TYODXp Ml 2'R pyvRy wa Ay Ip yw 4 NOAH COTSEN LIBRARY OF YIDDISH CHILDREN’S LITERATURE
STEVEN SPIELBERG DIGITAL YIDDISH LIBRARY
ANNOTATED BIBLIOGRAPHY
The Noah Cotsen Library of Yiddish Children’s Literature
from the Collections of the YIVO Institute and the National Yiddish Book Center
*
NATIONAL YIDDISH BOOK CENTER AMHERST, MASSACHUSETTS
© 2003 NATIONAL YIDDISH BOOK CENTER
CONTRIBUTING EDITOR: NEIL ZAGORIN
EDITOR: CATHERINE MADSEN
MAJOR FUNDING FOR THE STEVEN SPIELBERG DIGITAL YIDDISH LIBRARY WAS PROVIDED BY: Lloyd E. Cotsen Trust Arie & Ida Crown Memorial The Seymour Grubman Family David and Barbara B. Hirschorn Foundation Max Palevsky Robert Price Righteous Persons Foundation Leif D. Rosenblatt Sarah and Ben Torchinsky Harry and Jeanette Weinberg Foundation AND MEMBERS AND FRIENDS OF THE National Yiddish Book Center
The goldene pave, or golden peacock, is a traditional symbol of Yiddish creativity. The inspiration for our colophon comes from a design by the noted artist Yechiel Hadani of Jerusalem, Israel.
COVER DESIGN BY PAUL BACON
BOOK DESIGN BY BETSEY WOLFSON
THIS BOOK MEETS A.N.S.I. STANDARDS FOR PAPER PERMANENCE AND LIBRARY BINDING.
PRINTED IN THE U.S.A.
ANNOTATED BIBLIOGRAPHY
The Noah Cotsen Library of Yiddish Children’s Literature
from the Collections of the YIVO Institute and the National Yiddish Book Center
ie THE THOUSAND-YEAR HISTORY OF THE YIDDISH LANGUAGE, and the five-hundred-year history of its literature, Yiddish children’s literature is notable for the brevity — about forty years — of the period in which it flourished. The genre began in the first decades of the 20th century with adaptations from the classic Yiddish writers; by the 1920s and ’30s it was a fully developed literature for young readers of Yiddish in Eastern Europe, the Soviet Union, and the United States. It par- allels other children’s literatures of the period in its interest in natural history, explo- ration, and international folklore; it differs from them in being more often overtly political. The authors of these books were for the most part secular, frequently socialist, and always members of a culture aware of poverty and injustice both through personal experience and through ancient religious imperative.
In Eastern Europe the Holocaust destroyed the centers of Yiddish publishing and their inhabitants, including a million children. In the United States the pressures of assimilation caused a rapid decline in the use of Yiddish. In Israel the ascendancy of Hebrew all but eclipsed Yiddish as a literary language. Recent children’s books pub- lished in Yiddish (apart from works of Orthodox religious instruction) have been reprints of earlier works or translations of classics from other languages.
This volume describes a comprehensive digital collection of Yiddish children’s lit- erature, reproduced chiefly from titles held on microfiche by the YIVO Institute for Jewish Research and supplemented by titles in the collection of the National Yiddish Book Center. Nearly all the books are long out of print and most are quite rare. The release of this collection makes Yiddish children’s literature generally available for the first time since the outbreak of the Second World War, and in most cases more available than it was in its original printings.
Each book on the list is available as an on-demand facsimile reprint through the Steven Spielberg Digital Yiddish Library, a project of the National Yiddish Book Center. All reprints are on acid-free paper and are paperbound.
The National Yiddish Book Center will continue to add to the Cotsen collection as books become available.
Neil Zagorin Bibliographer
413 256-4900 x196 3
USING THIS BOOK:
Books are listed alphabetically by author; anthologies and books without identi- fied authors are listed alphabetically by title at the head of the list. In addition to standard bibliographic information and descriptive annotation, a recommenda- tion for reading level is made for each book.
Books may be ordered by credit card from the website of the National Yiddish Book Center, www.yiddishbooks.org. For institutional orders, please contact the Book Center at orders@bikher.org or (413) 256-4900 x196. Price is $29.00 per volume plus shipping and handling. Members of the Book Center receive a 25% discount (membership is not available to institutions).
OUR SINCERE THANKS to the following volunteers who, under the direction of Neil Zagorin, painstakingly created the annotations:
Michael H. Baker Dora Rytman Barry Goldstein Stanley Scheindlin James L. Kapplin Ray Shapero
Ben Kayfetz Joseph Singer Irving Massey Mark Smith
Funding for the project was generously provided by Lloyd E. Cotsen, whose commit- ment to children’s literature has been profound and wide-ranging.
