Pre-Read Notes:

I don't know much about this one going in. I chose it for the cover and title this time. Books about books grab me often.

"The primary reason I read with my kids at the table is to prevent them from fighting. I know from the book of Genesis how dangerous sibling rivalry can be: Ishmael torments Isaac. Jacob tricks Esau. Joseph’s brothers sell him into slavery. And I don’t even want to think about Cain and Abel." p81

Final Review

(thoughts & recs) I just don't think I'm the right audience for this one, as I'm not a parent and don't tend to read about parenting. The writing however is gorgeous and the life she describes with her family is a beautiful one. If you're into short literary essays about being a mom and devout follower of the Torah, I recommend this one for you!

My Favorite Things:

✔️ I don't know if I'm exactly the audience for this, but I think the ideas presented are interesting.

✔️ I didn't know this was nonfiction, but I'm open to it. The loose structure is that each long chapter explores a board book she read to her children and how it relates to her family's lives. This book is more about parenting than it is about books, and as a non-parent, I'm not sure what the purpose is here. Honestly, I find it a bit rambling.

✔️ There are many religious references, which definitely creates a unique tone to the book and an opportunity for learning. Sometimes the references are too casual, as though Kurshan expects her readers to know of her chosen subjects without telling them. Sometimes while I read, I needed just a little more.

✔️ "As I tell my daughter, I know the book is not really mine, because nothing I own is truly mine. But I write in the margins because the book is part of a conversation that has been unfolding for generations. I want to add my voice to that conversation, and someday, when she is older, I hope she will, too." p136 What a brilliant lesson to teach your daughter-- about the ephemeral nature of life and all we have, but how lasting and encompassing are the stories we share.

Notes:

1. content warnings - parental guilt, forced eating, religion, the Old Testament, sibling rivalry,

Thank you to the author Ilana Kurshan, St. Martin's Press, and NetGalley for an accessible digital arc of CHILDREN OF THE BOOK. All views are mine.

I really, really enjoyed this book and I learned a lot, too! Most know I am obsessed with children’s books and we have literally over a thousand in our home. I am always bringing more and more into our home from library book sales and Little Free Libraries. So I loved reading about Ilana’s recollections and musings on many of the books she has read to her children. So many of
my favorites were mentioned - many that aren’t particularly well-known which really excited me (“Five Minutes Peace”)!
What I didn’t expect from this was how much information about Judaism and the Torah I would learn. As a “baby-Catholic” I learned a lot about different Jewish traditions and spiritual life. It was so fascinating and enjoyable to read how the author related different children’s books and their lessons to those traditions and religious texts of Judaism (the author is an expat living in Jerusalem). It was so well done - Adam and Eve:George and Martha! This is a beautiful and special memoir for anyone raising (and reading to!) littles! Thank you to NetGalley and St Martin’s Press for the advanced copy! “Children of the Book” will be available 8/26!

“In this memoir I tell the story of my family’s reading life…Over time, and over a decade of Torah reading cycles, the way I connect with my children through literature has changed. In this memoir, I chart those shifts as they echo the progression of the biblical narrative. When I read Torah with my children, it is different than reading any other book, because we are the characters in the drama.”

Ilana Kurshan, an American Jewish mother, has written a unique memoir in honor of books and reading to her children. This not only tells of her great love for books and how she passes on her wonderful obsessive hobby of reading to her children, with so many wonderful favorite titles she skaters throughout, and all the fun ways she sneaks it in everywhere (even in her delivery room! And “mealtime is when I eat and they read”). But she also formats this book in a unique way: “In this memoir I tell the story of my family’s reading life through the lens of the Torah. Each part of this book corresponds to one of the Five Books of Moses.”
She tells her story through one of the oldest stories, and each section reflects an aspect of this ancient text, weaving in more book titles and memories.
This book is a fascinating peek into another culture and the way a mother and book lover can blend contemporary with ancient, familiar with foreign, and imbues in her children a love of reading which she has carried all her life.

Ilana Kurshan’s Children of the Book is a thoughtful and heartwarming memoir that beautifully captures the way reading can bind a family together across generations and traditions. With honesty and warmth, she shares her journey from seeing books as a personal escape to embracing them as a shared experience with her five children, weaving in both secular classics and sacred texts. The parallels she draws between motherhood and the Five Books of Moses are especially moving, offering readers fresh insights into both parenting and literature. At times, the reflections can feel a little dense, but overall, this is an inspiring reminder of the power of stories to shape identity, spark independence, and deepen connection.

