Israeli children’s literature has undergone an evolution since Israel’s founding. As a nation was becoming established, most Hebrew children's books emphasized the values of pioneering, struggle, and achievement, emphasizing the role of the individual in the building of the state.
Since then, children's literature has shifted to age-specific subjects such as death, divorce, handicaps, adolescence, and the struggle for belonging. Imaginative children's books and stories were also written, providing pure fantasy, amusement, and escapism to young readers.
With these content changes, we are seeing many more current books which aim to show the diverse narratives of the people who live in Israel, to negate stereotypes, and to address the immigration of Jews from around the world.
In this exploration of complexities, we suggest two books that take a playful look at the diversity of people living side-by-side in Israeli neighborhoods. For more general ideas, check out our full Israeli children's literature resource.