PQ 8 —~Y
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Anthologies
Antologye fun der yidisher literatur far yugnt New York: 1974-1976 2 volumes May be suitable for advanced These are the ultimate collections of poetry and prose for mitlshul, high school, college and adult education. Selections are drawn from dozens of Yiddish writers, ranging from classic to modern. Volume 1 is more thematic, with portions on Sabbath and holidays, Zion, nature, folktales, and parables, as well as specific authors. Volume 2 is more literary and is organized by author, but also contains a section on Holocaust and Israel. Some pieces are slightly simplified, and Volume 1 contains a useful glossary. Manger’s “Dos Lid fun der Goldener Pave” from Volume 1 appears in an improved version in Volume 2. Both volumes (especially 2) are also galleries of Jewish painting, drawing, and sculpture.
Dimentn far ale: mesholim
Warsaw: Shul-oysgabn, 1951
11 pages.
Edited by L. Olitsky
May be suitable for intermediate Aesop’s Fables, followed by excerpts of classical writings, poetry, and drama, with illustrations of the authors.
Ershter May
New York: 1931
16 pages.
May be suitable for intermediate, advanced
A brief anthology of prose and poetry cele-
brating the first of May. Authors include A.
Meisel, B. Mozer, and L. Kvitko.
Fayvele barimer
Warsaw: 1921
31 pages.
May be suitable for intermediate A one-act play with four parts.
Feygelakh
Kiev: 1921
30 pages.
Edited by David Roykhel
Translated by David Roykhel
May be suitable for intermediate
A poem and three prose pieces about birds, translated and adapted.
Dos goldene fishele/
Der keml mit’n horb Warsaw: 1914 18 pages. Translated by D. K. May be suitable for intermediate Two stories, the first by Pushkin, the second Kipling’s “How the Camel Got His Hump.” The print is light and hard to read in some places.
Idish: khrestomatye farn dritn un fertn lern-yor New York: Max N. Mayzel, 1925 192 pages. Edited by B. Ostrowsky and S. Hurwitz May be suitable for intermediate, advanced A school primer for grades 3 and 4. It includes prose and poetry by noted Yiddish writers, including An-Sky, Peretz, Sholem Aleichem, Asch, and many others. The poems and stories are arranged by topics such as: America, winter, Khanike, Shabes, Shavues, Tishebov, Purim, work, fall, and the High Holidays. While the text does not bear an ideological stamp, it was intended for children of the working class.
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In der shlislburger tfise: Khaym Greshkovitsh Vilna: 1924 8 pages. Translated by Malkah Chaimson May be suitable for intermediate, advanced The story of Hayim Greshkovitsh, the son of a poor working family, who was executed in 1905 for his participation in armed rebellion.
In ergets-land
Buenos Aires: 1949
32 pages.
Edited by Jaime Finkielsztejn
May be suitable for intermediate
A short anthology of prose and poetry about labor and work. Authors include Mani Leib, I. L. Peretz, Sholem Aleichem, and Eliezer Steinbarg.
Khumesh far kinder
New York: Matones, 1960
268 pages.
Edited by Yudel Mark
Translated by Yehoash
May be suitable for intermediate
I. L. Peretz felt that modern Jews should know Tanakh through translation into modern Yiddish. The poet Yehoash pro- vided this, capturing the style and flavor of biblical Hebrew. The Workmen’s Circle later abridged this literary masterpiece into a volume for children that recounts narrative portions of the Pentateuch, dividing roughly into three sections: 1) from Creation to the three Patriarchs; 2) from Joseph to the Exodus; 3) from the Jews at Mount Sinai to Moses’s last testa- ment and death. The text is quite acces- sible, and difficult in only occasional pas- sages. There is a glossary of difficult Yiddish and Hebrew/ Aramic terms explained in Yiddish and occasionally English. Translations and pronunciations are not given for Hebrew names.
Kinder fun der velt
Vilna: 1940
Two volumes in one.
May be suitable for intermediate, advanced
An anthology of prose and poetry about
children. Two volumes bound together.
Authors include Morris Rosenfeld, David
Bergelson, Alexei Tolstoy, Morris
Winchevsky, H. Leivick, Jack London,
Zishe Weinper, and Halina Gurska.
Kinder heldn
Buenos Aires: 1953
46 pages.
May be suitable for intermediate, advanced
A collection of prose, poetry, and song
(including music) about children who
resist the Nazis.
Kinder vos arbetn
Buenos Aires: 1946
7 pages.
May be suitable for intermediate
Two very short stories and a poem about working youth. Contents: “Fabiansito un hershele,” by Shmuel Piert; “Dos beker- yingl,” by Abraham Reisen; “In fabrik,” by Nokhem Yud.
Lakhblimele
Warsaw: 1921
22 pages.
