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One of a Kind

The Life of Sydney Taylor

Richard Michelson Sarah Green

$39.99

Hardback

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English
Calkins Creek
19 March 2024
Sarah Brenner might have come from an all-of-a-kind family (five sisters who all dressed alike), but she was always one of a kind. Growing up in a Jewish immigrant family on New York's impoverished Lower East Side, Sarah loved visiting the library, celebrating holidays with her family, and taking free dance classes at the Henry Street Settlement. But she was always aware of things that weren't fair-whether it was that women couldn't vote, or how girls were treated in her school, or that her parents had had to leave Europe because they were Jewish. When she grew up, Sarah changed her name to Sydney and became an actress and a dancer, but she never forgot the importance of fighting unfairness, whether it was anti-Semitism at her job or the low wages of workers. And when her daughter complained that it wasn't fair that there were no books about Jewish children like her, Sydney put pen to paper and wrote a one-of-a-kind children's book.

From well-known Jewish children's author Richard Michelson, this is the story of how Sarah became Sydney and how she showed children the joy of seeing their culture reflected on the page.

For fans of All-of-a-Kind Family, here is the true story of how Sarah Brenner, a poor girl from New York City's Lower East Side, became Sydney Taylor- dancer, actress, and successful children's book author.

Sarah Brenner might have come from an all-of-a-kind family (five sisters who all dressed alike), but she was always one of a kind. Growing up in a Jewish immigrant family on New York's impoverished Lower East Side, Sarah loved visiting the library, celebrating holidays with her family, and taking free dance classes at the Henry Street Settlement. But she was always aware of things that weren't fair-whether it was that women couldn't vote, or how girls were treated in her school, or that her parents had had to leave Europe because they were Jewish. When she grew up, Sarah changed her name to Sydney and became an actress and a dancer, but she never forgot the importance of fighting unfairness, whether it was anti-Semitism at her job or the low wages of workers. And when her daughter complained that it wasn't fair that there were no books about Jewish children like her, Sydney put pen to paper and wrote a one-of-a-kind children's book.

From well-known Jewish children's author Richard Michelson, this is the story of how Sarah became Sydney and how she showed children the joy of seeing their culture reflected on the page.

By:  
Illustrated by:   Sarah Green
Imprint:   Calkins Creek
Country of Publication:   United States
Dimensions:   Height: 287mm,  Width: 227mm,  Spine: 9mm
Weight:   420g
ISBN:   9781635925319
ISBN 10:   1635925312
Pages:   40
Publication Date:  
Recommended Age:   From 7 to 10 years
Audience:   Children/juvenile ,  English as a second language
Format:   Hardback
Publisher's Status:   Active

Richard Michelson is the author The Language of Angels- The Reinvention of Hebrew, winner of the Sydney Taylor Book Award and the National Jewish Book Award, and Fascinating- The Life of Leonard Nimoy, which received the Massachusetts Book Award Honor and the Sydney Taylor Award Silver Medal, and was an NCSS Notable Book. His children's books have been listed among the Best Books of the Year by The New York Times, PW, and The New Yorker. He owns R. Michelson Galleries, the host of Northampton Poetry Radio, and is the current poet laureate of Northampton, MA. Sarah Green is a RISD-educated illustrator and designer from San Francisco. She is the illustrator of numerous picture books, including Fight of the Century by Barb Rosenstock and Born Hungry by Alex Prud'homme.

Reviews for One of a Kind: The Life of Sydney Taylor

"""Michelson and Green pay homage to a one-of-a-kind author... Told in present tense, this is a lively, well-written tale about a renowned author who helped underrepresented kids see themselves in literature. The charming digital gouache illustrations capture period details and the cozy familial warmth of Taylor’s own background. An effective, respectful treatment of a renowned author."" —Kirkus Reviews ""The colorful illustrations provide lively character portrayals and settings for the story. The book’s title refers to Taylor’s individuality, contrasted with the five young sisters’ 'all-of-a-kind' look, due to their similar clothing. Additional details about Taylor’s life appear in the back matter. Highly recommended for kids who have enjoyed reading orlistening to Taylor’s All-of-a-Kind Family series."" —Booklist ""[L]audable for honestly portraying success as a long time coming: it was only after WWII, 'when maybe the world is finally ready to celebrate all customs and cultures,' Michelson writes, that All-of-a-Kind Family—'the first Jewish children’s book to become popular with non-Jewish readers,'...is published."" —Publishers Weekly"


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