Looking for new ways to connect with your younger readers? Apples & Honey Press, Behrman House's children's book imprint, is releasing a mighty six new children's books to read with your students or loved ones. From body image and mitzvot to holidays and silly stories, we've got new reads sure to please. All of our fall titles will be available on August 1.

Hosting an event at your synagogue? Contact us to discuss quantity discounts.

Crocodile, You’re Beautiful! Embracing Our Strengths and Ourselves
Written by Dr. Ruth Westheimer and Dena Neusner
Illustrated by CB Decker
$17.95

I have a body. You have a body.
But your body is different from mine.
Why? Because it is all yours.
You are in charge of your body.

So says the wise Dr. Ruth as she helps out animals who each need her sage advice.  Ruth helps an octopus learn to assert itself, a crocodile feel more comfortable with its bumpy body, and a rabbit, turtle, and ant discover and appreciate their strengths. Full of humor and warmth, Ruth’s lessons about body image, confidence and standing-up for yourself shine through in this relatable, age appropriate tale.

Fun activities are included after each story, and will delight young readers as they stretch, draw and dance their way through these important ideas. They’ll feel empowered to connect to their own strengths, too.

Hillel Takes a Bath
Written by Vicki L. Weber
Illustrated by John Joven
$17.95

“Today I will use this cloth to do a mitzvah!” Hillel the Sage announced to his class. He whisked the cloth off his shoulder and snapped it in the air. The rabbi’s students were puzzled and delighted. What could be done with a cloth? What mysterious mitzvah could it be?

Through this charming story about the famous Hillel of the Talmud, readers will enjoy discovering that the mysterious mitzvah is taking a bath! The note for families at the back of the book will help readers dig deeper and let them think more about the Jewish value of guarding one’s health, shmor et nafshecha, and how having healthy habits (like taking baths) is an important Jewish value.

Jackie and Jesse and Joni and Jae
Written by Chris Barash
Illustrated by Christine Battuz
$17.95

Jackie and Jesse and Joni and Jae
walked down to the river one fine autumn day. 
Neighbors and friends and the rabbi went too.                     
There was something called tashlich they needed to do.

On Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year, four friends reflect on mistakes they’ve made in the past year, they apologize for hurting each other’s feelings, and they think about how they will do better in the new year.

The title characters in this gentle story model character traits including friendship, honesty, compassion, and empathy, while exploring a lesser-known Jewish holiday tradition.

Right Side Up: Adventures in Chelm
Written by Eric A. Kimmel
Illustrated by Steve Brown
$17.95

Perhaps you’ve heard of Chelm, the town of fools? Where else will you meet neighbors like these…

  • young Goldie, who tries to lure the moon down from the sky with a barrel of beet soup,
  • Jonah the blacksmith, who uses a muddy old boot as a shofar,
  • Rabbi Devora, who plans to solve all the world’s problems by mailing postcards to God,
  • and old Zakkai, who attempts to walk all the way to heaven and back again.

This is not to say that all fools live in Chelm. Not at all. Foolish people are all around us, in every country, every city, every village. Some of them are famous and powerful. Some might even be living in your house!

Come visit Chelm and find out what makes this town unique. You just may discover that the people of Chelm are the wisest folks of all.

Yiddish Saves the Day
Written by Debbie Levy
Illustrated by Hector Borlasca
$17.95

Oy vey! Such bad mazel you are having. You tripped, banged your shnoz and fell on your tuchus. Then, oy vey is mir, you lost your vocab notebook the day before the big test! But don’t worry, don’t kvetch, your whole mishpacha is here to help you, and they have plenty of unique, Yiddish words that’ll help you ace that test like a maven! So quietly sit like the mensch that you are, You re a yiddishkeit maven! Collect your gold star!

Once Upon an Apple Cake
Written by Elana Rubinstein
Illustrated by Jennifer Naalchigar
$16.95

A clever story about two rival families and a Rosh Hashanah cake recipe.

Saralee Siegel has a “super nose”—she can smell things like no one’s business. Her Zadie says that with a nose like that, she’ll rule the world. This fast-paced, magical story about a girl who loves to cook, a rival restaurant, and a secret Rosh Hashanah cake recipe, is told in an illustrated chapter book format.