May be suitable for beginner
A one-act play with seven parts. Poor Khayiml is sick in bed. But the other chil- dren go out into the woods, and one of them picks a wonderful flower that her bobe told her makes people feel better. Indeed, the children bring Khayiml the flower, and he is soon on his feet!
Dos lebedike vort: leyenbukh far dem dritn lernyor
New York: Arbeter Ring, 1954
256 pages.
May be suitable for intermediate
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This anthology of literature was intended for use in the third year of Yiddish school. It includes prose and poetry by many noted Yiddish and Hebrew writers, including Avrom Reisen, Moshe Broderson, Mani Leib, and S. Y. Agnon. The pieces are arranged by topic, such as “Children,” “Holiday Tales,” “Our School,” “America, “Work,” and “Israel.” The anthology has a good glossary, along with short lists of new or difficult vocabulary at the end of each piece.
Mayselekh
Winnipeg: 19-
40 pages.
May be suitable for intermediate
A collection of short stories in simple prose, intended for native speakers of
six to seven years, including a Yiddish ver- sion of “Goldilocks and the Three Bears.”
Mayselekh far kinder
Mexico: 1945
111 pages.
May be suitable for intermediate
A collection of short stories and poetry. Some of the poetry is intended to be sung, though music is not included. Authors of the various pieces are not identified.
Mayselekh fun farsheydene felker Mexico: 1961
47 pages.
May be suitable for intermediate Stories of people and life in many different places, including Australia, Japan, India, and “Arabia.”
A naye hagode shel Peysekh Philadelphia: 1948
50 pages.
May be suitable for advanced
A Yiddish haggadah developed by the Workmen’s Circle that makes extensive use of Yiddish literature and song. Includes musical notation for a number of songs.
Dos naye vort
New York: Pinkhes Gingold, 1954
316 pages.
May be suitable for beginner, intermediate
An anthology of short pieces on Eastern
European shtetl life; American Jewish life;
life in Israel; holidays; and similar themes,
geared to elementary and middle school
students in the Yiddish schools. Authors
range chronologically from Sholem
Aleichem, Peretz, and Mendele to Kadye
Molodovsky and Avrohom Sutzkever.
Purim
New York: 1919
8 pages.
May be suitable for intermediate, advanced
A number of the bimonthly Mayn
idisher oytser dedicated to Purim and
containing three short prose pieces
and one short poem.
Roythitele
Warsaw: 1921
27 pages.
May be suitable for intermediate The story of Little Red Riding Hood, told in a two-act play.
Sholem Aleykhem
Vilna: Naye Yidishe folksshul, 1924
8 pages.
May be suitable for intermediate, advanced
A brief anthology on Sholem Aleichem,
containing his will, his own description
of his childhood, memoirs by Dr. M.
Koyfman, and a piece on Sholem
Aleichem’s funeral by Y. Berkovitsh.
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Sindbad der yamforer
Kiev: 1937
78 pages.
Translated by L. Reznik
May be suitable for intermediate, advanced
A Yiddish translation of Sindbad the
Sailor tales.
Der tunel Eyrope-Amerike/
Oyfn 35-tn shtok Vilna: Naye Yidishe folksshul, 1931 16 pages. May be suitable for advanced Two stories, the first by Bernhard Kellerman, the second by D. Newcomb. “Der tunel Eyrope-Amerike” is an imagina- tive fantasy about the construction of a transatlantic tunnel. “Oyfn 35-tn shtok” is about the construction of a skyscraper.
Vaysrusishe folksmayses
Berlin: Idisher sektsye bam Komisaryat far folkbildung, 1923
98 pages.
Translated by Leib Kvitko
Illustrated by El Lissitsky
May be suitable for beginner, intermediate
Ten Belorussian folktales, translated
into Yiddish.
Vi hoben mentshn gelebt mit
eynike yor tsurik/Ertsehlungen
vegen vilde menshen Warsaw: 1898 63 pages. Translated by Yechezkel Kotik
and A. Bresler May be suitable for advanced Two books bound together. The first was written by Pavlovitsh and examines the nature of life in the primitive past. The second was written by Krabatshevski and contains tales of “primitive” peoples. The print is light and difficult to read on some pages.
Dos vilde kleynvarg
Kiev: 1936
184 pages.
Illustrated by Vasilii Alekseevich Vatagin
May be suitable for intermediate, advanced
Six stories about animals, translated into
Yiddish: “Tserisn-oyerl,” by Ernest
Thompson Seton; “Berdyagins eynikl,” by
O. Perovskaya; “Gefunener,” by Charles
Roberts; “Der geshtreyflter ergeni,” by G.
Lovstsov; “Khaus,” by Nikolai
Nikolaievich Plavilshchikov;
and “Pits! un behemotl,” by A. Pinar.
Yaponishe mayselekh
Bialystok: 192—
91 pages.
