Children of the Book - by Ilana Kurshan (Hardcover)

About the Book

"Kurshan, a mother of five living in Jerusalem, at first struggles to balance her passion for literature with her responsibilities as a parent. Gradually she learns how to relate to reading not as a solitary pursuit and an escape from the messiness of life, but rather as a way of teaching independence and forging connection. Introducing her children to sacred and secular literature ... helps her become both a better mother and a better reader. Chief among the books Kurshan reads with her children is the Five Books of Moses, known as the Torah, which Jews the world over read in synchrony as part of the liturgical cycle. In the five parts of this memoir, Kurshan explores the surprising resonances between the biblical text and her experiences as a mother and a reader--from the first picture books that create the world through language for little babies, to the moment our children begin reading on their own, leaving us behind, atop the mountain, as they enter new lands without us"--

Book Synopsis

"Charming...Kurshan's widespread knowledge of all things literary and biblical is as impressive as her generosity as a parent eager to impart her own infectious joy." --Wall Street Journal

A mother's celebration of the power and wonder of lifelong reading

Zibby Owens, My Most Anticipated Books 2025

In Children of the Book, Ilana Kurshan reveals how literature weaves an invisible thread through the tapestry of family life. Kurshan, a mother of five living in Jerusalem, struggles to balance her passion for books with her responsibilities as a parent. Gradually she learns how to relate to reading not as a solitary pursuit and an escape from the messiness of life, but rather as a way of forging connection and teaching independence. Introducing her children to sacred and secular literature--including the beloved classics of her childhood--she becomes both a better mother and a more compassionate reader.

Chief among the books Kurshan reads with her children is the Torah, whose ancient wisdom illuminates her family's path. Structured in five parts corresponding to the first five books of the Bible, this memoir traces the profound parallels between the biblical narrative and the daily rhythms of parenthood - from the first picture books that create the world through language for little babies, to the bittersweet moment our children begin reading on their own, leaving us behind, atop the mountain, as they enter new lands without us. A luminous meditation on how shared stories become the foundation for family bonds, Children of the Book celebrates a life richly lived through literature.

Review Quotes

"A meditation on the value of reading ... a must-read for any parent or grandparent, children's librarian or, indeed, anyone who loves children's books."
--Tablet

"Delightful... Kurshan braids together the allusionary strands of this book beautifully, intertwining literature, the Torah, and the story of her family's life."
--Leah Sarna, Jewish Review of Books

"Insightful... passionate... Children of the Book is about how shared stories can become a common language which binds a family together."
--Elana Benjamin, The Jewish Independent (Australia)

"A cere-bral mem-oir of both read-ing and moth-er-hood ... Kur-shan is a won-der-ful-ly obser-vant writer and an equal-ly astute Juda-ic schol-ar."
--The Jewish Book Council

"Overflows with intertextuality and Kurshan's love for all texts...After reading Kurshan, I started paying attention not just to what I read to my children, but how I read to and with them. ... Children of the Book reminded me that there are stories buried everywhere around us, and if we don't slow down to unearth them with our children, we are missing out on both connecting to texts and to our kids."
--Jewish Journal

"A striking literary survey...a stunning testament to the power of the written word."
--Publishers Weekly, starred

"This compassionate and helpful book should help parents create mindful lifetime readers."
--Library Journal, starred

"An exquisitely written account of mother and children reading together, framed as a tale of biblical redemption."
--Kirkus, starred

"A unique book...offers a new framework for thinking about literature--both secular and sacred--in the context of family and motherhood."
--Sarah Rindner, Tradition

"A memoir, a book of days, a reading diary, a parenting journal...I liked that it defied genres; I liked that it seemed to offer a new way to write about parenting... Kurshan is a companionable guide."
--Mark Oppenheimer, ARC Forum

"[Kurshan] talks about the way that Jews experience the books of Moses as an annual real-aloud experience, a single drama encountered in the same order, the same seasonally-linked rhythm, year after year after year--much like a parental reader returning again and again to the same beloved book."
--Ross Douthat, ARC Forum

"A gleaming love letter to books, an ode to modern motherhood, and an embrace of Jewish life, Children of the Book is relatable, poignant, thought-provoking, and utterly delightful."
--Zibby Owens, podcast host of Moms Don't Have Time to Read Books, bestselling author of Blank

"Ilana Kurshan's dual memoir of her life as a parent alongside her lifelong love affair with reading is by turns laugh-out-loud funny and startlingly poignant. From lessons on friendship learned from Frog and Toad to the Giving Tree's cautionary tale about love and boundaries, Kurshan shows how the classics of children's literature work not just to entertain kids but to help parents emotionally connect with them. Children of the Book answers one of contemporary parenthood's most vexing questions--how do you raise kids who love reading--with wit, verve, and style."
--Ruth Franklin, book critic, author of Shirley Jackson, A Rather Haunted Life

"This book teems with the greatest care, consideration, and insight. To love both reading and parenting the way Kurshan does is to reaffirm our faith in all that is good in literature and in life. Her deep and selfless attention is a gift and a lesson in humility, curiosity, and openness. I savored every page."
--Elisa Albert, author of Human Blues

"A magnificent book about the profound experience of raising children in the constant presence of literature."
--Dara Horn, author of People Love Dead Jews and One Little Goat: A Passover Catastrophe

"An accessible entree into the Jewish tradition that will charm audiences of all backgrounds. Reminiscent of Anne Fadiman's Ex-Libris, this sweet volume puts the familiar trials, tribulations, and triumphs of motherhood into conversation with one of our fundamental human texts - and in so doing, illuminates new insights into both."
--Rabbi Rachel Isaacs

About the Author

Ilana Kurshan is a graduate of Harvard University and the University of Cambridge. She has worked in literary publishing both in New York and in Jerusalem, serving as a translator, a foreign rights agent, and the book reviews editor of Lilith magazine. Kurshan is the author of If All the Seas Were Ink, winner of the Sami Rohr Prize for Jewish literature.