The costumes, the noisemakers, the cookies -- Purim is a fantastic holiday for kids. But you may have noticed that the story itself has some pretty adult elements.

These @pjlibrary.org Purim books are on their way to thousands of children across the globe & I spoke with all three #kidlit storytellers! Watch my interview with @nchurnin.bsky.social @barbarakimmel.bsky.social & Varda Livney as they share their writing stories! youtu.be/4tL8YdGqPCA?si…

A Triple Book Birthday for THREE amazing board books from @pjlibrary.org viviankirkfield.com/2026/02/03/h...

Happy birthday, trees! Six weeks after Hanukkah, nature is awakening. Almond trees are blooming in Israel, and the sap is rising. Tu B'Shevat, which starts tonight, is a special holiday known as the Jewish New Year for trees. It's all about celebrating the earth and its bounty.

This is what I read over Shabbat. @Varda @NancyChurnin @BarbaraKimmel @pj @pjlibrary.org

How do you bless your children on Shabbat? The best part about this tradition is that you can customize it to what works best for your family.⁠ ⁠ Find Shabbat blessings and more resources on our holiday hub: pjlibrary.org/shabbat

I’m excited to share Purim Possibilities, my next book, with charming illustrations by Irina Avgustinovich. Out Feb 2026 with @pjlibrary.org #KidLit #Purim

Jewish families around the world filled their homes with light last week during Hanukkah, and the shamash (the helper candle) reminded us of the difference just one candle can make.

The Harold Grinspoon Foundation is heartbroken by the devastating attack on the Jewish community in Sydney that gathered to celebrate Hanukkah at Bondi Beach. On a night meant for joy and light, innocent lives were taken in an antisemitic terrorist attack.

But seriously, this year, the first night is Sunday, Dec 14. Learn more about Hanukkah on our holiday hub: pjlibrary.org/hanukkah

My next book is coming! 🎭✨PURIM POSSIBILITIES (PJ Pub, Feb '26) celebrates imaginative ways kids dress up for #Purim. Excited to share the cover & new Purim books by @nchurnin.bsky.social & @vardaart.bsky.social! @pjlibrary.org #BoardBooks #KidLit #JewishBooks #JewishBookMonth #JewishBookstagram

Be the spark this Giving Tuesday! Help bring PJ Library to more children and families — in your local community and around the world.

Aviva is a born performer. Holly has stage fright. Aviva loves lighting the Hanukkah candles. Holly can’t wait to celebrate Christmas. When the girls literally bump into each other, they learn what they have in common. Read more about why we chose this book: pjlibrary.org/beyond-books...

It's no coincidence that Hanukkah, the Festival of Lights, arrives during the darkest time of year. This year, the Book Selection Committee is leaning into that cozy vibe.

If any middle-grade readers in your house are captivated by the Louvre heist, we've got the perfect book list for them: pjlibrary.org/beyond-books...

Our winter holiday guide, A Time to Hope, has 80 beautifully illustrated pages of discovery, learning, and celebration. Like all of PJ Library’s offerings, the guide is designed so families can choose whichever parts meet their unique needs and interests.

Guess who guested on the latest @pjlibrary.org "Beyond the Bookcase" podcast? :) "We had a chat with a real-life monster expert! Join Golem and producer Ali as they sit down with Jack Zaientz from JewishMonsterHunting.com" It was super fun. Check it out wherever you get your podcasts.

Do you know about the holiday that occurs right as Sukkot ends? It's called Shemini Atzeret, and it's a perfect occasion to infuse some STEM learning and Jewish tradition.

G'mar chatimah tovah from PJ Library. May you be sealed for a good year in the Book of Life, and may good books always be a part of your life.

Everyone at PJ Library wishes you and your family a wonderfully sweet, healthy, and happy New Year full of blessings and peace. Shanah tovah!

My 11 yo is newly obsessed with the Soviet Union after reading a book about it (Genius Under the Table - thanks @pjlibrary.org!) With regards to the current state of affairs in the US his take was “This is awesome! It’s like we’re living behind the iron curtain!”

The Rosh Hashanah seder explained! #Sephardic @pjlibrary.org @lernerbooks.bsky.social

This month, PJ Our Way readers can select a new middle-grade novel from PJ Publishing: Trouble Finds Evie Lefkowitz by Diana Harmon Asher. This book is perfect for fans of realistic fiction, praying mantises, and the power of friendship to get you through hard times. pjlibrary.org/beyond-books...

Looking to supplement your reader's PJ Our Way selections with more great books? We love these recommendations (which include several PJ Our Way authors).

"I think we have incredible opportunities ahead of us to think with open hearts and minds about the kind of Jewish kidlit we want to be drawing into the world." -Katherine Locke @katherinelocke.bsky.social medium.com/@Bibliogato/...

There are many wonderful books about Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year, but not as many about Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement. This year, we sent a book exemplifying the spirit of making amends. I'm Sorry You Got Mad Written by Kyle Lukoff Illustrated by Julie Kwon Publisher: Penguin Random House

Since ancient times, the holiday of Tu B’Av, which coincides with Shabbat this year and starts tonight, has been considered a minor one on the Jewish calendar. But it celebrates something pretty major: love!