Edited by P. Kaplan
Translated by M. Rakovski
May be suitable for intermediate
A collection of Japanese folktales. The print is light and difficult to read in some passages.
Zamlung fun pyonerishe dersteylungen
Minsk: 1927
85 pages.
Edited by Notke Vainhoiz
Illustrated by G. Zmudzinski
May be suitable for intermediate, advanced
Stirring tales of heroic struggle, often at
mortal risk, for the freedom of the people.
The stories are by several authors and are
set in various periods in Russian history, as
well as in the Paris Commune. Lenin fig-
ures prominently in several of the pieces.
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Abelson, Ab.
Nit haynt un nit amol: mayselekh New Haven: 1938
59 pages.
Illustrated by Eva Getzov
May be suitable for intermediate Rhymed verse.
A collection of poems about animals, plants, and children.
Alberton, M.
Shakhte “bis”
Minsk: 1932
44 pages.
Abridged and adapted by Y. R. and V. S.
May be suitable for intermediate, advanced
A novel about coal mining.
Aleksandrova, E. V.
A mayse mit dray tsigelekh
Minsk: 1929
17 pages.
Edited and adapted by E. Aleksandrova and T. Bensman
Illustrated by A. Miltshin
May be suitable for intermediate
Five very short stories involving chil-
dren. In “Freydele kvoktukhe,” Freydele’s
hen hatches her eggs. “Moyshele,” a tod-
dler, sits on the floor and makes a mess
of everything in the pantry. In “A mayse
mit dray tsigelekh,” a young boy loses his
kids in the field, but eventually reunites
with them. “Yosls tsigele” is Yosl’s pride
and joy, and when he takes baby sister
Taybele out of her cradle to show her the
kid, he catches it from Mother. In “A
gruzovik,” strong young Khayiml helps
pull a stranded truck back onto the road.
Aleksandrova, E. V. Di shneyers Minsk: 1929 24 pages. Edited and adapted by E. Aleksandrova and T. Bensman. Illustrated by A. Miltshin May be suitable for intermediate Five very short stories involving birds. In “Di shneyers,” Mother and Father Bird build a nest in a birch, unaware that there lives a marauding cat against which they must eventually defend their young. In “Shvimer,” the chicks wish they could swim like the ducklings, and when a flood strands the chicks afloat in a pan, the chicks brag of their newfound maritime prowess. In “A modne hindele,” Mother has young Rokhele collect eggs from the roost and set the hen on them to hatch. Rokhele puts one strange green egg, which she finds on the way, among the clutch, and when the chicks hatch, the one from the green egg is certainly a very strange chick. Oh — it’s a duckling. In “Shperele,” a young jokester switches eggs between two bird nests, and Mother Bird is bemused when one of her young is different. When the youngster can fly, he flies away and looks in many places before finding his own kind. In “Hungerike foygelekh,” clever and good- hearted children figure out how to provide for hungry neighborhood birds during wintertime.
Amicis, Edmondo De
Dos harts
Warsaw: H. Bzshoza, 1927
52 pages.
Edited by Sh. Mendlson
Translated by Shelomoh Shaynberg
May be suitable for intermediate, advanced
A translation of Cuore, a tale of a
schoolboy in Italy, newly independent
after many years of strife.
413-256-4900 x196 * 9
Amicis, Edmondo De
A meydele, vos hot geratevet a tsug Vilna: 19-
15 pages.
Translated by Daniel Charney
May be suitable for intermediate Young Franye’s father is a switchman on the train line, but when he falls ill, Franye’s the one who signals the trains. One terrible day, when the bridge collapses, Franye prevents a tragedy.
Amosoy, S.
Tankes in shlakht
Minsk: 1932
84 pages.
Translated by Bliacher
May be suitable for advanced
The history and nature of tank warfare, illustrated with examples from real battles. Though not a technical manual, the text does seem intended to convey the rudi- ments of this type of warfare to high school age students and to impress them with the spirit and heroism of the Red Army.
Andersen, Hans Christian
Der fliendiker kufert
Vilna: 1931
27 pages.
Translated by Zalman Rejzen
May be suitable for intermediate
A translation of “The Flying Trunk.”
A merchant's son uses a magical flying trunk to fly to Turkey. There he falls in love with a beautiful princess and must devise a satis- factory tale to win her hand in marriage.
Andersen, Hans Christian
Der groyser kloys un der kleyner kloys/Di grike/Der leyn
Warsaw: Kultur-lige, 1921
31 pages.