Unfortunately, the book did not grab my attention. It may be because I’m no longer raising young children.

Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for access to this title. All opinions expressed are my own.

Now, this was an interesting book.

Ilana Kurshan weaves the childhood books she reads with her five children into the first five books of the biblical narrative(Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy) and discusses the relatable teachings that can be found in both the sacred and secular.

The book moves at a fairly good pace. It is broken into five different sections( of course, the five books) and follows from those board book days to Ilana and her children reading full-fledged novels of various genres. Ilana is also good at incorporating relatable passages about the various struggles of motherhood. There are also some great topical conversations between her and her children, her husband, and her neighbours.


I have taken notes of a few passages that resonated with me. Please keep in mind they are from an advanced reader copy and may change slightly with the publication.


We all inherit parts of our story. Life is not a blank page for us to fill; that page is speckled and dotted by factors beyond our control, such as our parents, our birth order, and our health and resources. But ultimately it is up to us to decide how we will connect those dots. There are an infinite number of ways to draw those connections, but every constellation is unique. How will we choose to tell the story in which we star? (loc. 2887)

But even if a book doesn’t end in the death of a beloved character, the ending of the book means that it is time for us, as readers, to take our leave. When we come to the end of a book, sometimes it seems as if the author is pulling the curtain closed before we are ready. (3154)

I selected this title on a whim, and it turned out to be quite an enjoyable read.





Expected Publication Date 26/08/25
Goodreads Review Date 13/08/25

This is a unique memoir about a mother raising her four children in Jerusalem and how they include reading throughout their lives. It’s a very interesting and niche account. She points out many parallels between classic children’s literature to the Torah and her very personal interpretation of them (like comparing Wilbur from Charlotte’s Web to Moses from the Torah).

I think it gives a different and creative view of including and interpreting children’s literature to the Jewish culture. But that’s kind of it.

I don’t think I was the targeted audience.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

A memoir that parallels one family’s reading life with the yearly reading of Torah.

“Literature can illuminate vast oceanic depth: like the lantern we carry down that treacherous spira staircase into the unexplored chambers of our hearts.” P. 402

As a young mom, I found myself devouring Kurshan’s wisdom, gained through her own failures, triumphs, and reading. There is much to be gained through experiencing the life someone has already lived from the safety of a book. “A page in history is worth a volume of logic” Oliver Wendell Holmes Jr.

As I progressed, I wistfully recounted shared loved novels and marked down books that I had never heard of! This is truly a book for book worms who have a love of Torah and are either parents or will become parents.

Children of the Book is an ambitious novel that blends multiple timelines and historical threads into a tapestry of Jewish memory, resilience, and tradition. Ilana Kurshan clearly brings deep scholarship and literary insight to the project, and readers with a strong background in Jewish history or text study will likely appreciate the interwoven narratives and references.

That said, the book can feel dense and occasionally disjointed. With so many characters and timelines, it was sometimes hard to stay emotionally connected or fully invested in the individual stories. I found myself more intrigued by the idea of the novel than fully absorbed in the reading experience.

Still, there are moments of beauty and thoughtfulness here, and I admire what Kurshan set out to do. Worth reading if you're drawn to multi-layered historical fiction with a literary bent—but be prepared for a bit of a challenge.

This didn’t work for me. The writing felt so personal that it was almost like reading someone’s private diary, which made it hard to connect with as a general reader. While I can see how it might resonate deeply with Jewish readers who share the author’s cultural and religious references, as someone who isn’t Jewish, I felt like much of it was speaking to an audience I wasn’t part of.

Kurshan is clearly passionate about her subject matter, and there’s value in her perspective—but the book seems tailored to a very specific readership. Without that shared background, the emotional beats and spiritual insights didn’t land in a way that felt universal.

For me, it was less a broadly relatable memoir and more a deeply personal reflection.

Thank you, NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the ARC.

I love reading and have always carried an “emotional support book” with me wherever I go. As someone who read to her children as soon as they were born, propping them up on my knees so I could hold the book, the title of this book piqued my interest. Ilana Kurshan’s latest is a beautifully written memoir that took me much longer to read than it should have, partially because I just did not find the content that engaging. I appreciate that the author loves to read. I also struggled to balance my passion for reading with the responsibilities of parenting. However, there were times when the parenting had to come first, such as when my children were at the playground. I don’t think I was overprotective, but I certainly watched my children as they played to make sure they were safe. My eyes were not in my book, as the author has alluded to when she took her children to the playground. It felt like she was always anxious to get away from her children so she could read, sometimes expressing annoyance that she had other parental duties.

