PJ Library is a program of the

Harold Grinspoon Foundation The Harold Grinspoon Foundation (HGF) is a private foundation established in 1993 and located in Agawam, Massachusetts. It is a 501(c)(3)nonprofit organization charitable organization with the goal of "enhancing Jewish and community life in We ...

, a North American Jewish

non-profit A nonprofit organization (NPO) or non-profit organisation, also known as a non-business entity, not-for-profit organization, or nonprofit institution, is a legal entity organized and operated for a collective, public or social benefit, in co ...

organization based in

Agawam, Massachusetts Agawam is a city in Hampden County, Massachusetts, Hampden County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 28,692 at the 2020 census. Agawam sits on the western side of the Connecticut River, directly across from Springfield, Massachusetts ...

. It was created in December 2005 as a Jewish engagement and literacy program for Jewish families with young children. PJ Library is modeled after

Dolly Parton's Imagination Library The Dollywood Foundation is a non-profit organization founded by Dolly Parton, with headquarters in Sevierville, Tennessee (as of 2022). Shortly after the opening of the Dollywood theme park in 1986, the Dollywood Foundation was created in April 1 ...

Imagination Library official website
/ref> program. PJ Library sends out free Jewish children's books and music to families "with Judaism as part of their lives." on a monthly basis by subscription. It is a North American program that is implemented on a local level. Costs are covered by a partnership between the Harold Grinspoon Foundation, members of the PJ Library Alliance, and families who “Pay it Forward” to make sure PJ Library can reach more families. In most communities there is an agency such as a Jewish federation, Jewish Community Center, or synagogue that is a key partners in making PJ Library possible locally.

Distribution and book selection

In North America, PJ Library sends more than 220,000 books to families raising Jewish children each month. PJ Library is available in every zip code in the US as well as across Canada. The PJ Library books and music are available for children between 6 months and 8 years of age, depending on the available funding in each community. Older children, ages 8.5 - 11 may sign up for PJ Our Way, a choose-your-own book program. Children in the US and Canada are able to select a free chapter book or graphic novel each month and write reviews, take quizzes, and interact in a safe, moderated, online space just for kids. In December 2017, PJ Library, in partnership with Jewish Rock Radio, launched PJ Library Radio, a free app and online streaming radio station. PJ Library Radio plays Jewish kids' music 24 hours a day with a special, curated, lullaby playlist starting around 9pm Eastern. Globally, PJ Library programs are implemented in more than a dozen countries including Israel, Mexico, South Africa, and the United Kingdom. Children that have been enrolled in PJ Library receive age-appropriate books highlighting

Jewish holidays Jewish holidays, also known as Jewish festivals or ''Yamim Tovim'' ( he, ימים טובים, , Good Days, or singular , in transliterated Hebrew []), are holidays observed in Judaism and by JewsThis article focuses on practices of mainstre ...

, values, Bible stories, and folklore. Books are selected by the PJ Library Book Selection Committee. Working with authors, publishers and editors, the committee strives to ensure that the finest Jewish books for children find their way each month into the mailboxes of all PJ Library families. Many of the PJ Library books have won prestigious awards, including the Caldecott Medal and the Sydney Taylor Book Award. Several have been named as finalists for the National Jewish Book Award from the Jewish Book Council.

Enrollment

Families with kids ages 6 months through 8 years old with Judaism as part of their lives, are welcome to sign up. PJ Library welcomes all Jewish families, whatever their background, knowledge, or family make-up, or observance may be. Through partners around North America, PJ Library also offers concerts, family outings, activities and other events as well as online Facebook groups.

National recognition

PJ Library has been regularly featured in the Slingshot Resource Guide's "50 most inspiring and innovative organizations, projects, and programs in the North American Jewish community today".Slingshot official website
/ref> In April 2009, Harold Grinspoon, president and founder of the Harold Grinspoon Foundation, received the Sidney Shapiro Tzedakah Award for his work in Jewish philanthropy, including the founding of The PJ Library.Jewish Funders Network presents awards
, ''Philanthropy Journal'' April 7, 2009 In January 2010, the Jewish Education Service of North America listed The PJ Library as one of JESNA's "Picks for the Best in Jewish Education of the Decade".JESNA's Picks for the Best in Jewish Education of the Decade

Notable books

* ''Bagels from Benny'' by Aubrey Davis, Illus. by Dušan Petričić (Kids Can Press, ''2003 Sydney Taylor Book Award'') * ''Chicken Man'' by Michelle Edwards (Junebug Books, ''1992 National Jewish Book Award'')Jewish Book Council
, ''National Jewish Book Awards-Winners List'' * ''Hanukkah at Valley Forge'' by Stephen Krensky, Illus. by Greg Harlin ( Dutton Children's Books, ''2007 Sydney Taylor Book Award'') * ''The Keeping Quilt'' by Patricia Polacco ( Aladdin Paperbacks, ''1988 Sydney Taylor Book Award'') * ''

Joseph Had a Little Overcoat ''Joseph Had a Little Overcoat'' is a 1999 children’s picture book by Simms Taback that won the 2000 Caldecott Medal. The book is a re-illustrated version of a book of the same name by Taback that was published in 1977. The protagonist is Josep ...

'' by

Simms Taback Simms Taback (February 13, 1932 – December 25, 2011) was an American writer, graphic artist, and illustrator of more than 35 books. He won the 2000 Caldecott Medal for U.S. picture book illustration, recognizing ''Joseph Had a Little Over ...