Translated by Der Nister
May be suitable for intermediate, advanced
Translations of the Andersen tales “Little
Claus and Big Claus,” “The Buckwheat,” and
“The Flax.” In “Little Claus and Big Claus,” Little Claus outwits his neighbor Big Claus, making his fortune and vanquishing his rival in the process. “The Buckwheat” is an explanatory tale that tells the reason that buckwheat appears burned after a fire: it haughtily refused to bend like the other flowers in the face of a lightning storm. “The Flax” tells the life cycle of flax as it goes from growing as a beautiful plant to being harvested and spun into linen, sewn into undergarments, made into paper, and finally burned for warmth, all the time thinking of the fern’s admonition, “Snip, snap, snurre, Basse lure: The song is ended.”
Andersen, Hans Christian
Dos heslikh katsherl/Di margaritke Warsaw: 1921
24 pages.
Translated by Der Nister
May be suitable for advanced Translations of the Andersen tales “The Ugly Duckling” and “The Daisy.” In “The Ugly Duckling” a mother duck hatches a new brood of ducklings, one of which is much more ugly than the rest. Everyone torments the ugly duckling for the way
he looks, until one day he finds he has become a beautiful swan. In “The Daisy,” an inconspicuous daisy is honored to have a lark sing to it, instead of to the nearby tulips and peonies. But two boys capture the lark and put it in a cage with the daisy where they are forgotten and left to perish.
Andersen, Hans Christian
A maysele/Anale
Lvov: 19-
24 pages.
Translated by Bentsien Mozer
May be suitable for advanced Translations of the Andersen tales
“A Story” and “Anne Lisbeth.”
In “A Story,’ on a delightful Sunday morning, a local town pastor speaks only of the wickedness of mankind. That night, his wife asks him why he does not
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rejoice in the beauty of the world. A few months later his wife dies, but appears to the pastor in a dream to show that a little goodness is inherent in everyone. “Anne Lisbeth” is a pretty young woman who sends her own son to poor foster parents and instead mothers a wealthy count’s child. She loses touch with her real son, who leads a difficult life and drowns in a shipwreck. His spirit then visits Anne, who repents for her transgressions.
Andersen, Hans Christian
Mayselekh
Kiev: 1940
137 pages.
Translated by Itsik Kipnis
Illustrated by V. Litvinenko
May be suitable for intermediate, advanced
Eleven of Andersen’s tales, translated
into intermediate Yiddish.
Andersen, Hans Christian
Dem melekhs naye kleyd
Kiev: 1919
36 pages.
Translated by Der Nister
May be suitable for intermediate
Several Andersen tales. The print is light and difficult to read in several passages.
Andersen, Hans Christian
Ole-luk-oye
Warsaw: 1921
19 pages.
Translated by Der Nister
May be suitable for intermediate
A translation of “Ole-Luk-Oie, the Dream-God.” Ole-Luk-Oie is a story- teller who visits the young children and only tells his stories when the kids are
asleep. The Dream God visits one partic-
ular child, Hjalmar, every night for one week. This is a compilation of the seven stories that are told to the child on the seven different nights.
Andersen, Hans Christian
Di Shney-malke
Mexico: 1955
61 pages.
Translated by Der Nister
May be suitable for intermediate, advanced
A translation of “The Snow Queen.” This
is a riveting tale of the evils performed by
a demon. He creates a mirror and all
images reflected in it appear bad. This
mirror breaks into many different pieces
and spreads throughout the world. Little
shards of glass penetrate the hearts and
eyes of humans. These are seven stories of
the journeys of two children and their
relationship with the Snow Queen.
Andreev, Leonid
A hunt/Petka af zumer-voynung Warsaw: 1920
39 pages.
Translated by David Hofstein May be suitable for intermediate Two short stories.
Andriienko, Ivan
In nayem veg
Kharkov: 1932
121 pages.
Translated by David Hofsteyn
May be suitable for intermediate, advanced
Twelve short stories that illustrate aspects
of the new life in the Soviet Union.
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Arnstein, Marc Dem zeydns matone:
a komedye in eyn akt Vilna: Naye Yidishe folksshul, 1931 20 pages. May be suitable for intermediate This is a children’s comedy, a play in one act, which takes place in the children’s room of a well-to-do Jewish home. Four children, ages seven through eleven, are the players. One boy thinks he sees a ghost who stole their grandfather’s fiddle, they scare each other, and then help each other overcome their fears.
Arser’ev, Vladimir Klavdievich
In der tayge (usuryer kant)
Kiev: 1930
151 pages.
Translated by B. Rabinovitsh
May be suitable for advanced
A collection of writing by the famed explorer of the Soviet Far East, including some of the material about Arsen’ev’s rela- tionship with the Goldi trapper Dursu.
Asanov, N.
Domne
Kiev: 1932
11 pages.
May be suitable for intermediate
The story of iron and an iron foundry is told through poetry and prose.
Asch, Sholem
Der 1-ter May
Vilna: 1930
7 pages.
May be suitable for advanced
A short story about the doings in a small town around the first of May, when the czarist forces confront the opposition.
Asch, Sholem
Ash far yugnt
Warsaw: Kultur-lige, 1924 265 pages.
