Book 'Mu!
Summer reading fun for Jewish children is varied.
ELIZABETH APPLEBAUM
AppleTree Editor
L
ike gefilte fish and horseradish sauce, J.Lo and
Ben Affleck (or J.Lo and P. Diddy or J.Lo and
Cris Judd ... well, never mind), picnics and hun-
gry ants — some things just go together, and
that's all there is to it.
Consider, for example, a child's summer and reading. Is
there anything more perfect than a lazy afternoon, where a
kid can be a kid with a glass of lemonade, a big swing and
a great book?
It's not just a matter of fun, though. It's a great way to
get smart.
_ According to the U.S. Department of Education's
National Center for Education Statistics, children who
have an early love of books are ahead in more ways than
one.
• Boys and girls who are read to three to four times a
week are twice as likely to recognize all letters of the alpha-
bet than those who are not.
• Students who spend extra time reading, no matter what
the material, are more likely to do better in math.
• A U.S. Department of Education study of fourth-grade
students showed that when parents take an active role in
encouraging their children's love of learning, their reading
scores jump dramatically. Where parental involvement is
high, children scored 28 points above the national average
in reading comprehension. Where parental involvement is
low, the classroom mean average reading score is 46 points
below the national average.
• The more kinds of reading material in a home, the bet-
ter students will have in reading proficiency.
Jewish Reading Adventures
"Summer is such a great time to explore the wonderful
Jewish books that are available for kids of all ages," says
Tami U. Elliott, Jewish family educator at Adat Shalom
Synagogue in Farmington Hills. "These special books can
take kids back in time to tell stories of their ancestors, take
them to other Jewish communities around the world or
into the realm of God's beautiful creations in nature."
"I also encourage parents to turn any book into a Jewish
book by adding a Jewish slant to the story by telling about
Jewish ancestors, using Hebrew words, talking about God
or about Jewish values. The possibilities are endless.
"Here are just a few books that kids might want to dis-
cover on their summer reading journeys:"
• Because Nothing Looks Like God by Lawrence Kushner
• Sammy Spider's First Rosh Hashanah by Sylvia Rouss
• Sammy Spider's First Trip to Israel: A Book About the Five
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Senses by Sylvia Rouss
• Ten Good Rides by Susan Remick Topek
• In Our Image: God's First Creatures by Nancy Sohn
Swartz
• What Zeesie Saw on Delancey Street by Marjorie
Priceman
• Snow in Jerusalem by Deborah da Costa
Elliott also recommends The Jewish Family Fun Book:
Holiday Projects, Everyday Activities and Travel Ideas, by
Danielle Dardashti and Roni Sarig, for parents looking for
Jewish activities to enjoy with their children during the
summer.
Who Loves Madeline?
Ever wonder what Steven Spielberg likes to read when
he's not making films?
Check out some favorite books of a few popular Jewish
celebrities:
• Author Judy Blume:
—Madeline by Ludwig Bemelman
• Actress Kate Capshaw:
—Mary Poppies by P.L. Travers
• Talk-show host Ricki Lake:
— The Lorax by Dr. Seuss
• Actor and singer Bette Midler:
— The Wind in the Willows by Kenneth Grahame
• Author and illustrator Maurice Sendak:
— The Princess and the Goblin by George MacDonald
• Judge Judy Sheindlin:
— The Good Earth by Pearl S. Buck
• TV producer Aaron Spelling:
— Tom Sawyer by Mark Twain
• Film maker Steven Spielberg:
—73-easure Island by Robert Louis Stevenson
• Journalist Barbara Walters:
— The Little Prince by Antoine De Saint-Exupery
... and, a few Jewish authors' books favored by celebri-
ties
• "Charlie's Angel" Lucy Liu:
— The Giving Tree by Shel Silverstein
• Actor Cuba Gooding, Jr. and 2001 Miss America
Angela Perez:
— Where the Wild Things Are by Maurice Sendak
• Actress Rosie O'Donnell:
— Are You There God, Itc Me, Margaret
by Judy Blume
.What do
they read?
Barbara Wrinkly,
Steven Spielberg,
Bette Midle
Ricki Lake