Sydney Tyler
Winners 2026
The Year’s Winners

The Association of Jewish Libraries proudly announces its coveted Sydney Taylor Book Awards for 2026 for the most distinguished contributions to Jewish children’s literature that authentically portray the Jewish experience.

Winners receive cash prizes from the estate of Sydney Taylor, author of the All-of-a-Kind-Family series. Taylor’s success created American Jewish children’s literature. Retired librarian Ellen Cole recommends these special books.

The 2026 Picture Book Winner is Shabbat Shalom: Let’s Rest and Reset

Shabbat Shalom: Let’s Rest and Reset written and illustrated by Suzy Ultman, is the winner in the Picture Book category. It is a gentle reflection on the meaning of Shabbat as a weekly day of rest, paired with whimsical, imaginative illustrations. This sophisticated board book combines succinct text with playful art to create a post-denominational depiction of Jewish ritual that engages even the youngest readers, captivates Pre-K audiences, and delights older children.

The 2026 Middle Grade Winner is  Neshama
Neshama by Marcella Pixley is the winner in the Middle Grade category. This haunting novel in verse follows Anna, a sixth grader who sees ghosts and feels like an outsider except with her Bubbe, whose Jewish traditions steady her. When Aunt Ruthie’s ghost appears as an ibur needing help, Anna uncovers family secrets and discovers her own strength in a lyrical, deeply Jewish story about identity, grief, and resilience.
The 2026 Young Adult winner is D.J. Rosenblum Becomes the G.O.A.T.

D.J. Rosenblum Becomes the G.O.A.T. by Abby White, is the winner in the Young Adult category. D.J. idolized her cousin Rachel (the G.O.A.T.—Greatest Cousin of All Time). After Rachel’s sudden passing, D.J. moves to her cousin’s town, determined to uncover the truth while navigating grief and family fractures. Preparing for her postponed bat mitzvah, she wrestles with her Torah portion and faith, finding strength to face loss and begin moving forward

THE FIVE 2026 HONOR WINNERS IN THREE CATEGORIES ARE:

Picture Books:
The Book of Candles: Eight Poems for Hanukkah
The Keeper of Stories
My Body Can

Silver Medal Middle Grade Book:
Beinoni

Silver Medal Young Adult Book:
The Rabel Girls of Rome

Young Adult Books:
Courage to Dream : Tales of Hope in the Holocaust
Going Bicoastal
Impossible Escape: A True Story of Survival and Heroism in Nazi Europe
Wrath Becomes Her

THE NINE 2026 NOTABLE BOOKS IN THREE CATEGORIES ARE:

Picture Books: Fanny’s Big Idea: How Jewish Book Week was Born

Finding Forgiveness

The Remembering Candle

Middle Grade Books:

The Daughter of Auschwitz: The Girl Who Lived to Tell Her Story

Right Back at You

Same Page

The Trouble with Secrets

A World worth Saving

Young Adult Book:

Leaving the Station