May be suitable for advanced
This collection of 19 legends is set in mythical ancient times in the holy land and environs. The first is about a rich man who is generous and blessed, but who turns a poor man who comes to him over to a servant because he finds his appear- ance and smell offensive. He suddenly finds a reversal of fortune and becomes like that beggar, himself turned over to a servant, and finally understands the justice of his reversal.
Asch, Sholem
Eli un Shmuel
Warsaw: 1924
16 pages.
May be suitable for intermediate Asch’s retelling of a story from Tanakh.
Asch, Sholem
Di farfleytsung
Vilna: 1929
13 pages.
May be suitable for advanced
An excerpt from Asch’s Kishefmakherin fun kastilyen.
Asch, Sholem
Khurbn Yerusholayim
Warsaw: 1924
51 pages.
May be suitable for intermediate, advanced
The story of the destruction of Jerusalem,
told in four chapters, with Jeremiah as the
central figure.
Asch, Sholem
Mayselekh fun khumesh far kinder
Vilna: Kletzkin, 1913
143 pages.
May be suitable for intermediate, advanced
Tales from the Bible, from Adam and Eve
to the death of Jacob.
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Asch, Sholem
Onkl Mozes
New York: Arbeter-Ring, 1940
240 pages.
Edited by Yudl Mark
May be suitable for intermediate, advanced
Sholem Asch’s novel, abridged for
children. A glossary of difficult
vocabulary is included.
Asch, Sholem
Der oremer un raykher
Warsaw: 1930
14 pages.
May be suitable for advanced
A wealthy and pious gentleman in ancient Jerusalem, noted for his generosity, invites God’s punishment upon him for receiving an unkempt beggar at arm’s length. After losing his child and fortune, and becoming a wandering beggar himself, the gentleman of Jerusalem learns the meaning of God’s wisdom after being received at arm’s length by a wealthy benefactor.
Asch, Sholem
Yosele
Warsaw: 1918
27 pages.
May be suitable for intermediate, advanced
A short story set against the backdrop of
immigration to New York.
Asch, Sholem
Yosele
Warsaw: 1926
28 pages.
May be suitable for intermediate, advanced
A short story set against a backdrop of
immigration to New York.
Auerbach, Ephraim
Dray rizn
New York: Bildungs-komitet fun Arbeter Ring, 1937
64 pages.
Illustrated by Emanuel Romano
May be suitable for intermediate
A wondrous tale involving the Leviathan and Shor-haboar from Jewish legend.
Auerbach, Ephraim
Far groys un kleyn
New York: Hebrew Publishing Company, 1921
256 pages.
May be suitable for intermediate
Bible stories, followed by popular legends.
Many illustrations — mostly woodcuts.
Avenaryus, V. P.
Vos der tsimer dertseylt
Bialystok: 1921
29 pages.
Translated by Menuhah Rabinovitsh May be suitable for advanced
A short story by Vasilii Petrovich Avenarius (1839-1923).
B
Bagish, Zishe
In kinderland
Warsaw: Kinderfraynd, 1938
16 pages.
Illustrated by Sh. Lisovski
May be suitable for beginner
Short, simple rhymed poems on whimsical topics, such as rain, spring, and counting.
Bailin, Israel Ber
Ferdinand Lasal
New York: 1926
45 pages.
May be suitable for intermediate The life story of an important labor leader.
413-256-4900 x196 + 13
Bailin, Israel Ber
Karl Marks
New York: 192-
32 pages.
May be suitable for intermediate, advanced
A biography of Marx for young people.
Barkan, H.
Amol iz geven
New York: 1942
63 pages.
May be suitable for intermediate A collection of short, folksy tales.
Barkan, H.
Kinder: mayses
New York: Arbeter-Ring, 1951
48 pages.
May be suitable for intermediate
Short stories in very simple prose
that should be manageable for newer students of Yiddish. Story themes concern children at home and play, and several have to do with Jewish holidays.
Barkan, Sara
Gutfriling
New York: Signal, 1936
126 pages.
May be suitable for intermediate Poems and short stories. The poems are metered, rhymed, and easy to read. Themes include the joys of seasons, children at play, and working-class children. The stories concern the adventures and activities of children.
Barta, Sandor
Briderlekh
Minsk: 1935
14 pages.
Translated by Kamanetsky
Illustrated by A. Zakharov
May be suitable for intermediate
A rhymed poem that is a “revolutionary” pseudo-lullaby. It describes children of dif- ferent colors in different parts of the world
and how their parents reassure and sing to them. The central figure is a child of workers who have struggled to build a good society: some day this young child will grow up to struggle on behalf of all his brothers every- where. Some of the illustrations are dark.
Barta, Sandor
Nu, a gutn, ikh gey avek
Vilna: 1938
6 pages.
