Sharing Shalom

August 19, 2024
While her peers dance, swim, or practice martial arts outside of class, Leila attends Hebrew school twice a week, an act that makes her feel “connected to her grandparents, her aunts and uncles,” writes debut author Sharkan. Alko (Stars of the Night), working in collage and thick swathes of jewel-tone acrylic paint, shows faces of relatives past and present, layered with texts of liturgical music and prayers. When Leila arrives at the synagogue one day and finds it vandalized, she’s told that “Some people think we’re different, and they don’t like that.” She worries about how she’s perceived by others, not wanting “anyone to see she was Jewish”—in her anxious state, even her bagel lunch feels like a giveaway. But the more Leila tries to blend in, “the more she noticed the way her friends stood out,” and when she sees community members helping to repair the damaged synagogue, she embraces her identity once again. The creators address an act of antisemitism with candor and sensitivity, reassuring readers that one can belong to multiple communities without hiding one’s beliefs or identity. Characters are portrayed with various abilities and skin tones. An author’s note and glossary conclude. Ages 4–8. Author’s agent: Charlotte Wenger, Prospect Agency. Illustrator’s agent: Marietta B. Zacker, Gallt & Zacker.

February 1, 2025
A young girl heals as her community comes together following an antisemitic incident. Attending Hebrew school helps Leila feel connected to her family and heritage, but after the synagogue's window is broken, being Jewish suddenly doesn't feel good or safe. Wondering if her classmates hate her for being different, she tries to hide signs of her Judaism, from her Star of David necklace to the bagel with lox she brings to school for lunch. But when Leila's diverse classmates help repair the window, she's reminded that she still belongs and that being Jewish is something to be proud of. Hebrew letters and prayers and Jewish symbols are beautifully woven into both the text and the collage-style illustrations, reinforcing the tale's unique Jewishness alongside its universal message about the importance of allyship. With sensitivity and candor, Sharkan demonstrates how pride in one's identity can lead to shame and fear in the wake of a hate crime. In an author's note, she mentions that her story was based on a real-life childhood experience and speaks to the rise in antisemitic incidents around the world; books like these will help young people process complex emotions. Although hate takes forms that can't be as easily addressed as a broken window, this is nevertheless a lovingly crafted, age-appropriate doorway into a difficult topic. Leila and her family are light-skinned, while their neighborhood is diverse. An especially important book for the current moment that will empower children to stand up in the face of bigotry. (glossary, bibliography)(Picture book. 4-8)

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