Book Description
for Shabbat Is... by A.J. Sass and Noa Kelner
From Cooperative Children's Book Center (CCBC)
Shabbat looks different for three young members of one Jewish congregation in this unconventional story about the day of rest. On Friday night, a red-haired child cheers their sister on at her basketball game; afterward, the siblings and their two moms shop for groceries. Others have more traditional observances. A brown-skinned child walks to Friday-night services to welcome in Shabbat with their parents, and a Black child savors a big family meal at home; their uncle sets the oven to shut off on its own, and their aunt places tape over the light switches. On Saturday morning, the three families attend services on a particularly special day: one of their cousins is having their b’nai mitzvah ceremony. This affirming, inclusive story celebrates Shabbat as “unique and beautiful for every person,” a day that is especially lovely when it can be shared with a community. The narrative invites the reader to consider what Shabbat means to them. It “can be a walk. Eating challah. Dinner with relatives. Maybe for you it’s something different.” An Author’s Note and extensive glossary are included.
CCBC Choices 2026. © Cooperative Children's Book Center, Univ. of Wisconsin – Madison, 2026. Used with permission.

