House!

By Malky Weinstock
Young Sarah comes up with all the reasons in her little world, why having a Shabbos guest seems impossible to her ...until her cousin Rachel shows up unexpectedly at her door . One guest brings another, and just as unexpectedly, Sarah's perception changes..as she discovers the joys of having guests, and she realizes that ....There's Room in My House!

There's Room In My House! is a charming story for youngsters, passing along the traditional concept of Hachnosas Orchim, or hospitality, so central to every Jewish home. Perhaps, in a world of selfishness, There's Room In My House! conveys the idea that sharing with others, provides true happiness and self-satisfaction.

Description from Publisher

Shabbat:
A Family Service

By Judith Z. Abrams
Simple poetry and full color pictures bring to life the structure and concepts of the Shabbat service.

The Shabbat Book - A Weekly Giude For The Whole Family
This beautifully illustrated book can be read by children alone or in a family setting. With a colorful page for each week of the Jewish calendar, it is designed to integrate the weekly Torah portion with the ideas, traditions and customs of the Sabbath. Conceived and published by the producers of the Animated Haggadah, The Shabbat Book will appeal to every Jewish child - and parent.

Each week of the Jewish calendar gets its own page, illustrated with claymation figures from the Shalom Shabbat video. Contains Torah portions, prayers, customs, thoughts and tales.

Page 1 | Page 2 | Page 3 | Page 4







Still can't find what you're looking for? Search Amazon.com's database directly.

Books Music Video Enter keywords...


Amazon.com logo









©1999-2009



















(NOTE: The following links have NOT been placed on the site by the website owners. We have no control over which ads are selected and are not responsible for their religious content.)