All-Of-A-Kind Family Uptown

In her third entry to the series, Sydney Taylor introduces us to the older Ella, Henny, Sarah, Charlotte, Gertie, and Charlie, who’ve moved with their parents to the Bronx. But when Mama gets appendicitis, the girls must learn to cope with running a household on a strict budget, romance, friendship, and even WWI, as Ella’s boyfriend Jules goes off to war. Followed by a prequel, All-of-a-Kind Family Downtown, Uptown is a marvelous contribution to this series about Jewish culture, turn-of-the-century New York, and, most importantly, the bonds of love.

Born in 1904 on New York’s Lower East Side, Sydney Taylor was one of the first authors of children’s books centered on Jewish characters, and is especially known for the immensely popular All-of-a-Kind Family series. The Sydney Taylor Book Award is given each year by the Jewish Association of Libraries to a book for young people that authentically portrays the Jewish experience.