Translated by S. Bastomsky
May be suitable for intermediate
A play that intends to show the pitfalls of lazy and careless behavior. The lead character is a little boy, a “shlumper,” who’s careless about absolutely everything. He doesn’t mind at all, until his carelessness leads to his own disappointment, and the scorn of others, during the staging of a play.
Barta, Sandor
A yingele farkert
Minsk: 1935
19 pages.
Translated by M. Lifshits
May be suitable for intermediate Four short rhymed poems.
Basile, Giambattista
Vunder mayses
New York: Matones, 1945
135 pages.
Edited by Isaac Horowitz
Translated by Isaac Horowitz
May be suitable for intermediate, advanced
Adaptations of selected tales from
II Pentamerone, by a 17th-century
Neapolitan writer.
Bass, Hyman B.
Arbets-bukh far yidisher geshikhte
New York: M. N. Mayzel, 1931
96 pages.
May be suitable for intermediate, advanced
14 + www.yiddishbookcenter.org
A workbook for teaching Jewish history. Bassein, Leon
Mayselekh
Vilna: 1928
2v.in 1.
May be suitable for intermediate
Two tales about the foolish little boy Lemekh Nar. In “Lemekh geyt zikh glitshn,” Lemekh sees a man putting ash on the icy walk so people won’t slip, so he himself brings ash to the pond so he won't slip and fall when he skates. In “Lemekh geyt zikh lernen,” Lemekh tarries at home until he sees on the clock that he’ll be late to school — so he brings the clock with him to show the teacher that he’s late because his clock is late.
Bassein, Leon
Mayselekh
Vilna: 1931
16 pages.
May be suitable for beginner
Two short humorous stories. In
“Vi Lemekh halt gelt,” the foolish little boy Lemekh promises not to lose the cash his mother gives him to go buy things at the store. He walks down the street with the money displayed in his open hand, so that he won’t lose it or forget that he has it. He meets a swindler who gets the best of him. In “Pintl un zayn hintl,” Pintl’s dog Hintl always goes everywhere with him. One day, Pintl has to take a long trip by car. Hintl tries to follow him, but can’t. Hintl searches everywhere for Pintl, checking back at the house, and at the car stop, until finally he is on hand to greet Pintl
when Pintl returns from his trip.
Bastomski, Solomon
Di emese kale
Vilna: 1920
15 pages.
May be suitable for intermediate
An adaptation from the Brothers Grimm. A beautiful maiden is set to impossible tasks by her evil stepmother
and rescued with magical assistance. The maiden then lives in a beautiful palace and is betrothed to a handsome prince — who vanishes on her. The beautiful maiden wanders the world seeking her beloved, and in the end, after a series of missed opportunities, she and her intended find each other.
Bastomski, Solomon
Friling kumt
Vilna: 1921
22 pages.
May be suitable for advanced
The book is a two-act play about spring with butterflies, nature, songs, and dances.
Bastomski, Solomon
Der keyser un der tsadik
Vilna: Naye Yidishe folksshul, 1922
13 pages.
May be suitable for intermediate
In this story, a kaiser has a dream about something horrible that will happen to him. The only one who can save him is someone who was born in the same year, same month, and same day as he. When he wakes up he sends out messengers to find such a person. He is eventually found in a small village, and he is a famous tsadik. The story goes on to describe how this tsadik saves the kaiser’s life.
Bebit, E. K.
Mayselekh fun vaytn Indyen
Moscow: 1919
39 pages.
May be suitable for intermediate
Tales of beasts and villagers. In the tales involving animals, the animals think and talk.
413-256-4900 x196 * 15
Ben Aryeh Loeb, Hayyim Abraham Gedules Yosef
Vilna: 1908/9
40 pages.
May be suitable for intermediate
A number of biblical stories are told about Joseph and the great disputes he had with his brothers. Many parables are also found here. The book is written using old orthog- raphy, and includes Torah Hebrew expres- sions within the biblical stories of Joseph.
Berkovitsh, L.
Kleynvelt
Los Angeles: 1934
119 pages.
May be suitable for intermediate, advanced
Rhymed verse, most of which was originally
published in the newspaper Frayhayt. A few
of the poems have what the author describes
as “proletarian” themes, but most of the
poems are about children, nature, animals,
and other typical children’s-poetry topics.
Bialostotsky, B. Y.
Binele
New York: Kinder Ring, 1940
96 pages.
May be suitable for intermediate
Young Binele wanders from his home and experiences fantastic adventures before returning. He encounters a wise old man, a bear, and even supernatural spirits!
Biber, Israel
Friling in vald
Warsaw: Kinderfraynd, 1937
46 pages.