It's here! The Season 5 premiere of Beyond the Bookcase is available for free on your favorite audio app (including the Yoto player app). Find out what PJ, Elijah, the kids, and all the Mashal residents have been up to, plus get to the bottom of a very important question: do chickens have tonsils?!

Making a big move this summer? With PJ Library in so many places around the world, there's a good chance we'll be there with you! Did you know PJ Library books are available in 7 languages across 40+ countries? Get to know our global programs at: pjlibrary.org/global

The holiday of Tisha B'Av (a fast day that starts tomorrow night) commemorates the destruction of the First and Second Temples in Jerusalem. Did you know the ancient Temple is often referred to as Solomon's Temple because it was built by King Solomon?

Do your kids love to doodle or color while they listen to podcasts? Here's a fun twist -- a podcast coloring page! Be sure to share your colorful creations with us.

Is there a PJ Library book with a character who has the same name as someone in your family? Benny, meet Benny! "My Benny loves bagels! He was soo excited to read the title of our new book today." --Ashley, PJ Library parent

✨NEW!✨Join author Richard Michelson as he shares the story behind NEXT YEAR IN THE WHITE HOUSE, the tale of how a small Seder dinner on the campaign trail inspired Barack Obama to host the 1st Presidential Passover celebration in the White House — from 7AM ET: www.kidlit.tv/StoryMakersW... #kidlit

What do you take with you on summer picnics? When the weather is warm, a Shabbat picnic with friends is the perfect way to usher in the holiday while appreciating the beauty around you.

A little Throwback Thursday: "I just wanted to share! This is my 8-month-old son Christopher with his favorite book! We read it twice a day, every day, before naps! As soon as I pull the book out, his face lights up and he lets out a cheerful little yell!" -Michelle, PJ Library parent

If you’re a PJ Library parent, chances are you’ve had a conversation with your kids at some point about why your family doesn’t do things exactly the same way other families do. You may have compared how you celebrate holidays or how you keep or don't keep kosher.

Shabbat shalom! How are you making this time special? Art from: Uno, Dos, Tres Written by Sarah Aroeste Illustrated by Nathalie Belhassen Publisher: PJ Publishing

Did you know that the Jewish calendar is mostly lunar-based? The beginning of each Jewish month falls on the new moon, when the sky is dark and just a sliver of moon can be seen.

How do you bring the Torah on a space mission? Find out in this new-to-PJ-Library read, Space Torah, coming your way next month! It's the true story of astronaut Jeff Hoffman and the Torah he took to space.

Wishing you a Shabbat shalom, a Shabbat of peace.

How much is enough? And how much is too much? That's what readers will find out in this wonderfully absurd story heading to 6-year-old readers this month! 100 Rooms Written by Haya Shenhav Illustrated by Yirmi Pinkus Publisher: Kalaniot Books pjlibrary.org/books/100-ro...

Good children’s books can make learning fun, and we were thrilled to find one that also adds a beautiful element of Jewish culture. It’s Uno Dos Tres: A Sephardic Counting Book, written by Sarah Aroeste, illustrated by Nathalie Belhassen, and published by PJ Publishing.

Best wishes for a cheesy and meaningful Shavuot. From Jewish Cats All Year Round. www.amazon.com/Jewish-Cats-... @pjlibrary.org

If you've heard you can celebrate a Jewish holiday by eating ice cream . . . you're absolutely right! Shavuot, which starts tonight, marks when the Ten Commandments and the Torah were given to the Jewish people at Mt. Sinai.

The change in routine for summer is a great time to teach children about the Jewish value of bal tashchit, which tells us we “don’t destroy needlessly.” Teach kids more about bal tashchit (including reading a book like 10 Things I Can Do to Help My World): pjlibrary.org/baltaschit

Also known as the "33rd day” of counting the Omer, Lag B'Omer, which starts tonight, is full of joy and tradition, including bonfire-inspired treats like s'mores! Head to our website to read our family discussion guide and see more resources about the day: pjlibrary.org/beyond-books...

Summer will be here before you know it. Mark these upcoming holidays on your calendar, and find all the resources you need to celebrate as a family on our website. Lag B’Omer: May 15-16* Shavuot: June 1-3* Tisha B’Av: Aug 2-3* Tu B’Av: Aug 8-9* *Holidays begin at sundown on the first date listed.

Ready to shake up Shabbat? One way is to try making it beautiful, a Jewish concept called hiddur mitzvah. It means "beautification of a commandment." Think swapping tealights for candlesticks, or dressing up the dining room with placecards and placemats.

Time to spread some JOY for Lag B'Omer, the holiday that starts one week from now!

We always read to our girls at night before bedtime - one of their kindergarten teachers told me how she could always tell which kids didn’t, as they were slower to learn their letters 😔 They still talk about their fav books. Shoutout to @pjlibrary.org for the wonderful books they received!