Many readers grew up with Sydney Taylor’s All-of-a-Kind Family, a series of books based on Taylor’s growing up in the Lower east Side of New York during the first quarter of the 20th century.

These books- there were five books in all- are a publishing Cinderella story.

According to an interview in Jewish Book News, Taylor, who had been a professional dancer with the Martha Graham Company said in an interview with The Jewish Book News that I writing a children’s book until, “my child said to me one day, ‘Mommy, why is it that whenever I read a book about children it is always a Christian child? Why isn’t there a book about a Jewish child?’ Then I remembered that this was the way I used to feel when I was one of the girls. I thought, ‘Somebody ought to write the book – why not me?’ . . . So I sat down and wrote it and felt very good about it.”

Her husband Ralph, unbeknownst to her, submitted the stories to a contest sponsored by the Follett Publishing Company. Mrs. Taylor was working as a drama counselor at Camp Cejwin when she was notified that she had won the contest. What a surprise.

She followed the initial book with four others following her sisters as they grew up. By the time the series ended there was also a brother in the mix. In real life, Mrs. Taylor had four sisters and three brothers.

Of course, publishing these books was important and validating for Sydney Taylor, but its importance in the Jewish children’s book world is enormous. For years, Sydney Taylor’s stories gave the rest of the American children’s book community a view of Jewish life. These books were among the first crossover books published. Not only Jewish children loved the family, but all children loved the girls’ adventures.

Sydney, born Sarah, wrote several other books, but it’s her warm portrait of her large family that readers remember. Children are still reading them today and they still resonate with readers for their honesty and humor.

Think – I Remember Mama or The Five Little Peppers and How They Grew – for those of you of a certain age.

Today, the most prestigious award for a children’s book of Jewish interest is named for Sydney Taylor and is supported by her family. The Sydney Taylor Book Awards are administered by the Association of Jewish Libraries and consists of awards for younger readers, older readers, teen readers and an award for an unpublished manuscript for readers aged 8 to 13.

This year’s awards-the 50th – were announced recently. The award winning books and many of the honor and notable books are available in the library.

GOLD MEDALISTS

The Language of Angels: A Story about the Reinvention of Hebrew by Richard Michelson. This beautiful picture book tells the story of how Hebrew became an everyday language in Israel, after being out of use for two thousand years. (Younger readers)

Refugee by Alan Gratz. The journeys of three different young refugees from Nazi Germany, 1990s Cuba and present-day Syria come together to form an emotional and timely narrative about the refugee experience. (Older readers)

The Librarian of Auschwitz by Antonio Iturbe, translated by Lilit Thwaites, This powerful story of Dita Kraus and her protection of a handful of books in the Auschwitz concentration camp shows the importance of hope in the darkest of times. (Teen readers)

For a complete list of the winning and notable books go to the Association of Jewish Libraries.