Erika Dreifus

• There still time (but not too much!) to enter this Goodreads giveaway for a chance to win a copy of Barbara Krasner’s forthcoming Ethel’s Song: Ethel Rosenberg’s Life in Poems. This YA title will be out next week.
• Some time ago, a smart friend suggested that Glickl of Hameln merited a children’s biography. I made a mental note of that idea and ordered a copy of Glickl’s diary (which, alas, I have not yet read). Who knows if I will ever attempt a Glickl-related kidlit project? But this week, the Jerusalem Post reported on a husband-and-wife team who are doing exactly that. (Hat tip: Michelle Margolis.)
• From the Association of Jewish Libraries (AJL): Evaluating Jewish Representation in Children’s Literature: A Guide for Libraries. This brief booklet provides advice for selecting high-quality books that offer an authentic portrait of Judaism, free from stereotypes and disinformation, in order to build bridges across cultures and create a healthier society. The booklet is available at no charge on AJL’s website.” As the AJL notes, “Jewish people represent approximately 0.2% of the world’s population. For some children, books may be their first exposure to Jews and Judaism, and it is important that Jewish window books offer an authentic portrait. This guide will assist libraries in selecting the best Jewish books for their collections.” Having read the guide, I have two additional comments. First, this guide will be clarifying beyond the librarian community—I would love for everyone in education, writing, and publishing to read it. And second, although the guide focuses on children’s literature, much of what it discusses resonates when it comes to books for “grown-ups,” too. The guide even includes a concluding page of resources titled “All Grown Up,” focusing on adult readerships.
• I don’t even know how to comment on this one: “Oakland arts groups boycott S.F. library for refusing to display ‘Zionism Is Racism’ mural,”—other than to thank/praise/support the library.
• The 16th Annual Sami Rohr Prize Awards Celebration will take place Monday, September 12 at 1:00 PM EDT / 8:00 PM Israel. This year’s honored titles are nonfiction books, and you can watch the stream at www.samirohrprize.org/watch.

Shabbat shalom.