New Book Helps to Foster Human Values in Children Tuesday, Oct 16 2007
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Parents, teachers and librarians concerned with character development will find this new book an ideal resource.
New York, NY (November 5, 2007)—“Where can I find a book that teaches the importance of forgiveness?” Such a question may well cause a librarian to hesitate. History, science, the arts: these subjects have all benefited from numerous reference materials, but what of the moral qualities and human values embraced by many of the world’s cultures and religions? To answer this question Linda Silver has developed The Jewish Values Finder, to be published by Neal-Schuman on January 21, 2008. Written in cooperation with the Association of Jewish Libraries, Silver’s guide analyzes nearly 1,000 carefully selected children’s books to identify their relevant use in the teaching of ethics and values.
“After years of reading, it strikes me that virtually all Western literature—for children as well as for adults—is essentially about values: living a decent life, being true to oneself, being part of something that transcends the individual,” Silver said. “It seemed that the time had come for a resource that brought the books that express these values to the attention of Jewish—and non-Jewish—professionals and parents.”
The Jewish Values Finder is an outgrowth of Silver’s extensive online database “The New Jewish Valuesfinder,” a project of the Association of Jewish Libraries. The book is divided into chapters based on subject matter, such as “Learning and Wisdom” or “Self Worth” and organizes content within each chapter by appropriate age range: preschool, primary, elementary, middle school and high school. Each book entry includes annotations that highlight which values are emphasized in the story.
“Children’s books make excellent vehicles for transferring values,” said Heidi Estrin, host of The Book of Life podcast and past chair of the Sydney Taylor Book Award Committee for Jewish Children’s Literature. “The Jewish Values Finder is an invaluable tool to help kids and caregivers connect with books on a deeper level.”
About the Author
Linda R, Silver is a specialist in Jewish children’s literature, the author of several publications and many articles and book reviews, a frequent speaker at conferences, and a teacher at workshops. She has a degree in library science from Case-Western Reserve University and worked in public, school, synagogue and special libraries before retiring in 2006. As a public librarian, she served on the Board of Directors of the ALA’s Association for Library Service to Children (ALSC) and as a member of the Newbery-Caldecott Committee, as well as on many other ALSC committees. In 2004, Linda received the AJLs Fanny Goldstein Merit Award in recognition of her contributions to the Association and to the profession of Judaic librarianship.
