Let's End Shadow Book Banning.

By all appearances, Jewish children’s books are thriving. New titles are published every year, PJ Library sends free books to tens of thousands of Jewish families, and some Jewish-themed books have even won major awards. But beneath the surface, a quieter, more insidious threat is spreading: the shadow banning of Jewish books.

Unlike overt book bans—where titles are removed from libraries or challenged in schools—shadow banning works invisibly. It happens when Jewish books are subtly excluded from reading lists, left off book displays, passed over for awards, or quietly rejected by publishers and gatekeepers who fear they may be “too Jewish,” “too political,” or simply “not relevant enough” to broader audiences.

In an era when book banning is rightly recognized as a dangerous form of censorship, this quieter exclusion is no less harmful. And because it often hides behind good intentions—like promoting “universal” stories or avoiding “controversy”—it’s even harder to confront.

Ask Jewish authors and publishers, and you'll hear variations of the same story.

“We were told our book wouldn’t resonate with a general audience,” says one editor at a Jewish children’s publisher. “Even though it’s about kindness, or food, or family—things every kid relates to—it’s the menorah on the table or the Hebrew name that makes people hesitate.”

Another author recalls submitting a manuscript that celebrated Mizrahi Jewish culture through a child’s Rosh Hashanah celebration in Turkey. “The feedback was: ‘It’s beautifully written, but can you take out the references to the synagogue and make it more about general New Year’s traditions?’” she says. “They wanted the Jewishness scrubbed out.”

It’s not just content about religion. Books that mention the Holocaust, antisemitism, or Zionism—even in age-appropriate ways—are often deemed too risky for school adoption. Even joyful books about Jewish food, family traditions, or Israeli culture can are sometimes viewed as too specific or politically charged.

Many authors have reported being asked to remove Jewish names, Yiddish words, or references to Israel, even when those elements are central to the story. “If I have to erase my identity to get published,” one writer said, “that’s not inclusion. That’s erasure.”

The lack of visibility for Jewish books is often compounded by how diversity data is collected and reported. The Cooperative Children’s Book Center (CCBC), which tracks representation in children’s literature, doesn’t have a category for Jewish books. Neither do most major diversity audits. As a result, books about Jewish kids—especially if they’re white-presenting—often disappear into the generic “white” category, erasing their cultural distinctiveness.

This is particularly problematic because the Jewish community is far more diverse than many realize. Jews come from a wide range of racial, ethnic, and national backgrounds, including Black, Mizrahi, Sephardi, Persian, and Ethiopian Jews. But when Jewish identity isn’t seen as “diverse” enough, books that highlight this global richness may still be ignored or sidelined.

And when Jewishness is viewed solely through a religious lens—rather than as a culture, ethnicity, or heritage—books that celebrate Jewish identity are often excluded from multicultural initiatives or DEI (diversity, equity, and inclusion) programs. This reinforces the false notion that Jewish stories aren’t for everyone.

The consequences of this quiet exclusion are real.

For Jewish children, the lack of representation can be deeply alienating. When their holidays are never mentioned in school story time, or their traditions are absent from classroom bookshelves, the message is clear: your story doesn’t matter here.

For non-Jewish children, the absence of Jewish books reinforces ignorance and stereotypes. In a time of rising antisemitism, that lack of understanding can be dangerous. As Dr. Rudine Sims Bishop famously wrote, books should serve as both mirrors and windows. When Jewish books are left out, everyone loses access to both.

Jewish stories offer more than just cultural education. They speak to universal themes: courage, justice, family, faith, and hope. Whether it’s a picture book about a Syrian Jewish girl making challah with her grandmother, or a graphic novel about a boy grappling with his bar mitzvah nerves, these stories build empathy and belonging.

As PJ Library founder Harold Grinspoon said, “Jewish books are not just about being Jewish. They’re about being human—through a Jewish lens.”

Shadow banning thrives in silence. To counter it, librarians, educators, publishers, and booksellers must take active steps to ensure Jewish stories are not unintentionally excluded.

The power to push back against this quiet silencing doesn’t just rest with institutions—it rests with families, too. Parents, especially those raising Jewish children, have enormous influence in what books get seen, shared, and sustained.

Every time you choose a Jewish book for bedtime, you’re reinforcing that these stories matter. Every time you ask your library to carry a Jewish title, you’re reminding gatekeepers that this community exists. Every time you gift a Jewish book to a teacher, a friend, or a grandchild, you’re building bridges of understanding and pride.

Jewish publishers—many of them small and mission-driven—depend on that support. In a market that prioritizes the broadest possible appeal, Jewish stories often survive not because of sales volume, but because of community passion. If we want more books that reflect the diversity of Jewish life—not just during Hanukkah, but all year round—we need to be active advocates and customers.

Buy the book. Share the book. Talk about the book. Review it online. Ask your school to include it. Read it out loud in your child’s classroom.

Because if Jewish stories are going to survive and thrive, they can’t do it in silence