A wonderful read!
This novel drew me in from the very first page and kept me hooked until the end. The characters were vibrant and relatable, the writing was engaging, and the story had just the right balance of heart and humor. Highly recommend!
Many thanks to NetGalley, the author, and the publisher for my ARC. All opinions are my own.

The book blurb doesn’t entirely communicate what this book is about. It’s really not for me after having read it but that doesn’t mean it wasn’t a good book. I love to read books about books and people’s stories about reading books and I thought I would get more titles that I could recommend. I like to learn about books that are good for children and get a good sense of what they are before I give them as gifts. This was more the author story of aligning her reading with the Torah in seasons, and it wasn’t bad. It just wasn’t what I thought it was. You’ll want to understand that going into it.

#childrenofthebook #netgalley

A Jewish mother reads books, secular and sacred, to her children as they grow up.

Maybe I wasn’t the right audience for this “memoir,” but I did not enjoy it. I kept waiting for the book to have a point, some compelling conflict that was propelling it forward, but it does not have one.

It’s basically a book-length review of dozens or hundreds of children’s and young adult books, their characters and arcs continually compared to those of Torah. The tone is often elitist, and the structure, rambling.

Three stars because the Covid-era anecdotes at least held my interest.

What a sweet surprise! Parents and librarians should read this beautiful story of a thoughtful Jewish mother who beautifully chronicles the reading journey of her children and the importance of stories in their lives.

From the words of the author, Ilana Ketshan, “It is a story about traveling through the wilderness, going through periods when we navigate our ambivalence and uncertainty as we try to forge a way forward. It is a story about taking our children as far as we can until we recognize that the time has come for us to let go, and for them to move ahead—and read onward—independently.”

This is a fascinating book and I enjoyed the connection to the Torah. I also enjoyed how the author included her kids in the story.

An intriguing look at children's literature through the lens of the Torah. Kurshan's thoughtful and considered exploration of both beloved works is unique and highly personal.

I hate to rate memoirs because it truly is judging someone's life. My rating here is not for the actual tale - I think reading is important and as a mother and reader myself, I am stunned at how much reading Ilana gets done during the day with her children. I loved little points she made about being a parent reading books for herself, validating a lot of things I feel with four young kids who do need me all the time.

I do, however, feel a little misled with the title of the book. I was thinking we were going to get another book similar to the Read Aloud Companion, or Raising Readers, or something along those lines. This one, beautifully told, is aligned with the stories in the Torah and the seasons we go through as we read the Torah in temple. Love that, but it’s very very niche and I feel like I either skimmed that part or that wasn’t fully mentioned. In any event, this is a deeply personal memoir about reading in the throes of motherhood, in Jerusalem, with young young kids. Worth a library checkout.

Kurshan put words to so much of what I’ve been feeling and thinking as a new mom. The relatability alone made this worth the read for me. As a Christian, I was inspired and challenged by how Kurshan and members of the Jewish faith embed scripture into their memories and lives. I want to see all of the fiction I read through the lens of scripture in the way that Kurshan does. This book is well-written and although it’s for a very niche audience, the right readers will really enjoy it.
Each of the five sections is sort of its own essay. There is some redundancy toward the end.

Thank you to Net Galley, the author and St. Martin’s Press for the eARC!

A beautiful ode to the power of literature and sharing it with those closest to you. Not exactly what I was expecting, but an interesting premise

The Jewish people are truly the people of the book. This book is at once a very specific memoir of a family's reading life with their 5 young children, and also of the power of Old Testament stories woven through lives over generations and millennia of Jews (with powerful echoes for us as Christians). The author has a very unique position as a native English speaker, born and raised in the US, now living in Israel and fluent in Hebrew (working as a translator, in fact). I love how she structured the story of their lives along the pattern of the Five Books of Moses - as it should be.

There was so much nostalgia for me in the Genesis chapter as she mentioned board books and picture books long forgotten now that my children are much older.

I don't think I've ever seen a family so dedicated to reading! When she mentioned reading in between contractions in the hospital and then reading a special piece immediately to the newborn, I was pretty shocked. 😂 That is truly the next level of dedication to the reading life.

This is not a bad book, but I'm abandoning it. The title only tells you half of what's going on here, and it's what attracted me. I love to read, and I was relentless in reading to my daughter in hopes it would make her also love to read; it didn't, but the sadness about that was only a tiny part of why I stopped reading this book.

The book is organized around the five books of the Torah (Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deutoronomy), with short chapters about different children's books and how they played into the lives of Kurshan's children as they grow up in a very observant Jewish household in Israel, and how their themes tie to the Torah in her mind.

I am just not religious and not that interested in the details of the bible, so the parallels between Genesis and The Very Hungry Caterpillar do not interest me. If you are religious and especially if you are Jewish, this book will resonate deeply for you. It's gracefully written but sadly not for me. I was going to persevere but when I realize I was only halfway through I just didn't want to spend time on it anymore. I would probably not have asked to read it if I knew it was half religious exegesis.

