May is Jewish American Heritage Month. One way to celebrate is to read books with Jewish protagonists, ideally by written Jewish-identified authors. Here are ten books I recommend checking out!
Color Me In by Natasha Diaz: Fifteen-year-old Nevaeh Levitz is torn between two worlds, passing for white while living in Harlem, being called Jewish while attending her mother's Baptist church, and experiencing first love while watching her parents' marriage crumble.
Cool for the Summer by Dahlia Adler: Anticipating a romantic summer with her football star crush, Lara struggles with confusing memories about her feelings for a girl who unexpectedly transfers to her school.
Heroines, Rescuers, Rabbis, Spies : unsung women of the Holocaust by Sarah Silberstein Swartz: Discover nine ordinary women who took extraordinary measures to save lives during the Holocaust, resisting terror and torture while undercover or in hiding, in concentration camps, in forests, and in exile.
How to Excavate a Heart by Jake Maia Arlow: Fresh off a breakup, college freshman Shani is distracted from her monthlong paleoichthyology internship when she gets involved with May, but when their relationship takes a serious turn, Shani's heartache over her ex-girlfriend's rejection comes rushing back.
My Fine Fellow by Jennieke Cohen: In 1830s England, where the Culinarians, who create gorgeous food and confections, are the crème de la crème of high society, three individuals combine forces to pull off a delectable caper that will bring them fame, fortune, and a little romance, in a gender-reversed reimagining of "My Fair Lady."
Once More with Chutzpah by Haley Neil: While on a weeklong exchange trip to Israel with her twin brother, who is recovering from a tragic accident, Tally questions her sexual identity amid her spiraling anxiety and reexamines where she fits in the country’s history as well as the wider Jewish diaspora.
The City Beautiful by Aden Polydoros: In 1893 Chicago, after his best friend becomes the latest victim in a long line of murdered Jewish boys, Alter Rosen is plunged into a nightmare where he is thrown back into the arms of a dangerous boy from his past.
The Ghosts of Rose Hill by RM Romero: Staying with her aunt in Prague, aspiring violinist Ilana finds a forgotten Jewish cemetery where she meets a kindhearted ghost named Benjamin who introduces her to the enchanted side of the city where she resolves to save the boy she loves.
The Librarian of Auschwitz by Antonio Iturbe: Fourteen-year-old Dita is one of the many imprisoned by the Nazis at Auschwitz. Taken, along with her mother and father, from the Terezín ghetto in Prague, Dita is adjusting to the constant terror that is life in the camp. When Jewish leader Freddy Hirsch asks Dita to take charge of the eight precious volumes the prisoners have managed to sneak past the guards, she agrees. And so Dita becomes the librarian of Auschwitz. Out of one of the darkest chapters of human history comes this extraordinary story of courage and hope.
When the Angels Left the Old Country by Sacha Lamb : When a young emigrant from their tiny village goes missing while heading to America, angel Uriel and demon Little Ash set off to find her and encounter many humans in need of their help as they face obstacles ahead of them as difficult as what they’ve left behind.
This blog post reflects the opinions of the author and does not necessarily represent the views of Brooklyn Public Library.
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