May be suitable for intermediate, advanced
This is a 1937 children’s book about a
“sanatorium,” which is actually a nature
camp for Jewish children. They came from
various towns around Warsaw. The camp
was sponsored by the Jewish Labor
Movement. The story details the activities
of the children, teaching them about
nature, what various birds and animals are called, their activities, etc.
Biber, Israel
Vinter in vald
Warsaw: Kinder-fraynd, 1937
62 pages.
May be suitable for intermediate, advanced
This is a 1937 children’s book about a
“sanatorium” in the winter, similar to
the one published for spring, at the same
nature camp for Jewish children. The story
details the children’s activities, teaching
them the names of birds and animals, and
what the creatures (like the fox and the
weasel) are like, with actual examples of the
fox in the chicken coop(!) and how carrier
pigeons are trained to carry messages.
Bloshtein, Hirsh
Kinder fun eyn klas
Kiev: 1935
85 pages.
May be suitable for advanced Eight stories of children’s lives in Argentina.
Bogdanski, M.
Felder un zangen: kinder lider Chicago: Arbeter velt, 1937
56 pages.
May be suitable for intermediate Short, rhyming poems about the wonders of nature, agriculture, and enjoyment of the outdoors.
Bonzels, Waldemar
Die bin Maya, un vos mit ir iz farlofn Warsaw: 1928
170 pages.
Translated by Y. Rapaport
May be suitable for advanced
A translation of “Di Bihne Maja un ihre Abenteuer.” A plucky little bee and her doings.
16 * www.yiddishbookcenter.org
Borenstein, Samuel
Di velt un ire natur vunder
London: 1931
79 pages.
May be suitable for advanced
The natural sights and experiences in the Hawaiian islands: the canyons, vast lava fields, the daring risks travelers can take. There is also a brief discussion of the coming of Captain Cook and his tragic fate (eaten by the natives).
Boymvol, Rachel
A mol iz geven a helfand: mayselekh far kleyn un groys
Tel Aviv: Peretz, 1973
174 pages.
May be suitable for intermediate
This is a collection of short stories for
children. Mostly fable-like stories about
animals, plants, and planets with a
simple humanistic-moralistic message.
Some are just scenes or sketches without
a plot. Average length of stories is one to
two pages, sometimes even shorter.
Broderson, Moses
Der royter rayter
Warsaw: 1921
27 pages.
May be suitable for intermediate
A one-act play with rhyming dialogue.
Broderson, Moses Tsaplmentshelekh
Vilna: 1928
24 pages.
May be suitable for intermediate
A long poem. The photograph is too dark to see clearly.
Bukhshtab, B.
Der held fun untererd
Kiev: Kultur-lige, 1930
121 pages.
Translated by Y. Kamenetsky
May be suitable for intermediate, advanced
A novel.
Bunin, Ivan
Knekht
Kiev: 1926
60 pages.
Translated by N. L.
May be suitable for intermediate Three short stories: “Riksho no. 7,” by Ivan Bunin; “A neger-meydl,” by Pierre Mill; “Dem negers toyt,” by Max Gold. Translated into Yiddish. Stories set in Sri Lanka, Senegal, and the United States.
Busch, Wilhelm
Di papirene shlang
Warsaw: 1921
22 pages.
Translated by Joseph Tunkel
May be suitable for intermediate
What could be better than to make a paper kite on a beautiful summer day? Well, how about stealing apples on the way? How about getting into a fray? Three boys make kites. Moyshele, the stick-in-the-mud who resists getting into mischief on the way out to fly the kites, is the only one with a kite left to fly. Rhymed verse.
Busch, Wilhelm
Der raben nest
Warsaw: 1921
16 pages.
Translated by Joseph Tunkel
Illustrated by Wilhelm Busch
May be suitable for intermediate Rhymed poetry. A Yiddish adaptation by the humorist Der Tunkeler of one
of Busch’s darkly humorous tales.
413-256-4900 x196 * 17
Busch, Wilhelm
Der shtifer Moyshl
Warsaw: 1923
15 pages.
Translated by Joseph Tunkel
May be suitable for intermediate Rhymed verse. Oy! What a rascal! What doesn’t Moyshele get up to? He tears his pants, falls in the river, sits in a bucket of paste, falls headfirst into a barrel of honey, and gets chased by bees and dogs. After Mama washes him down and brooms him off, all that’s left is
for Papa to warm his backside properly.
C
Cahan, Judah Loeb
Hintele shvarts un ketsele vays
Warsaw: Kinderfraynd, 1937
30 pages.
Illustrated by Shimon Zelig Nissenbaum May be suitable for intermediate
A tale in verse of a little black dog and a little white cat. They live together with a man who is always angry and therefore mean to them. When he is mean to them, they take it out on each other. One day when things are in uproar, the cat gets into the chimney and comes out black, and the dog gets into the flour and comes out white. Confused, the two ani- mals run from the house. The cat sees his reflection in the creek, and, mistak-