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March/April 2008

Publish-A-Kid Winning Finalists

We want to thank all the talented young writers who submitted book reviews this year. There were so many good and thoughtful submissions that it was incredibly hard for us to pick the winners—which is why we have so many finalists. We encourage all budding writers to enter the contest in 2008.

Incantation by Alice Hoffman tells about Spain in the 1500s as a highly dangerous place for Jews to live in. Jews who were not converted to Christianity were persecuted (burned, tortured to death). Luckily, Estrella de Madrigal's family is safe from harm, or are they?

Estrella discovers a secret about her family that changes her whole life. The de Madrigals are hidden Jews, real Jews who pretend to be Christian but secretly practice their own religion at home. For example, they do not eat pork, light candles on Fridays, fast twice a year, and have books on how to do surgery. Besides that, more drama lies ahead when Estrella steals Andres, the man whom Catalina (Estrella's best friend) thought she was destined to marry, away from her. On top of that, Catalina cannot help but think Estrella is more pretty, sophisticated, and overall better than her. Catalina's jealousy turns into hate as she is forced to turn the de Madrigals in as hidden Jews. As predicted, the soldiers come for Estrella's family and soon enough, only two de Madrigals remain. With the help of Andres, Estrella must make a difficult decision. "Save yourself and save your life, or be yourself and save your soul."

In just 166 pages, Incantation talks about religion, making wise decisions, love, family, and a lot of historical facts. For example, I learned things I didn't even know about the Jewish Religion, the history of Europe and Spain, and persecution.

I highly recommend this book to anyone, but preferably to those who have already attended middle school. Younger children might not fully understand "persecution" and might be disturbed by the amount of violence this book describes. Adults should read Incantation also. It has vivid snapshots that actually make you feel like you are in the century and going through everything that is happening at that time.
Rachel Chang
Age 9,
Intermediate School 119, Glendale, NY

 

I thought that Running on Eggs by Anna Levine was a very interesting and exciting book. The book is about two girls who live in Israel and become friends even though they are very different. I think that everyone should read this book because it helps us understand that religious differences shouldn't matter when it comes to being friends.

I liked the character of Karen the best because she's a lot like me! She is very adventurous, likes to run and also has problems liking her Mother's boyfriend! I think that anyone reading this book can learn a lot from Karen because she worked very hard at being friends with someone who is completely different from her on the outside, but like her on the inside. The character of Yasmine was also interesting because she was very brave and was very creative in hiding her friendship from her younger brother Abdullah.

I learned about the Jewish and Arab cultures and how in Israel they aren't supposed to get along. I also learned what a kibbutz was and how something as simple as switching a lunch box can change someone's life! It was fun to learn about the different clothes people can wear even when they only live across the mountain from each other

I think that this book is a great way for people to learn more about Jews and Arabs and how if people work together they can accomplish their goals.
Francesca  Esquivel
Age 9,
St. Gregory the Great Catholic School, San Antonio, TX

I have just finished reading Number the Stars by Lois Lowry. The book is an award-winning novel that shows acts of courage, loyalty, strength and bravery. The events of the story are based on historical facts. Number the Stars tells about a period of history through fictional characters. The story is being told by a ten-year-old girl, Annemarie Johansen. Annnemarie is a Christian who lives in Copenhagen, Denmark, during the Nazi occupation. The Nazis' goal is to "relocate" all the Jewish people of Denmark.

Annemarie and her best friend, Ellen Rosen, have a frightening encounter with the Nazi soldiers. When the girls explain their encounter to their mothers, they too become frightened. Their mothers realize it will only be a matter of time before the Nazi soldiers come to "relocate" the Rosen family. The families decide it is time for the Rosen family to leave Denmark. The decision is made that Ellen will stay with the Johansens until she can be reunited with her parents and escape to Sweden.

Annemarie and her family must work together in order to protect their Jewish friends. In order to save the Rosen family, Annemarie and her family must execute an important mission. The mission will test Annemarie's strength, courage and determination. It is the courage and strength of Annemarie that makes this story so special. Annemarie and her family put their lives at risk to help others. This is truly an unselfish act.

While waiting for their escape, the Jewish people are comforted by the words of Psalm 147, "O Praise the Lord...he who numbers the starts one by one." Annemarie wonders, "How can anyone number the stars?" Annemarie and her family help save their Jewish neighbors, one by one. They are numbering the stars. In the end Annemarie vows to wear Ellen's Star of David necklace until they are reunited.

After reading this story, I have a better understanding of the phrase "true friendship." This story demonstrates how one person's courageous acts can make a huge difference to others in the world.
Melissa Fesler
Age 13
Intermediate School 119, Glendale, NY

Have you ever read a really good book, and you wished it would never end? Well, if you have read Number the Stars by Lois Lowry, then you have. If not, well, what have you been reading?

The book is about a girl named Annemarie. She has a best friend who is Jewish named Ellen. When Annemarie finds out that soldiers are going to take away all of the Jews, Annemarie helps Ellen and her family. Ellen's parents are scared, so they decide to leave. Since they don't know where to go or how long they will be gone, they decide to leave Ellen with Annemarie and her family. Annemarie has an uncle Henrik who is a fisherman. So everyone goes, except for Papa, to Uncle Henrik's house by the sea. Before too long, other people gather at Uncle Henrik's house. Annemarie realized what was happening when Ellen was asked to go outside. When she came back in, she was with her parents. Annemarie now knew why all the codes that they had been using meant so much. Everyone in that room was Jewish, and Uncle Henrik was taking them to Sweden. The next morning Annemarie found an envelope on the front step. The envelope was for Uncle Henrik. If she didnít get it to him in time, everything they had done would have been for nothing. You will have to read the book to see if Annemarie gets there in time.

