Awards

• Children's Book Committee at Bank Street College Best Children's Book of the Year
• Sydney Taylor Honor Book

Overview

A Sydney Taylor Honor Book and CBC Best Children's Book of the Year When Flory's ancestors are forced to leave Spain during the time of the Spanish Inquisition, they take with them their two most precious possessions—the key to their old house and the Ladino language. When Flory flees Europe during World War II to begin a new life in the United States, she carries Ladino with her, along with her other precious possessions—her harmoniku and her music. But what of the key? With huge interest in multi-cultural Judaism in the Jewish world these days, this picture book biography of a Sephardic Jewish singer tells a story unfamiliar to most American Jews whose ancestry comes from eastern Europe (Ashkenazim) rather than the Levant or Spanish part of the world (Sephardim). While most Jews are familiar with Yiddish, Jews with Spanish ancestry speak a language called Ladino, as Flory Jagoda does in this book. Discover the story of Ladino singer Flory Jagoda, with QR code links to Flory Jagoda singing her famous Ladino Hanukkah song “Ocho Kandelikas” (Eight Candles)

Full Product Details

9781728443379

Table of Contents

Reviews

""This work is a must-purchase for library collections.""—starred, School Library Journal ""The Key from Spain is high­ly rec­om­mend­ed both for chil­dren and adults inter­est­ed in learn­ing about Sephardic cul­ture and history.""―Jewish Book Council "". . . this is a worthy (though fictionalized) homage to a language and its fervent promoter.""—Booklist ""Based on a true story, an inspirational reclamation of history.""―Kirkus Reviews

Author Information

Debbie Levy is the author of more than 25 books of nonfiction, fiction, and poetry for young people, including New York Times best-selling I Dissent: Ruth Bader Ginsburg Makes Her Mark, winner of the Sydney Taylor Book Award and National Jewish Book Award. Debbie is a former lawyer and newspaper editor, and lives in Maryland with her husband. Sonja Wimmer loves painting pictures and telling stories. After studying and working some years as a designer in her hometown Munich and Brussels, she decided to pack her suitcase and move to Barcelona to study Illustration at the ""Llotja"" Arts and Crafts School. Since then she lives between brushes and all kinds of wonderful tales, working as freelance illustrator for publishing houses and other clients around the world.

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