The Devil's Arithmetic

By Jane Yolen,

Book cover of The Devil's Arithmetic

Book description

30th Anniversary edition with a new introduction from the author 

Hannah is tired of holiday gatherings−all her family ever talks about is the past. In fact, it seems to her that's what they do every Jewish holiday. But this year's Passover Seder will be different−Hannah will be mysteriously transported into…

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Why read it?

2 authors picked The Devil's Arithmetic as one of their favorite books. Why do they recommend it?

When you open a door, you might find something unexpected on the other side. And that’s what happens to Hannah Stern when she opens the door to welcome Elijah the prophet to her family’s Passover seder, and finds herself back in time to Nazi-occupied Poland. Hannah has heard the stories of her relatives’ lives during the Holocaust, so now, as she and the other Jews of the town are being rounded up and sent away, she knows where they’re going and what awaits them.

In the camp, Hannah experiences the horrors her relatives lived through. And the next door that…

This book is an oldie but goodie! It was first published in 1998 and has had a lasting impression on me. If you're the kind of person that loves a bit of fantasy mixed with history, this book is for you! The protagonist, Hannah, time-travels from her current-day home back to 1942, just when the Nazis are beginning to take everyone from the village in Poland where the story is set. I loved how Jane Yolan drew the tension of this story out over eight visits to this village. It held me all the way through.

The Thing to Remember about Stargazing

By Matt Forrest Esenwine, Sonia Maria Luce Possentini (illustrator),

Book cover of The Thing to Remember about Stargazing

Matt Forrest Esenwine Author Of Once Upon Another Time

New book alert!

Why am I passionate about this?

Ever since my parents gave me a copy of Dorothy Aldis’ The Secret Place and Other Poems, I have enjoyed a lifelong love of poetry. Now, as a traditionally-published children’s author, I have had numerous books and poems published over the years, including books that began as poems, like Flashlight Night (Astra Young Readers, 2017) and Once Upon Another Time (Beaming Books, 2021). My poems can be found in various anthologies including The National Geographic Book of Nature Poetry (N.G. Children’s Books, 2015) and Construction People (Wordsong, 2020) as well as Highlights for Children magazine.

Matt's book list on children’s poetry collections about animals

What is my book about?

What is the most important thing to remember about stargazing? When to do it, who to do it with, what to look for? It’s none of those! This picture book’s spare, lyrical text offers many suggestions for enjoying stargazing – but there’s really only ONE thing you need to remember, which is saved for the end.

Magical illustrations show kids and animals enjoying the night sky, and back matter about constellations completes this bedtime story with its underlying message of being in the moment.

The Thing to Remember about Stargazing

By Matt Forrest Esenwine, Sonia Maria Luce Possentini (illustrator),

What is this book about?

What is the most important thing to remember about stargazing? When to do it, who to do it with, what to look for? It's none of those! This picture book's spare, lyrical text offers many possible ways to do stargazing: with a friend, with family or alone; on a moonless night, or with a full moon, or even with some clouds; on the beach, lying in the grass or standing on a snowy hill. There is only one rule of stargazing, which is saved for the end, and that is just to do it! Magical illustrations show polar bears, whales…


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