Sulamith Ish-kishor facts for kids

Sulamith Ish-Kishor (born in 1896 – died June 23, 1977) was an American writer. She was well-known for her books about religion and her stories for children.

About Sulamith Ish-Kishor

Sulamith Ish-Kishor was born in London, England. She was one of eight children in her family. Her father, Ephraim Ish-Kishor, was a famous writer of Jewish children's books. He also supported a movement called Zionism, which aimed to create a Jewish homeland. Sulamith's older sister, Judith Ish-Kishor, was also a pioneering writer of Jewish children's books in English.

Sulamith started writing very young, at just five years old. By the time she was ten, some of her poems were printed in British magazines. When Sulamith was 13, her family moved to New York City. This move was similar to the family's journey in her novel Our Eddie.

Her Education and Early Career

Sulamith studied languages and history at Hunter College in New York. After college, she wrote many articles and stories. Her work appeared in popular magazines like The New Yorker, Saturday Review, and Reader's Digest. One of her most famous stories was "Appointment with Love." It was published in 1943 in Collier's magazine. This story was about two people who wrote letters to each other over a long distance.

Famous Books for Young Readers

Sulamith Ish-Kishor wrote several important books for young people.

Our Eddie

Her book Our Eddie was recognized in 1970 as a Newbery Honor book. This award is given to excellent children's literature. The story in Our Eddie looks at how a father treats his child. It shows how this treatment might not match the good values the father says he believes in.

A Boy of Old Prague

Another popular book was A Boy of Old Prague, published in 1963. This book tells the story of a friendship between a Christian boy and a Jewish family in the 1500s. It was a popular choice for the Scholastic Book Club in the 1970s. The book helped readers understand the challenges of prejudice against Jewish people in Europe a long time ago.

Sulamith Ish-Kishor's Books

Here are some of the books Sulamith Ish-Kishor wrote:

• The Heaven on the Sea, together with Twenty Poems, 1924
• Friday night stories: Series I, 1924
• Friday Night Stories. Series II, 1928
• The Children's Story of the Bible, a Bible History for School And Home, 1930
• Childrens History of Israel (In 3 Volumes), 1933
• Magnificent Hadrian: A Biography of Hadrian, Emperor of Rome, 1935
• Jews to Remember, 1941
• "Appointment With Love," Collier's, 1943
• American Promise: A History of the Jews in the New World, 1947
• Everyman's history of the Jews, 1948
• The Palace of Eagles and Other Stories, 1948
• A Stranger Within Thy Gates, 1948
• Blessed Is the Daughter, 1959
• How Theodor Herzl Created the Jewish National Fund, 1960
• A Boy of Old Prague, 1963
• The Carpet of Solomon: A Hebrew Legend, 1966
• Zalman Shazar: President of the People, 1966
• Pathways Through the Jewish Holidays, 1967
• Our Eddie, 1969
• Drusilla, a Novel of the Emperor Hadrian, 1970
• The Master of Miracle: A New Novel of the Golem, 1971
• Meggie and the Fairies

Awards and Recognition

• 1964: She won the National Jewish Book Award for her book A Boy of Old Prague.