Sylvia A. Rouss's Blog, page 2

13 Jewish children’s book authors who shaped your upbringing

“From folktales to beloved series, these Jewish authors (Judy Blume, Shel Silverstein, Maurice Sendak and ten more) have profoundly shaped the landscape of children’s literature….If you grew up attending a Jewish day school, or if your parents just bought you a lot of Jewish children’s books in the 90s or…

My Newest Book – In My Preschool, There is a Time for Everything

New experiences can be scary, especially going to school for the first time. Ever wonder what to tell a child who may be apprehensive about going to preschool? My newest book is inspired by the children from my classrooms. I took the verses of Kohelet/Ecclesiastes – the ones that inspired…

“Yosef’s Dream” is now a docu-narrative film “Exodus 91”

For nearly three thousand years, the black Jews of Ethiopia–known as the Falashas–maintained their faith and their identity in the face of drought, famine, and tribal war. They were indeed the lost tribe, tracing their ancestry to King Solomon and the queen of Sheba. Then in May 1991, these Ethiopian…

CELEBRATE PASSOVER WITH SAMMY SPIDER AND THE LITTLEST FROG.

Parents and children, and teachers and students may enjoy visiting my other posts about Passover.   And, enjoy Sammy Spider activities too! Just click here! Hag Sameach, Sylvia THREE YOUTUBE VIDEOS – THE LITTLEST FROG, PASSOVER SHAPES, AND SAMMY SPIDER’S FIRST PASSOVER ARE NEXT: Location 2020 Lomita Blvd, Torrance, CA 90101United States…

Teaching Thanksgiving with Respect for Native Americans

It is important to understand that when we wish to study or teach another culture in a respectful and sensitive manner, it is best to learn from representatives of that ethnic group. As a Jewish early childhood educator, I hope that if our community expects sensitivity and respect for our…

“…delighted with this Jewish ABC book”

Fans of the Sammy Spider series will be delighted with this Jewish ABC book that presents young children with various scenes of Jewish life that align with the English alphabet — all from the point of view of little Sammy Spider. As in all the previous books, the collage and…

SAMMY SPIDER’S FIRST ABC, an interview with the author

What inspired you to create an ABC book with your iconic Sammy Spider? During the Covid 19 shutdown, I home schooled 3 of my grandchildren so their parents could work. The children were aged 4, 4, and 6. As a retired early childhood educator, I was comfortable with the responsibilities. The grandchildren…

Purim, Shushan “Bird” Town and My Educational Philosophy

My educational philosophy developed over time. I taught for over 30 years. I began my career as an assistant nursery school teacher when I graduated from college. My head teacher, Bernice Lieberman, was my mentor. She knew how to engage children with her story telling. She also managed to inspire…

The Best Purim Costume, EVER!

Enjoy Purim with an original Purim story that is available as a free PDF to parents and their children and teachers and their students. Hag Purim Sameach! Michael smiled. He had an idea for the best Purim costume, ever! After school, he went home and worked very hard to make…

Free Edition of THE HANUKKAH FABLE OF LITTLE DREIDEL AND SILVER MENORAH and a Video of Sammy Spider’s First Hanukkah read by the author

MacLaren- Cochrane Publishing has closed and the rights have reverted to me as the author. With the consent of the illustrator, we have decided to post the book on my web site. It’s free to download for the enjoyment of children and their families and students and their teachers. Happy…