Picture Books That Celebrate Jewish Heritage and Culture
by Melissa Taylor
May is Jewish American Heritage Month, where we celebrate the achievements and contributions of Jewish Americans. These picture books celebrate Jewish culture, tradition, language, and beliefs. They are important windows, doors, and mirrors to allow children to see themselves, to build empathy and understanding, and to combat antisemitism. As critical thinkers, we know that no group of people deserves to be stereotyped or discriminated against. So, let us celebrate the rich culture, traditions, and beliefs of Jews as we do for all groups of people.
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I Like Your Chutzpah and Other Yiddish Words You’ll Like
Buy from:For the earliest readers, this adorable board book playfully affirms Jewish culture using common Yiddish words with colorful cartoony illustrations. From ”I like your schtick” to “I like your chutzpah,” it’s an affirming book celebrating a child’s many ways of being.
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Sharing Shalom
Buy from:When someone vandalizes Leila’s synagogue, she struggles to feel proud of her Jewish heritage, hiding her Star of David necklace. But when diverse friends and neighbors help to repair the synagogue, their kindness helps Leila’s heart heal. Leila proudly wears her necklace again and teaches her classmates how to write “shalom,” peace in Hebrew, in this important, beautiful story about kindness, acceptance, and antisemitism.
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How Do You Jew?
Buy from:This is the fourth title in a board book series that celebrates Jewish culture around the world. Little readers will love learning about Jewish people and their traditions in far-flung places such as Australia, Ethiopia, and Algeria. Also, make sure to check out the rest of this adorable board book series.
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Becca & Bubbe’s Bucket List
Buy from:Becca and her grandmother (Bubbe) create a summer bucket list and work through the items one by one. Between sleepovers under the stars and a lemonade stand, Bubbe asks Becca for help completing a special bucket list item. Yiddish and Hebrew words appear throughout this adorable story about the special bond between a grandmother and grandchild.
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A Flame Burns On
Buy from:Every year on the anniversary of her uncle’s passing, a little girl and her mom light a yahrzeit candle. The candle has just enough wax to last one entire day — from sundown to sundown. While it’s lit, the girl and her mom share stories about the uncle, remember his smile, and hold his memory close. This heartfelt picture book includes backmatter with more information about the custom.
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Something Sweet
Buy from:When her friend’s grandfather dies, Lizzy attends the shiva service. At first, she tries to cheer Joshua up using her usual methods, but those don’t work. As Lizzy learns more about shiva, she also learns what her grieving friend needs most — a listening ear.
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Fanny’s Big Idea
Buy from:This delightful picture book biography celebrates Fanny Goldstein, the librarian who founded Jewish Book Week. While working at the Boston Public Library, Fanny started the initiative to help Jewish families connect with books about their history, culture, and customs. This tradition has gone on for over 100 years!
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One Small Spark
Buy from:The phrase tikkun olam means making right or repairing the world. This is exemplified when a young girl notices a playground in disrepair, sparking an idea in her heart that becomes a community cleanup action. The lovely illustrations mirror this spark of transformation, starting with gray colors and growing into more vibrant colors throughout.
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Challah Day!
Buy from:Written in jaunty rhyme, a little girl and her family make challah bread in this festive story about family, culture, and food. From pouring flour to kneading, cleaning, braiding, and eventually, eating, you’ll love the delicious retro art and warmhearted story about a Shabbat family tradition.
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Afikoman, Where’d You Go
Buy from:I love this adventurous Passover hide-and-seek story showing children searching everywhere for the sneaky, silly afikoman. From the kitchen to a messy bedroom and even up a tree, readers will enjoy inspecting the detailed illustrations that follow the kids hunting for the missing matzah. Will anyone ever find the clever escape artist?
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The Tree of Life
Buy from:During World War II, a group of prisoners planted a small maple tree in the Terezin concentration camp. They watered it with their own rations, and the tree grew despite the hardships, giving the prisoners hope for a better future. Later, the amazing tree helped start more trees, which were planted around the world, representing hope, faith, and community.
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Good Night, Wind
Buy from:After working hard all winter, Wind feels tired and frustrated because no one will give him shelter. His tired, angry feelings culminate in a tired, angry tantrum. Relatable, right? Luckily, two children listen to the Wind and then show him a good spot to rest. Gorgeous blue-and-orange-toned paper-cut collage dioramas pop off the page in this Yiddish folktale retelling about feelings, empathy, and kindness.
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Soshi’s Shabbat
Buy from:Soshi’s new owner doesn’t observe Shabbat, the Jewish day of rest, but Shoshi does, refusing to work on Shabbat. The owner, Yohanan, realizes that it’s okay to take a day of rest. This book, based on an ancient story, engages readers with expressive illustrations and a valuable life lesson for readers of any faith and tradition.
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Goodnight Bubbala
Buy from:This popular parody of the classic Goodnight Moon story is a Jewish version filled with Yiddish words and Jewish culture. Adults will love reading aloud this rhythmic story as a new bedtime book, sharing humor, sweetness, and family values. The back includes a glossary of Yiddish words.
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Editor’s Note: This article was originally published in 2025 and updated i 2026.