Each year, two awards represent the most prestigious honors in the Jewish chidlren's literature community. They are the Sydney Taylor Book Award, given by the Association of Jewish Libraries, and the National Jewish Book Award, given by the Jewish Book Council.
PJ Library and PJ Our Way are proud to have book selections recognized and awarded by these organizations, as well as two titles that received the American Library Association's Schneider Family Book Award, honoring books featuring the disability experience for child and adolescent audiences. We are excited to celebrate these accomplishments with our incredible roster of authors and illustrators.
Here are the current and upcoming PJ Library and PJ Our Way selections that received this year’s awards:
Sydney Taylor Book Award Gold Medalists
Recommended for ages 4 to 5
Inside, a family is enjoying a traditional Passover seder. Outside, a little kitten is cold, damp, and hungry. How will the kitten find its way from the outside in? Here's a hint: Its name is Elijah.
Turtle Boy by M. Evan Wolkenstein
Upcoming PJ Our Way selection
A boy who has spent his life living inside a "shell" discovers the importance of taking chance in this friendship story.
Sydney Taylor Book Award Silver Medalists
Recommended for ages 7 to 8
When Miriam places her baby brother Moses in the Nile, she is filled with fear and trepidation -- but she also has courage and faith. The events that follow make up one of most famous and exciting of all the stories in the Bible.
Sydney Taylor Book Award Notable Books
Recommended for ages 5 to 6
The whole kingdom has gathered to celebrate Hanukkah, but a dastardly dragon keeps interrupting the festivities. Can the Eight Knights of Hanukkah set things right?
Recommended for ages 6 to 7
Max and Rachel have just moved -- and they're looking forward to celebrating Hanukkah, but the box with their menorah is still in transit. For all eight nights of Hanukkah, Max and Rachel have to figure out other ways to make the holiday special. Then, when their menorah arrives the day after Hanukkah finishes, they have a brilliant idea.
PJ Our Way selection recommended for ages 11+
Beni's brother Motti is in the army when the Syrians attack Israel on Yom Kippur. Their other brother was a hero in the Six-Day War, but Beni can't even stand up to the bullies at school. Can he find a way to be a different kind of hero?
In addition to these awards, congratulations to the following upcoming PJ Our Way author Sofiya Pasternack on a silver medal for her book Anya and the Nightingale, PJ Our Way author Laura Shovan on a notable mention on A Place at the Table, Ruth Behar, a PJ Library Author Incentive Award recipient who was recognized for her book Letters from Cuba.
National Jewish Book Award Winner
Recommended for ages 4 to 5
Inside, a family is enjoying a traditional Passover seder. Outside, a little kitten is cold, damp, and hungry. How will the kitten find its way from the outside in? Here's a hint: Its name is Elijah.
National Jewish Book Award Finalists
Recommended for ages 8+
Judah Touro made his fortune, and now he wants to spread his wealth by doing good works. There's just one catch: He doesn't want anyone to know he's doing them. This true story of an early American philanthropist may inspire other secret do-gooders!
Additional congratulations to upcoming PJ Our Way author Sofiya Pasternack on being a finalist for her book Anya and the Nightingale and to PJ Library author Uri Shulevitz on being a finalist for Chance: Escape from the Holocaust.
Schneider Family Award Winners
Recommended for ages 7 to 8
Young Itzhak Perlman loves the violin...but he does not love practicing. After a near-fatal bout with polio, Itzhak learns to persevere -- and before long, he finds himself on the international stage.
Upcoming PJ Our Way selection
In this novel-in-letters, autistic eleven-year-old Vivy Cohen won’t let anything stop her from playing baseball–not when she has a major-league star as her pen pal.
Additional congratulations PJ Our Way author Kimberly Bradley for a Newberry Honor for her book Fighting Words. The Newberry Awards are given to authors of the most distinguished contribution to American literature for children.
February 2, 2021