(

Viking Press Viking Press (formally Viking Penguin, also listed as Viking Books) is an American publishing company owned by Penguin Random House. It was founded in New York City on March 1, 1925, by Harold K. Guinzburg and George S. Oppenheim and then acquire ...

, ''2000 Caldecott Medal'')American Library Association
''Caldecott Medal & Honor Books, 1938-Present'' * ''When Jessie Came Across the Sea'' by Amy Hest, Illus. by Patrick James Lynch ( Candlewick Press, ''1997

Kate Greenaway Medal The Kate Greenaway Medal is a British literary award that annually recognises "distinguished illustration in a book for children". It is conferred upon the illustrator by the Chartered Institute of Library and Information Professionals (CILIP) ...

'')The CILIP Kate Greenaway Medal
, ''Full List of Winners'' * ''The Very Best Sukkah'' by Shoshana Nambi, illus by Moran Yogev (Kalaniot Books, 2023 National Jewish Book Award
https://www.jewishbookcouncil.org/pb-daily/72nd-national-jewish-book-awards-remarks-shoshana-nambi#:~:text=Shoshana%20Nambi%20is%20the%20winner,.%2C%20illustrated%20by%20Moran%20Yogev.
nd 2023 Sidney Taylor Honoree) * ''

Noah's Ark Noah's Ark ( he, תיבת נח; Biblical Hebrew: ''Tevat Noaḥ'')The word "ark" in modern English comes from Old English ''aerca'', meaning a chest or box. (See Cresswell 2010, p.22) The Hebrew word for the vessel, ''teva'', occurs twice in t ...

'' by Peter Spier (Dragonfly Books, ''1978 Caldecott Medal, 1978 Lewis Carroll Shelf Award,Literatureplace.com Award Winning Booklists for the best in Children's Literature
''Lewis Carroll Shelf Award'' 1982

National Book Award The National Book Awards are a set of annual U.S. literary awards. At the final National Book Awards Ceremony every November, the National Book Foundation presents the National Book Awards and two lifetime achievement awards to authors. The Nat ...

,The National Book Awards
, ''Winners and Finalists, Since 1950'' 1978

Christopher Award The Christopher Award (established 1949) is presented to the producers, directors, and writers of books, films and television specials that "affirm the highest values of the human spirit". It is given by The Christophers, a Christian organization ...

)Library Thing
''Book Awards: Christopher Award'''' * ''The Bedtime Sh'ma'' by Sarah Gershman, Illus. by Kristina Swarner (EKS Publishing, ''2008 Sydney Taylor Book Award'') *''Soosie, The Horse That Saved Shabbat'' by Tami Lehman-Wilzig, illus by Menahem Halberstadt (Kalaniot Books, 2021), 2021 Holiday Highlights Book, ''Association of Jewish Libraries'', 2021 Star Review, ''Kirkus'' * ''The Always Prayer Shawl'' by

Sheldon Oberman Sheldon Oberman (May 20, 1949 – March 26, 2004) was a Canadian children's writer who lived in Winnipeg, Manitoba. Born in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Oberman (known to friends as Obie) grew up in the city's North End. After graduating from St. Johns Hi ...

, Illus. by

Ted Lewin Theodore Peter Lewin (May 6, 1935 – July 28, 2021) simply known as Ted Lewin, was an American illustrator and writer of children's books. Lewin and his wife Betsy Lewin drew on their travels to exotic places such as the Amazon River, Botswana, ...

(Boyds Mills Press, ''1994 Sydney Taylor Book Award, 1994 National Jewish Book Award) * ''Gershon's Monster'' by

Eric Kimmel Eric A. Kimmel (born 1946) is an American author of more than 50 children's books. His works include Caldecott Honor Book ''Hershel and the Hanukkah Goblins'' (illustrated by Trina Schart Hyman), Sydney Taylor Book Award winners ''The Chanukkah ...

, Illus. by

Jon J. Muth Jon is a shortened form of the common given name Jonathan, derived from "YHWH has given", and an alternate spelling of John, derived from "YHWH has pardoned".Scholastic Press Scholastic Corporation () is an American multinational publishing, education, and media company that publishes and distributes books, comics, and educational materials for schools, parents, and children. Products are distributed via retail and on ...

, ''2000 Sydney Taylor Book Award'') * ''Marven of the Great North Woods'' by Kathryn Lasky, Illus. by Kevin Hawkes (

Voyager Books HarperCollins Publishers LLC is one of the Publishing#Book publishing, Big Five English-language publishing companies, alongside Penguin Random House, Simon & Schuster, Hachette (publisher), Hachette, and Macmillan Publishers, Macmillan. The com ...

, ''1997 National Jewish Book Award'') * ''Flying High'' by Julian Edelman, Illus. by David Leonard The PJ library edition of Edelman's children's book was revised to include quotations from

Theodor Herzl Theodor Herzl; hu, Herzl Tivadar; Hebrew name given at his brit milah: Binyamin Ze'ev (2 May 1860 – 3 July 1904) was an Austro-Hungarian Jewish lawyer, journalist, playwright, political activist, and writer who was the father of modern p ...

. The PJ Library has also been the driving force behind updates and reprints of classic and favorite books.

References
/h1>

External links

PJ Library (Official Site)
{{DEFAULTSORT:Pj Library American children's literature Jewish American literature Jewish music Jewish youth organizations Non-profit organizations based in Massachusetts Projects established in 2005 2005 establishments in Massachusetts Youth organizations based in the United States