Your PJ Our Way Books for February 2025

The Witch of Woodland
By: Laurel Snyder

Ages 10+

304 pages

Zippy McConnell has always shared everything — including her interest in magic and witchcraft — with her best friend, Bea. But as Zippy and Bea enter 7th grade, Bea is acting funny, everyone at school thinks Zippy is weird, and Zippy struggles to make sense of the Torah portion she needs to learn for her bat mitzvah.

When Zippy's parents are too tired to attend tashlich (a Rosh Hashanah ceremony performed near water), Zippy goes on her own and brings a mysterious old red journal she found in the public library with her. While struggling to read it, Zippy conjures Miriam, a near-translucent young girl with wings but no memories.

As Zippy tries to figure out who Miriam is and where she comes from, she also begins to make sense of all the changes happening in her own life.

Max in the House of Spies
By: Adam Gidwitz

Ages 10+

334 pages

It’s 1939, and 11-year-old Max is sent alone on a Kindertransport from Berlin to live with a Jewish family in London. Fortunately, he’s not alone - Max is surprised to discover that he’s been joined by two unexpected traveling companions, one on each shoulder, a kobold and a dybbuk named Berg and Stein.

Over time, Max loses his German accent and learns how to get along at school—at that time, antisemitism and anti-German sentiment were very common in England.

When the Blitz starts in September of 1940, the family moves to the country, where Max tries to convince a senior army official to send him back to Berlin as a spy and to find his parents. After a prank involving the wireless radios in the Admiral's car, Max is taken for interrogation and eventually accepted into a spy training program. With the help of the dybbuk and goblin, Max passes his psychological testing, is given a mission, and is sent to Berlin. Max lands in Nazi territory and the book ends on a cliffhanger, setting up a sequel. An extended author's note at the end adds important historical context.

The Queen of Persia
By: Moshe Moskowitx

Ages 9+

107 pages

This book is a graphic dramatization of the Purim story (Megillat Esther). It tells the story of how Queen Esther miraculously rescued the Persian Jewish community from the evil Haman in vibrantly illustrated comics. Peppered with kid-friendly jokes, clever quizzes, and fun illustrations, this book is sure to entertain as well as introduce the characters and details of this exciting story in a fun and engaging way.

This hilarious graphic novel contains details based on a Midrashic (ancient Rabbinic interpretation) understanding of the Purim story. For example, the idea that Queen Vashti forced her maids to work on Shabbat or that she was afflicted with pimples are not found in the Megillah text, but are based on the Midrash.

The Sasquatch Escape
By: Suzanne Selfors

Ages 9+

240 pages

When 10-year-old Ben Silverstein is sent to spend the summer with his grandfather Abe in the tiny rundown town of Buttonville, he’s sure it’s going to be the most boring eight weeks of his life. Fortunately, things get a little more exciting when Ben’s grandfather’s cat brings home an injured baby dragon. Along with the help of Pearl Petal, the town troublemaker, Ben discovers that the old button factory on the edge of town is actually a secret hospital for imaginary creatures. When Ben and Pearl bring the baby dragon there for treatment, they accidentally set a sasquatch free on the town! Thankfully, the mysterious Dr. Woo has left a Sasquatch Catching Kit along with detailed instructions. Between the imaginary creatures, the ridiculous antics of the sasquatch, and the children’s bravery, there is plenty of humor and adventure that younger readers will love.