An introduction and ten chapters, organized from the oldest woman to the youngest, presents these less-sung Jewish heroes. Each chapter begins with the woman's name, date of birth (and death, if applicable), an illustration of her, and a snippet of her story in italics to set the scene, then about seven pages of her biography. Good material, but too much for my second grader; we may revisit when she's older.

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JennyArch | 1 andere bespreking | Oct 4, 2023 |

She's a Mensch!: Ten Amazing Jewish Women (Do You… door Anne Dublin

From the poorest neighborhoods in Kenya to the halls of the Canadian Supreme Court, the Jewish women found in these pages have accomplished remarkable feats. Some survived the horrors of the Holocaust while others had more peaceful childhoods, but all of them saw unfairness in their world and decided to do something about it.

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HandelmanLibraryTINR | 1 andere bespreking | May 31, 2023 |

The Baby Experiment door Anne Dublin

Deze bespreking is geschreven voor LibraryThing Vroege Recensenten.

This is a first for me: receiving an Early Reviewer's copy and not being able to finish it. I have started this book at least three times. My most recent efforts got me halfway through.

THE BABY EXPERIMENT concerns a young 18th-century Jewish girl who "interviews" and qualifies for a job caring for orphaned infants. These babies are under the care of an "evil scientist" who wishes to study the impact of a complete lack of nurturing upon childhood development--a modern concept indeed. Unable to participate in the evil, the girl flees the orphanage, taking with her one of the babies in her charge. Another young female orphanage nurse, unaware of her colleague's Jewish identity, accompanies her. They begin a trek west from eastern Europe to Amsterdam.

First of all, the premise of the book struck me as far too modern: a Jewish girl applying for a "job" at an orphanage where a scientist investigates the impact of emotional deprivation? Too twentieth-century. Add an exploration of anti-Semitism to the mix, and the implausible felt even more heavily freighted. Had the writing been crisper and more lively, I might have been able to persist. But it wasn't...and I didn't.

So...in the end, for me, this was an unconvincing plot lurching forward on legs of weak and anemic writing.

Can I see older children reading this book? No. Even with my best efforts, the book couldn't hold my interest. As much as I admire anyone who tries to forge a world out of words, I cannot recommend Anne Dublin's book.… (meer)

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fountainoverflows | 11 andere besprekingen | Nov 17, 2012 |

The Baby Experiment door Dublin Anne

Deze bespreking is geschreven voor LibraryThing Vroege Recensenten.

It is dangerous to be a Jew in Hamburg, Germany in the 1700's, and it leaves 14 year-old Johanna conflicted about who she is and why her life is so constricted. She takes a job caring for infants, but has to invent an identity. Sneaking home on her limited time off, lying to her mother about where she is employed, and keeping up the subterfuge at work takes a toll on Johanna as she becomes increasingly aware that the babies are dying from neglect--or something more insidious. She kidnaps "her" baby and takes off to Amsterdam.

The premise might work if there were plausible details or engaging suspense. Instead, Johanna seems to move through the dangerous environment with few real impediments.

Still this book might hold interest for middle-schoolers interested in history or just getting away from mom.… (meer)

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Schallon | 11 andere besprekingen | Aug 22, 2012 |

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