The description states that Children of the Book is “A luminous meditation on how shared stories become the foundation for family bonds. Children of the Book celebrates a life richly lived through literature.” That description is misleading to me. The book is structured in five parts corresponding to the five books of the Torah and much of the book links experiences to sections of the Torah, which sometimes felt forced.

There were certain revelations that spoke to me. I could relate to the author’s statement that her life’s story can be seen not just through the books she is reading, but also through ones she reads with her children and reencounters through their eyes. It is enjoyable to watch your childrens’ reactions as you read them some of your favorites. And when we read, our minds, and those of our children, have to supply the visual imagery after we have read enough to provide an image of a character or scene. Sometimes that might take a while to conjure that image, but it is worth the wait. The discussion on the stories that authors wrote about their lives that were not entirely true was also an important lesson. I particularly liked the section where Kurshan speaks about that fact that we all inherit parts of our story and how each of us can choose to tell the story in which we star. I personally have experienced that in discussions with my siblings, in which we each have different memories or perspectives on an event.

Overall, it was an interesting memoir told in a unique way. I think it might appeal more to people with younger children and/or people with more of an interest in connecting everyday experiences with religious teachings.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the free digital copy in exchange for the opportunity to express my own opinions.

I enjoyed this memoir but felt slightly mislead by the title. As the book went on, I felt like the focus was less on her experiences reading to her children and more on the author linking her life periods/books she read to Judaism and the Torah. Nothing wrong with that at all, but I'm not Jewish myself so I couldn't connect to those parts.

Two of my favorite quotes that I highlighted:

"The best way to raise your kids to become readers [...] is for them to see how you read to yourself all the time."

"The more we read together, the more I come to know my children. And the better I am at reading them."

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the advanced copy. Children of the Book hits shelves on August 26, 2025.

Having read other reviews of this book, I see reviewers stating that they aren't the target reader of this book. I think that I fall into that category as well. If I was in the midst of parenting I think I would have eagerly devoured this book. But I just found it to be too much and I got bogged down with it. It's the kind of book I wish I would have had many years ago.

Thank you to NetGalley for an advance copy of this book. It's truly meant for mothers.

The title of Ilana Kurshan's latest book piqued my interest. Although I am a Christian and the author is Jewish, both of our faiths have a mutual appreciation for the Torah (the first 5 books of the Old Testament Bible). Kurshan's book is divided into five sections that parallel the main ideas of Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy. I appreciated the author's intentionality of raising her children in the knowledge of her faith's sacred writing. This is a challenge that any person of faith could take to heart. And I love how she uses parallels of the Jewish people with beloved children's literature.

While Christian and Jewish people both honor the Torah, I had not realized how different the Rabbinic interpretation is from what I have learned within my own faith teaching. And while I may not have always been in agreement, the explanations were fascinating, and did offer an opportunity to learn more about Jewish tradition. Kurshan wove many personal stories of family life and the ups and downs of childhood growth throughout her book. And those experiences are universal to parents of any faith. I really enjoyed the candor and honesty the author shared when allowing readers a peek into her family's life.

Readers will learn not only about the Jewish faith, but also about life in Israel. In spite of the miles that may separate the author from my own life in America, I was surprised at how many titles the author shared with her children that mirrored the titles I read with my own. The author included a wonderful list of recommended books at the back, which provide an excellent resource for parents wanting to begin a tradition of reading aloud to their children.

The author's lament, "So much of the books we read at bedtime are about the fleetingness of time and the impossibility of holding on forever," reminded me of Karen Kingsbury's book, Let Me Hold You Longer. I love how the sharing of literature with our children is a gift that keeps on giving as you share a joint pool of memories and virtual experiences lived through story. My own life as a parent has been significantly marked by the books I read with my children. And by having an older set of children and a younger set, some books were read more than once. My kids are all adults now but still have fond memories of those days of being read to.

One little side note is that I loved how positively the author spoke of one of her friends who is an evangelical Christian. I loved learning about the connection these children from different faiths had formed. What a great model we can all learn from! Whether you are Jewish or not, whether you are a person of faith or not, Kurshan's book offers a beautiful glimpse into the life of her family and how reading enlightens, comforts, and draws families together.

Disclaimer: I received a free digital copy of Children of the Book from St. Martin's Press through NetGalley. No other compensation was received and the opinions expressed are mine alone.