This is a really beautiful book. Wonderfully written, memorable sentiments regarding the challenges and rewards of parenthood. Despite mentioning the Torah in the description, above, I did not expect as much focus on religion and her Jewish faith; that alone comprised at least half of the book. However, despite the fact that I am a Christian and not Jewish, I loved how she returned to her religion and faith, over and over. It was inspiring to me, in my own spiritual walk, as she frequently references the Old Testament, which I'm familiar with. This book serves as a reminder to continually reframe your life, your situation, your vocation as a parent, by looking beyond yourself. As a mother of two boys, I found myself relating to her again and again throughout her parenthood journey.

Books, religion, parenting, all together - highly recommended if you like all of those topics. I loved this book and will definitely read it again - I received an ARC, but plan to purchase this and annotate it when it's released. ❤️

I will start with acknowledging that not everyone will love it. It has a lot of discussion of faith and religion so if people are not into that, they won't like it. I am a person of faith and value scripture as well as reading all kinds of books for myself and my kids, so I loved it! Ilana is so insightful in so many ways that it was this mix of "oh I love those kid books" to "oh man I never made any of these connections but I see it!" It both took me down memory lane with classics like The Very Hungry Caterpillar, Sandra Boynton favorites, and onto the fantasy books that stole our hearts like Harry Potter. I was amazed at how I could relate to those books, wanting alone time to read as a mom, wanting to pass down the love/respect for books to my kids, and seeing the beauty of each book's messages to apply to our own lives.

There were also messages of the sacrifices of motherhood and that women with careers just like their husbands make, and while it was a bit long, I enjoyed the ride! For others like me that want to be deeper in scripture while balancing it with a love for reading other "mainstream" books with our kids, this hits just right.

Thank you for my ARC NetGalley!

A deeply personal and insightful exploration of faith and family, woven through the act of reading. Kurshan illuminates how the Torah and Jewish tradition provide a framework for understanding life's complexities, emphasizing that literacy is not merely a skill, but a pathway to the sacred. She beautifully illustrates how repetitive acts, like reading familiar stories or reciting prayers, can foster a connection to the divine and to family members.

Kurshan's reflections on parenting are particularly poignant. The book is a testament to the power of shared stories, from board books to biblical narratives, in shaping a family's identity. Reading to a child and teaching them to read is an appropriate lens to the broader process of raising a child. Her anecdotes, like rereading board books like one repeats prayers, stealing in some quiet reading while nursing, and reading aloud with her children at night, are a powerful meditation on the ongoing narrative of faith, family, and the enduring power of stories.

I liked this book! It was a nice memoir and it really did highlight the importance of reading, and how it opens so many doors. It could be in your imagination, in the real world, and so many ways in between. I really enjoyed this book!!

Thank you to NetGalley, to the author, and to the publisher for this complimentary ARC in exchange for my honest review!!!

Ilana Kurshan’s Children of the Book explores how literature shapes family life, blending Jewish tradition with classic children’s books. As a mother of five in Jerusalem, she shifts from viewing reading as a solitary escape to a means of connection. Structured around the Torah’s five books, the memoir draws parallels between biblical stories and parenting milestones.

While the concept is intriguing, the book leans more toward shallow literary analysis than personal narrative, making it less engaging for a general audience. A deeper emotional thread could have strengthened its impact.

A memoir focused on Kurshan’s family’s reading life through the lens of the Torah.

As a Christian, this was a wonderful way to learn more about Jewish culture and home rituals. As a parent who also loves to read and read to my kids, this evoked so much nostalgia despite still being in the younger age group of children.

Kushan creates beauty and meaning from the silly stories of Sandra Boynton and Dr. Seuss. She leads the reader through mutual family interest in chapter books, relating to the exodus across the wilderness.

This is a very niche story/memoir but I really enjoyed it. I feel convicted to be even more present in my kids’ reading lives. This was lovely.

Thank you, NetGalley, for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Wonderfully told memoir
Great use of biblical references and sharing the joy of reading
Love the bond between parent and children with books as the healing and learning

In 'Children of the Book', Ilana Kurshan writes a deeply rich, reflective memoir on how literature shapes family life, particularly through the lens of Jewish spirituality and the Torah. As a mother of five, Kurshan reflects on the evolution of her relationship with books—from a solitary literary escape before motherhood to a bridge of connection between herself and her children. Through beautifully woven reflections, she explores how stories serve as both a foundation for family bonds and a means of teaching cultural and spiritual values.

What makes this memoir particularly compelling is its unique perspective on bibliotherapy both as a tool for individual healing and as a shared experience that nurtures relationships and communities. Kurshan’s insights on how reading transforms when experienced alongside her children spoke to me deeply, particularly in her exploration of the joys and bittersweet milestones of watching them develop their own literary lives along the course of their development.

Told through the structure of the Torah 'Children of the Book' is both intimate and affirming for mothers from all cultures. This memoir is an invitation to readers to consider how literature—sacred and secular—becomes a guiding force in our lives. Whether one shares Kurshan’s faith or not, her reflections on the power of storytelling, connection, and parenting through books will affirm anyone who believes in the healing and validating magic of reading.

I loved this! It was such a pleasure to read. I enjoyed the narrative through books and that it was structured around the Torah.