Unless you are fortunate to have a wonderful Judaica store in your neighborhood or a local book fair to celebrate Jewish Book Month, you might never know about all the new and wonderful books being written for young Jewish readers. But if you have access to the Internet, you can track the new releases, purchase books online and occasionally sample entire books via the Web. Today we'll take a look a Jewish books for children and the Internet.

There are many sites that not only tell you about new releases for kids but also include mini-reviews. The Internet School Library Media Center -- http://falcon.jmu.edu/~ramseyil/muljewhol.htm -- has compiled an extensive bibliography reflecting trade books, which have been reviewed in "professional reviewing sources." This list is supplemented by online comments that readers have contributed to the Amazon.com Web site.

Since some review sites are produced by publishers or online bookstores, it is in their best interest to rave about their products. That's why I like Wendy Betts' site -- http://deeptht.armory.com/ ~web/jbooks.html Betts is the editor of Notes from the Windowsill, an online book review journal, and she emphasizes that her reviews are independent and she receives no payment from any bookstore or publisher. Here's what Betts says about Janice Cohn's "The Christmas Menorahs: How a Town Fought Hate": "An overly didactic but powerful true story about how the people of Billings, Montana fought hate crimes by putting pictures of menorahs in their windows." You can read dozens more of Betts' mini-reviews of Jewish books at her site.

There are also a couple of specialty lists that merit a mention. If you are a teacher or a parent who wants advice about choosing a children's book about the Holocaust, you'll appreciate the comprehensive list -- http://www.holocaust-trc.org/chldbook.htm -- compiled by Claire Rudin of the Holocaust Resource Center and Archives at the University of New York. In addition, Rudin has written a thoughtful essay about preparing children to read about the Holocaust. And if you've been scratching your head about the right book to buy for a b'nai mitzvah gift, check out the recommendations at the Books4JewishTeens site at http://books4jewishteens.tripod.com/books/

jewish-children-teens-barbatmitz.htm

I also highly recommend the Jewish Education Center of Cleveland's Web site -- http://www.jecc.org/ edres/medtech/abv.htm Linda Silver, the center's librarian, has provided several annotated bibliographies of Jewish children's classics along with annual lists of Notable Children's Books from the Association of Jewish Libraries.

Speaking of the Association of Jewish Libraries, do you know a children's writer who should be honored? The Sydney Taylor Book Award is presented annually "to encourage the publication of outstanding books of positive Jewish content for children." Previous winners include Isaac Bashevis Singer, Marilyn Hirsh and Barbara Cohen. You can find details about this award and the related Sydney Taylor Manuscript Award at the Jewish Libraries' Web site -- http://www.jewishlbraries.org/

ajlweb/awardsscholarships_files/

taylor_book.htm

And it's not too late to sign up for the fourth annual Jewish Book Writers' Conference, which is being held at Manhattan's 92nd Street Y on Nov. 24. You'll find details at the New England Society of Book Writers and Illustrators Web site -- http://

nescbwi.org/article.php?sid=110

There are many Web sites that sell books online. Whether you are buying from Jewish specialty

sites such as MileChai.com http://www.milechai.com/

c/main_index.html -- and

MyJewishBooks.com --

http://www.myjewishbooks.com/ child.html -- or general retailers like Amazon.com and Barnes&Noble.com -- http://www.bn.com -- always make sure that you understand the site's security provisions and return policies. You'll find more Jewish publishers listed at the Maven Web site -- http://www.maven.co.il/ subjects.asp?S=191

Anyone who understands the importance of reading may want to take a page from the book of the Jewish Coalition for Literacy -- http://www.jclread.org/bookdrives.htm The coalition has organized book drives for Bay Area elementary schools that don't have libraries or the money for new books. During last year's Chanukah Book Drive, the JCL in the Bay Area collected almost 1,000 brand new books and more than $4,000 in cash donations. Another book drive is being planned this year.