Children of the Book by Ilana Kurshan is a heartfelt memoir that shines with warmth and wisdom. Kurshan, a mother of five in Jerusalem, beautifully captures how reading shapes family life—nurturing curiosity, deepening connection, and weaving love into everyday moments. I was deeply moved by her reflections on sharing books, from timeless classics to the Torah, and how these stories illuminate both parenthood and faith. As a Christian and a lifelong book lover, I found her insights into Jewish traditions inspiring and eye-opening. This luminous, tender book is a celebration of family, learning, and the transformative power of stories.

Thanks to Net Galley and St. Martin’s Press for an advance digital review copy. This is my honest review.

Ilana Kurshan reveals how literature weaves an invisible thread through the tapestry of family life. Kurshan, a mother of five living in Jerusalem, struggles to balance her passion for books with her responsibilities as a parent. Gradually she learns how to relate to reading not as a solitary pursuit and an escape from the messiness of life, but rather as a way of forging connection and teaching independence. Introducing her children to sacred and secular literature --- including the beloved classics of her childhood --- she becomes both a better mother and a more compassionate reader. Chief among the books Kurshan reads with her children is the Torah, whose ancient wisdom illuminates her family's path. Structured in five parts corresponding to the first five books of the Bible, this memoir traces the profound parallels between the biblical narrative and the daily rhythms of parenthood --- from the first picture books that create the world through language for little babies, to the bittersweet moment our children begin reading on their own, leaving us behind, atop the mountain, as they enter new lands without us. A luminous meditation on how shared stories become the foundation for family bonds,

Children of the Book by Ilana Kurshan was a beautifully written memoir.
An intriguing and fascinating read that was truly enjoyable.

A treasure for anyone interested in children's reading, this beautifully written memoir of a mother reading to her children captured my heart. It is a testament to the power of books to ground one's life and enhance understanding and awareness. The author, a mother of five living in Jerusalem, grounds her approach to reading in the Jewish tradition of reading and rereading the Torah. She arranges the book in sections under the headings "Genesis," "Exodus," "Leviticus," "Numbers," and "Deuteronomy," and roughly follows her children from their earliest to their later years. She shares my delight in many classic children's books, including The Very Hungry Caterpillar, James Marshall's George and Martha series, and the Viola Swamp books, as well as several by William Steig, and many other classic titles. She compares Wilbur in Charlotte's Web to Moses, both fated to die, but rescued to go on to greatness. She wrestles with the racism in Laura Ingalls Wilder's Little House Books, and the way that both Wilder and Sydney Taylor crafted their stories to present happier family lives than, as their biographers have pointed out, they actually lived. She then questions the way she is shaping her own telling of her family life in the book she is writing at this moment.
I learned enough about Judaism and life in contemporary Israel to make me want to learn more. When the book ended, I shared the author's tears over letting go of her children as they became increasingly independent, and also the sadness of finishing a good book. I've always felt that a really good book is one that, upon completion, I want to turn back to the beginning and start reading over again. The Jews reread the Torah every year because every reading gives new insights. I wanted to go back to the beginning of this book. The title Children of the Book echoes the identification of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam as religions of the book. Although not primarily intended as a guide for parents, a lovely list of all the books mentioned is included, and many parents will find companionship, inspiration, and guidance in these pages. I wish I'd had this book when I was a young parent deeply involved in reading with my children.

This was a great memoir. In many ways it parallels my reading journey with my children. She's Jewish and tied about of things from their reading into things going on within the Torah and things like that which was encouraging to see as a Mom who also tried to draw parallels from our reading to how we should behave, respond, etc. I loved how it took me through the stages of mothering while sharing a love of reading with the children, beginning with just sitting on the floor reading picture books to them even if it's the same one over and over again to reading longer books aloud, to them asking for recommendations and realizing their own book likes and dislikes, to no longer needing recommendations but wanting to read to Mom and share what their excited about in their books. ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️ A great and encouraging read as a Mom who still loves hearing one more chapter from even the 12 yr old during our read aloud times.

I received an advance copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.

Thank you to the author, publisher and Net Galley for providing an ARC of this title in exchange of my review.

This is a very specific book, but what an amazing book! The Jewish people are the focus and star of this book, with the author providing a memoir of their family's reading life, but also Old Testament stories throughout the story.

This is an inspirational book of a family dedicated to reading. I do remember, many years ago, hearing that it is a good practice to read to the baby in utero, and did that with my children, including reading to them after birth as well, but I've never heard of anyone else doing so! Glad to know I'm not alone with that idea.

As someone who was raised Christian, I found this book enjoyable and informative on many different levels. It's a beautiful story of a family and really well crafted.

4 stars.