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amother

Salmon

Thu, Feb 01 2024, 12:13 pm

amother Burlywood wrote:

For some reason the first book is paper. Most are board books. Not like say, a Corduroy or 5 Little Monkeys quality, but thick card board.

I have 2 toddlers. Most books are fine. Counting themed about Purim/Rosh Hashana/Sukkos.

Can I guess that the first book was Joseph's Overcoat?

Oh good to know! Yes it was that book. I thought the graphics were adorable.

amother

Copper

Thu, Feb 01 2024, 12:18 pm

we were members of PJ library for a few years. then I stopped because I felt bad because I was throwing out about 50% of them. we got some great ones, like a couple of Hachai books, but the majority were not great for our family. That said , they do great work for less affiliated Jews.

mha3484

Thu, Feb 01 2024, 12:23 pm

I grew up reading some great books that were Jewish but not religious. I find the content of your average PJ library book to be lacking not religiously more from a literary perspective. I got a kick out of some old classics from the 80s and 90s but overall I was disappointed.

mommyhood

Thu, Feb 01 2024, 12:26 pm

We stopped the younger kids books because I was throwing most away but I love PJ our way for ages 9-12. You get to choose a book from 4 book choices at the beginning of each month so I only pick a book if it interests us and looks appropriate. Every couple of months they have a book from frum authors and publishers so at a minimum I end up with those.

Amelia Bedelia

Thu, Feb 01 2024, 12:32 pm

mommyhood wrote:

Including this month! Definitely choosing that one.

amother

Nasturtium

Thu, Feb 01 2024, 12:57 pm

I guess I'm more liberal but I only had a problem with 2-3 of the books we got from them in the past 5 years. Many are focused on holidays, which is a nice pre-YT treat. I think I got rid of one with a same relations marriage. Some of the shabbat and YT books have more secular celebrations, so they might show characters doing things like making food on shabbat, which if my kids notice, I use as a conversation about how different Jews might celebrate shabbat in a different way but that's not what we do (we have a lot of secular and reform,/conservative relatives so we have to have these conversations anyway).

That being said, we are not the target audience, so definitely don't get it if you're going to throw them out because it could be going to some kids that don't have any exposure to Jewish life.

seeker

Thu, Feb 01 2024, 4:26 pm

Amelia Bedelia wrote:

Including this month! Definitely choosing that one.

The Spanish Plot? Did they have it before with different cover art? It seems familiar and unfamiliar at the same time.

I've gotten some very sweet books from them but mostly below the level of my 11 year old at this point even though she's technically within the target age range.

Amelia Bedelia

Thu, Feb 01 2024, 4:36 pm

seeker wrote:

They had The British Escape by same author, also a choose-your-own-adventure a few months ago. I don't think they've ever offered this book before.

amother

Hosta

Thu, Feb 01 2024, 5:38 pm

They must have gotten better, because their baby books have been totally fine and adorable so far. Super basic board books about Yom Tov. Great way to teach my toddler all about these things (before they are in a real playgroup).

amother

Brickred

Thu, Feb 01 2024, 5:59 pm

amother Hosta wrote:

Yes me too, the only thing I noticed off was there were two guys standing close together but they could very well be friends to a child’s eye

tichellady

Thu, Feb 01 2024, 5:59 pm

amother Crocus wrote:

Why is it rude just because people give millions of dollars to it? It is meant for the unaffiliated and is a reform take on judaism. Those are facts. I read many of their books most are not appropriate for an orthodox home. I'd rather my kids read secular books with no religion than an inappropriate portrayal of our religion. It's very confusing for kids. I have no problem with it existing but it doesn't really belong in frum homes.

It’s a rude way to write something. You can just say that the target audience is less affiliated Jews so not every book may work for families who shelter their kids. I am frum and need my kids to know that there are different types of Jews in the world because they will learn that very quickly in their lives.

amother

Crocus

Thu, Feb 01 2024, 6:02 pm

tichellady wrote:

I teach my kids about all types of jews. But to me that's not the same as reading a book that has confusing lessons to them. I don't tell my little kids the details of how people live different they are too young to understand. Therefore I don't think the books work in a frum home.

icedcoffee

Tue, Apr 09 2024, 10:00 am

My son is almost two and so far I haven't had an issue with any of the books. We've gotten

Leo's Tree
Sheep Says Shalom
Bim Says the Baby
Shabbat Light
A New Week
Passover is Coming
Dreidel Dreidel Dreidel
Dreidel Day
When it's Purim
Baby Be Kind
When I First Held You

Does anyone seriously find the books for this age group objectionable? I'm assuming this conversation must be about books for older kids. My son LOVES looking at dreidels and menorahs thanks to these books, and it also helped teach him the vocabulary around lights, candles, shabbat, and "daddy's juice" (wine Wink

amother

Tangerine

Tue, Apr 09 2024, 10:02 am

I got Joseph had a little overcoat -kept nothing bad

A hoopoe says oop - chucked it

Got two of beun shabbat , shabbat shalom - gonna keep just gonna change the mothers pants into a skirt.

scruffy

Tue, Apr 09 2024, 10:30 am

icedcoffee wrote:

Yes, I got a few I found objectionable with pictures of Moshe and Noach not depicted in ways I would like to show my children. I also got some that weren't objectionable but don't particularly share my values, for instance a counting book with pictures of people in Israel on the beach or snorkeling in Eilat... I would rather show Eretz Yisrael as the land of the Avos, Kosel etc.

I also recycled or gave away some that were fine but with poor writing and illustrations, I try to prioritize higher quality books.

We have gotten some excellent books. Mine actually adores a few of the books you listed.