In school last year, we read Number the Stars. I loved it so much, I read it again. This book taught me about bravery, courage, and knowing that doing the right thing is sometimes very hard.
Hannah E. Jones
Age 10
Cody-Kilgore Elementary School, Cody, NE

Are You There God? It's Me Margaret is about a little girl named Margaret who is in a hurry to grow up. Margaret is in a hurry to grow up because she wants things to happen to her quickly, like wearing a bra and getting her period. Yet Margaret wants these changes even before she is ready for them. She is weird! Why would a little girl be in a hurry to grow up? I don't because my mom said that when I am 18 she will kick me out of the house—so I will go to college!

Margaret is also caught in between two religions. Her mother is Christian and her father is Jewish and Margaret is trying to figure out what religion she belongs in. For a while, she goes to a temple and a church to try to find God, but she does not feel the presence of God in either place. At the same time, she finds comfort in talking to God regardless of what religion she thinks her family wants her to be. Her mother and father think that it is foolish for a girl her age to worry about religion.

This book is important for kids my age to read because it helped me see that people can talk to God even when they are confused about their religion. I think this book is special because it finds that people do not have to have a religion to talk to God I will never forget how Margaret learned that people do not have to have a particular religion to believe in him. I also learned that kids my age should enjoy being children, and not worry about growing up too fast.
Arlene Marisol Rosas
Age 9,
Locust Elementary School, Fontana, CA

 

Run. Steal. Eat. Pretend that is all you know how to do and that is what you have been doing until you are six or seven years-old. Imagine not knowing your age and thinking your name is Stop Thief because people call it to you so often. Think that you live on the cold streets of Warsaw and one day you are stealing a loaf of bread, something you have been doing all of your life, and suddenly somebody stops you and tells you it is wrong. That is what happened to Misha in the book Milkweed by Jerry Spinelli.

Misha lived in a barber shop with a few other orphans in the time of World War II. That is, until it was no longer safe because of the Jackboots, or Nazis. Misha admired the Jackboots and wanted to be like them because of their power. The marches to the ghetto were parades to Misha, but when the Jackboots did not salute him and laughed when he told them he was a gypsy, things got worse for the Jews. He made friends with a young Jewish girl, Janina, and lived with her in the ghetto until the "resettlement."

This book, narrated by a young child, really showed me how Misha was unlike kids his age: unafraid, bold, imaginative. If I were Misha and his age, I would have been disturbed by the dead bodies on the sidewalks and afraid mine would be next. I would barely have had the courage, as a Jew, to smuggle food after curfew, and I would not have looked at flame throwers as beautiful and majestic, like Misha did.

Milkweed, oddly enough to me, is mainly about angels because Misha mentions how he believed in them. When he saw the buds of a milkweed floating into the sky Janina pointed out that it was her angel.

This story was very riveting but in some parts readers might have to close the book for a moment and shed a tear or two. For Jerry Spinelli, an author who usually includes humorous parts in his books, it is a completely different genre for him. The reason, though, I believe an author like him wrote this book was because it was told by Misha, a character who did not comprehend the story as sad or scary. In some parts in this eight-year-old's view, it was actually a bit funny. Misha's young age and creativity enabled him to block things in his life we might find disturbing. This book, no matter how upsetting in some parts, is definitely worth your time.
Jordan Segal
Age 11
Bínai Shalom Day School, Greensboro, NC

The Pushcart War by Jean Merril is about pushcarts being attacked by trucks. It all started when Mack, a truck driver, ran Morris the Florist over and knocked him into a pickle barrel. The barrel just happened to be the spot of Marvin Seeley's picture. The editor of the biggest paper in New York saw the picture and wrote a story on it. The pushcarts saw what happened and took this as the beginning of a war. The truck companies thought that this picture showed that the pushcarts were holding up traffic. Maxie (the person who made the pushcarts, also known as the Pushcart King) heard this and needed a way to show that the trucks were the cause of bad traffic. He held a meeting for the pushcarts. One person's son made a peashooter; it shot out peas with needles in them. They took this idea and made it their own. The peashooter shot out pea-tacks, as they were called, but only to flatten the tires of the trucks. This campaign went well until a pushcart, Frank the Flower, got caught. He was thrown in jail. Kids also started to flatten tires in honor of Frank the Flower. Weeks later the pushcarts made a peace treaty that everybody agreed with. That was the end of the pushcart war.

This book was written well to educate people and be funny. When I say people—I mean everyone. Kids should read it because it teaches you to stand up for what you believe in. Adults, on the other hand might think it is interesting because it represents what really happened between big businesses and small businesses. It also teaches that little things (like kids) can make a difference. It's like the saying, "One person can make a difference." I'd add on to that saying, "A group of kids can make a difference. They also understand more than adults think."

In "Pirke Avot" 2:16 it says, "It is not your duty to finish the work, but neither are you free to desist from it." I think in a way the kids understood why Frank the Flower was flattening the tires. In a way Frank the Flower was never stopping his work. Other people were doing it for him. Since he influenced them, he gets the credit. The kids also had fun, so they did it for their own enjoyment. Unfortunately, the truck drivers couldn't stop them. The kids attacked in plain view of everybody. So if the truck drivers attacked, the people in New York would have had a clear view of the attack.

I think this book is special because it teaches us to fight for what we believe in, but not to hurt people for no reason. Even if you think there is a reason, you need evidence first. Unlike in the Holocaust, when the Germans thought the Jews were a problem even though we are such a minority, they still tried to get rid of us. The book reminds us to think before we act and to make sure our actions will be helpful.
Eric Shumski
Grade 6
Morasha Jewish Day School, Rancho Santa Magarita, CA