Moment's 2010 Publish-a-Kid Contest

Every year, Moment asks kids ages 9 to 13 to write reviews of their favorite Jewish books. Our winners this year are Isabella Penola, Ophyr Hanan, Moshe Steyn and Anna Fox.

The Pushcart War by Jean Merrill

The Pushcart War tells the story of a fight between the New York City trucking companies and the 509 pushcart peddlers. The author, Jean Merrill, skillfully creates a humorous tale of pea-tacks and pea-shooters, shorthand notes of a meeting between three kidnappers, a famous actress and a frustrated mayor and many more intriguing characters. Merrill states in the introduction that everyone needs to understand how a war begins if there is to be peace on Earth. This work is her humorous attempt to fulfill that need. The streets of New York City are much too crowded, according to all the citizens. The trucking companies try blaming it on the pushcarts. The pushcart peddlers try to make the people understand that it is really the much-too-large and too-numerous trucks that cause all the confusion in the streets. The truck drivers start tipping over pushcarts, destroying them and injuring the peddlers. This demonstrates how a war can begin with bullying. And then, it escalates… The peddlers, extremely annoyed, set up headquarters in Maxie Hammerman’s shop, where he, the Pushcart King, constructs and repairs all the pushcarts in the city. An elderly vendor of fruit known as Old Anna becomes General Anna as she leads the pushcart owners into the “war.” Peas attached to pins form their ammunition, which they use to flatten tires in many of the trucks. War has now officially begun. After a peddler is arrested, the children of New York, sympathetic to the pushcart peddlers, take up the cause, deflating many more tires. The heads of the three major trucking companies try to kidnap Maxie Hammerman, but he foils their plot. Eventually, after conflict drags the people of the city into the fight, the peddlers and truckers come to a truce. The trucking companies take many trucks—and all of the very large trucks—out of commission. In return, the peddlers leave them alone. Kids like things to be presented in a humorous way, but war is no joking matter. The Pushcart War is amazing because it shows how a war works—without the grotesque death and bloodshed of a real war. The book is subtle; on the surface, it is a humorous tale, but underneath lies a much larger, more meaningful message: That small disagreements, if not dealt with in a peaceful manner early, can escalate into large, out-of-hand conflicts. I recommend this book for people of all ages, as there is something to be learned by all.

—Isabella Penola Age: 12, Grade: 7, Cooperstown, NY

Habibi by Naomi Shihab Nye

The book Habibi is surprisingly interesting. I first thought that the book was going to be just a usual teenage love story, but it turned out to be much better than that. The story talks about love and affection, as well as the desperate cries for peace in the country of Palestine. Liyana Abboud and her family move from the green state of Missouri to the dry desert of Jerusalem, Palestine. I am an Israeli-American myself, and feel like I relate to Liyana when she states that she always feels like she is “this kind of letter inside this kind of envelope” and feels half of two completely different sides. While in Palestine, she falls in love with Omer, a Jewish Israeli. He is sweet, he is funny, he is smart, but there is only one problem: Liyana and her family are Arabs. This book is extremely visual and I can very clearly see all of the characters in my head: Liyana’s smooth black hair, Omer’s olive tan skin. Inspiring me with her lovely titles of poetry and verses, Liyana explains the horrible conflicts between two different cultures in the book and prays that humans, especially Arabs and Jews, learn to live as peaceful neighbors in the years to come.

—Ophyr Hanan Age: 12, Grade: 7, Scottsdale, AZ

The Book Thief by Markus Zusak

Imagine a young girl in Nazi Germany traveling by train to foster parents, when she witnesses her brother’s death. So begins The Book Thief, a fantastic story by Markus Zusak, narrated by Death, about a girl who lives in a poor foster home, not fully realizing the extent of the cruelties happening outside her own life. Then her run-down neighborhood gets bombed, killing nearly everyone she knows. What would you do in this situation? Liesel Memminger must solve all of her problems before the end of this bittersweet, deeply disturbing story. As the title hints, Liesel keeps herself sane by stealing books. But there is much more to the story than the plot. One masterfully done aspect of the book is the use of color. Death distracts himself from his work by paying close attention to the colors around him. However, the colors he describes reflect the mood of the book: They are often dreary or blood-like. Another amazing aspect is the use of Mein Kampf, Hitler’s book, which her friend Max rips up so that he can use the pages to write his own stories. Max writes a particular story, which Liesel finds after he is taken away, about Hitler, what he was doing, how he became successful, and how he will not get everyone. Max’s story gives Liesel strength, and after reading it, she never gives up. She “defeats Hitler” in the people around her. You should read The Book Thief. It is haunting, thought-provoking, and will affect readers of all ages greatly.

—Moshe Steyn Age: 12, Grade 6, Newton, MA

Number the Stars by Lois Lowry

Lois Lowry’s Number the Stars takes place during World War II. It is about a Christian girl named Annemarie who must overcome many barriers to save her best friend Ellen Rosen’s life. Although I still have some questions about the book, it is extremely interesting and is one of my favorite novels. I was amazed at how real everything seemed throughout the book. It felt as if I was there. It is based on a true story and I think that is important because it gives a more realistic view of what happened in World War II. It shocks me that the Nazis would actually do things like driving over Annemarie’s older sister Lise with a truck because she was making plans against them. Many of the characters do something brave to save someone else. Annemarie is brave when her mother falls and hurts her ankle, and she has to carry a small packet to her Uncle Henrik. Ellen, who is a Jew, is brave when the soldiers come into Annemarie’s bedroom where she was sleeping and she pretends that she is Lise. There are many questions that I still think about. I wonder why the Germans hated Jews. I do not really understand why Annemarie’s family had to leave their apartment, because they were not Jews. What would be wrong about staying? Would the Nazis kill just anybody? As one of the most intriguing books that I have ever read, Number the Stars is certainly remarkable. Read this suspenseful book full of true adventure to get your taste of bravery and excitement.

—Anna Fox Age: 9, Grade: 4, Raleigh, NC