Amazing Abe: How Abraham Cahan's Newspaper Gave a Voice to Jewish Immigrants

by Norman H Finkelstein (Author) Vesper Stamper (Illustrator)

Reading Level: 2nd − 3rd Grade
A loving tribute to a towering figure in Jewish American history from two award-winning creators.

Two-time National Jewish Book Award winner Norman H. Finkelstein and Sydney Taylor Award winner Vesper Stamper have teamed up to tell the story of Abraham Cahan, the founder and longtime editor of the Yiddish language newspaper the Forverts (the Forward), which, in its heyday, was one of the largest newspapers in the United States. As the saying went: "What's a home without the Forverts?"

From explaining voting rights to the importance of public health measures to everyday questions like how to play baseball, Cahan improved the lives of countless newly arrived Jewish immigrants who wanted to feel at home in a new, strange land. He also published celebrated writers such as Isaac Bashevis Singer and created the iconic advice column the Bintel Brief for homesick readers.

Back matter includes a bibliography, a time line, more info on Cahan's life and the Yiddish language, and a note on the author's personal connection to the Forverts.
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Kirkus

An influential figure receives the admiring treatment he’s earned.

None

The book's depiction of Cahan's work on the paper emphasizes his understanding of and advocacy for the needs of other Jews, immigrants, and workers.

ALA/Booklist

Historical details abound.

Publishers Weekly

This optimistic picture book biography of Lithuanian newspaperman Abraham Cahan (1860-1951) begins with the Yiddish-speaking figure being educated "in the traditional Jewish way, studying Hebrew and the Bible." As he matured and became a teacher, he also got into politics, advocating for mistreated workers oppressed by Czarist rule. Facing retaliation, he joined the "nearly two million other Jews who arrived in the United States from Eastern Europe between 1880 and 1914," Finkelstein writes. A factory worker by day, he studied English at night, and reported on the experiences of Jewish immigrants. In 1897, he cofounded Yiddish-language newspaper Forverts, which connected readers with news local and global, and provided practical advice about U.S. life (e.g., explaining baseball to readers). Depicting gentle-faced characters with various skin tones, Stamper's gouache illustrations portray bustling social scenes in this story of community-based success. End notes conclude. Ages 4-8. (Feb.)

Copyright 2023 Publishers Weekly, LLC Used with permission.

School Library Journal

Starred Review

K-Gr 4--This picture book biography is an engaging tribute to Abraham Cahan (1860-1951) whose commitment to language, justice, and education left an enduring impact on the lives of Jewish immigrants in America. The story chronicles Cahan's evolution from a natural linguist, with Yiddish as his favored language, to an advocate for newcomers trying to assimilate into a very different culture. Fleeing Lithuania to escape from the oppression of czarist Russia, Cahan found refuge in New York City, where his days working in factories were complemented by nightly English studies. His transition into a teacher, educating fellow Jewish newcomers, sets the stage for his pivotal role as the co-founder and editor of the Yiddish language newspaper, Forverts, or the Forward, a Jewish daily. This newspaper was the preeminent foreign-language newspaper in America, connecting Jewish communities with local and global news. In his dual role as a teacher and newspaper editor, he focused on filling the cultural gaps for immigrants, fostering their understanding of America's customs, language, history, and the significance of voting. The narrative skillfully weaves in Cahan's commitment to workers' rights, portraying him as a champion of immigrants and an advocate for labor unions working in pursuit of improved working conditions and wages. The illustrations, painted in gouache, meticulously capture the characters and historic time period, adding authenticity to the storytelling. The back matter includes an author's note, time line, bibliography, a further resources. VERDICT A commendable addition to library collections focused on immigration, little-known historical figures, and the pivotal role of language and the written word in shaping the immigrant experience.--Lynne Stover

Copyright 2024 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

Review quotes

"Historical details abound."—Booklist

"The book's depiction of Cahan's work on the paper emphasizes his understanding of and advocacy for the needs of other Jews, immigrants, and workers."—The Horn Book

"This well-written, stimulating picture-book biography brings much-deserved attention to an important person who highlighted and respected the lives not only of Jewish immigrants but of all immigrants, as well as workers and the poor. "—Kirkus Reviews

"[An] optimistic picture book biography."—Publishers Weekly
Norman H Finkelstein
Norman H. Finkelstein is a retired school librarian and a celebrated children's book author. A two-time winner of the National Jewish Book Award as well as a winner of the Golden Kite Honor Award, Norman has written many nonfiction books for young readers, including Schools of Hope, Union Made, Heeding the Call, and Forged in Freedom. He taught at Hebrew College and lives in Massachusetts.

Vesper Stamper is an award-winning author-illustrator of YA historical fiction and picture books. Her debut novel, What the Night Sings, was a Sydney Taylor Book Award winner, a National Book Award nominee, and a National Jewish Book Award finalist. Raised in New York City, Vesper's dreams of one day illustrating the Lower East Side at the turn of the century were fulfilled when she was asked to illustrate Amazing Abe. She teaches illustration at School of Visual Arts and lives with her family in the Northeast. You can find her at vesperillustration.com.
Classification
Non-fiction
ISBN-13
9780823451647
Lexile Measure
-
Guided Reading Level
-
Publisher
Holiday House
Publication date
February 20, 2024
Series
-
BISAC categories
JNF007050 - Juvenile Nonfiction | Biography & Autobiography | Cultural Heritage
JNF025200 - Juvenile Nonfiction | History | United States/19th Century
Library of Congress categories
History
Biographies
United States
Jews
Intellectual life
Newspaper editors
Yiddish newspapers
Cahan, Abraham

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