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How We Choose Books

The PJ Library Book Selection Committee is hard at work year-round, finding the best books, beautiful illustrations, compelling stories and values to share with your children. They exemplify the best of Jewish children's literature.

We are devoted to making book choices that represent the broad spectrum of today's Jewish families. Working with authors, agents, 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 our 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.

Book Selection Guidelines

As the Book Selection Committee reviews books and manuscripts for PJ Library, it asks:

Is this story suited for children from birth through eight years old?
Is the text (and illustrations, if available) engaging for young children and their parents?
Is the content appropriate to the PJ Library mission? Does the book contain a message of strong Jewish values?
Will children want to return to this book again and again?
Does the book reflect historical Jewish life, contemporary Jewish life, or some valuable aspect of the Jewish experience?
Will this book prompt family discussions about Jewish topics and lead families to consider making Jewish choices?

PJ Library's Book Selection Committee maintains two lists (one for ages birth through 3 years, the other for ages 4 through 8) with regularly-updated book ideas that are of interest to the committee. We welcome you to peruse our book ideas lists.

PJ Library is available to families who are raising Jewish children from birth through 8 years all across New South Wales and the Australian Capital Territory. They come from many backgrounds -- some are intermarried, some have little or no formal Jewish learning, some attend a synagogue and celebrate Jewish holidays, and others may be unfamiliar with Jewish practice all together. We love that about PJ Library.

Due to the age of its participants, PJ Library does not send out reference books, books that deal with the Holocaust, or books that deal with death of a close family member.

Books or manuscripts that meet our criteria may be submitted for review. It is highly preferable that submissions be made electronically by sending a PDF to pjlibrary@hgf.org.

You may also mail at least four (but preferably six) hard copies:
PJ Library Book Selection Committee
67 Hunt Street, Suite 100
Agawam, MA 01001

Please send complete contact information including name, address, email address and phone number with each submission. The Book Selection Committee will read, consider, and discuss all stories that meet the requirements listed above. An email acknowledging receipt of the book or manuscript will be sent to the submitter.

If the committee accepts a book or manuscript, the Book Selection Committee chair will contact the submitter to discuss next steps.

PLEASE NOTE: Due to the high volume of submissions received, we are able to contact only those authors whose book or manuscript is selected. At this time, most reviews take place within 10 weeks of receipt of the book. We respectfully ask that authors and agents do not contact PJ Library to check the status of a submission.