Looking for a really great gift for that really great kid in your life? Comic books are all the rage these days, especially for kids, and we’ve got an excellent new one that young readers will absolutely love!

Every Minute Counts tells the stories—in comic form, of course—of two famous meshalim, one originally said over by the Maggid of Kelm, and one by the Chafetz Chaim. Both meshalim are on the topic of the most precious thing in the world: limud haTorah. As your kids read and enjoy these comics, they will be filled with inspiration about the importance of learning Torah and using every minute of time to fulfill Hashem’s will.

So, although you may think you’re buying your child a book in order to entertain him and keep him busy while you fry latkes in the kitchen—in reality, you’re actually tending to his ruchniyus at the same time. Now how’s that for a top-notch Chanukah gift?

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Kids and comics books. Whoever first redt the shidduch between the two sure knew what they were doing! I see this firsthand each time I catch sight of my neighbor’s kids—very active preteen boys—sitting on their front porch, engrossed in—what else?—a comics book.

But nothing prepared me for the excitement a new Just Imagine book would generate on the block! As soon as the news broke that our family had the Just Imagine Chanukah book (We Beat the Greeks), my house became instantly popular! The knocking on the door wouldn’t let up—“Can I borrow your book?” “When will it be my turn for it?”

Mind you, my own kids wanted to read the book, too—so suffice it to say, we had to do a lot of schedule juggling and turn-taking to make everyone happy!

My advice to all those kids who had a long wait, and to all of you readers who want a fantastic, spine-tingling yet wholesome, frum comics book for your kids: Run, don’t walk, to your nearest Jewish bookstore, and pick up a copy of Just Imagine—We Beat the Greeks for yourselves! As you read this amazing, true-to-life rendition of the Chanukah story, you’ll see exactly why this book is such a hit…

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Have you met Berel and Breindy Adler yet? Oh, you know who I mean—those irresistible characters in the A Journey with Rabbi Juravel series, the ones who are always getting themselves into really whacky adventures while learning important lessons? If you still don’t know who I’m talking about, you ought to do something about this! A great place to start would be by reading A Journey with Rabbi Juravel 5: The Case of the Greedy Gorillas.

In this exciting book for tweens (and really any-aged fan of Rabbi Juravel’s—we know you’re out there!), readers are treated to an array of seriously imaginative and suspenseful stories about Berel and Breindy Adler and friends. As always, Rabbi Juravel knows exactly how to keep a kid’s interest while simultaneously implanting great values in him.

So join the fun! A spectacular reading adventure awaits you in this book!

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Attention all tween readers! Your favorite author Rachel Stein is back, with another spectacular book of great stories for you!

In her newest book, called Whirl and Twirl, you’ll meet Mindy, who will do anything to win the Tanach Bee Competition…until she is really put to the test; Shmuel Yaakov, who pulls a practical prank on his friend…and then must suffer the consequences from it; Chaim, who is being asked to give up a very special trip in order to help out his Zeidy; and a host of other relatable characters. Whirl and Twirl will take you on a glorious ride into the exciting world of tweens, from the first page until the very last!

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I admit—I have a weakness for dolls. Yes, I know I am an adult and that dolls are generally considered the purview of little girls, but when I saw the cover of Mitzvah Dolls, I instinctively gasped and was filled with a warm feeling as I thought: Shiffy! Because the gorgeous blonde-haired doll on the front cover of this equally gorgeous children’s book does indeed look very much like Shiffy, the doll I had as a seven-year-old, and seeing this cover immediately brought back all those delicious memories of long days and nights spent playing with my doll, styling her hair, dressing her up…  And right away I knew I wanted to give this book to my own seven-year-old daughter, who, like her mother, enjoys nothing more than playing with her dolls.

The thing is, this book is not just a photo album of pictures of dolls. There’s tochen to it, too, on a children’s level, as each page of this unique book is graced by a photo of an adorably dressed doll doing a mitzvah. There’s the picture of the dolls davening, the doll helping his brother who fell off his bike, the one helping her mother fold laundry, and lots more. The corresponding rhymes that go along with each picture further enhance the presentation.

Do you have a little girl in your life who loves dolls as much as she loves reading books? Give her Mitzvah Dolls as a gift, and you’ve made this lucky girl’s year!

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It’s the sefer that’s found on hundreds, if not thousands, of Shabbos tables around the world. It’s the go-to sefer when you want to learn hilchos Shabbos—and the practical applications of those halachos—in a clear and concise way. It’s the hilchos Shabbos guide used by countless schools and study groups in the frum community. And now this bestselling Hebrew book is available in English, too!

Sefer Kitzur Hilchos Shabbos, by esteemed posek Rav Yaakov Yechezkel Posen, has become somewhat of a byword over the many years since its publication. Originating as a Hebrew textbook when the author began teaching hilchos Shabbos in Rika Breuers Teachers Seminary, the humble paperback sefer soon grew into a handsome hardcover book, and its popularity within frum circles grew along with it.

Back in 5732 (1972), the author showed his work to Rav Moshe Feinstein zt”l. Besides for giving his warm approbation to the sefer, Rav Moshe advised Rabbi Posen to translate the book into English. It took a while for Rabbi Posen to find the right person for the job, but finally, after many years, the English edition of Sefer Kitzur Hilchos Shabbos has been completed, and the book has just been released.

Did you make a kabbalah to improve your shemiras Shabbos this year? What better way to do that than by learning Kitzur Hilchos Shabbos!

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These are the topics no one wants to discuss—yet no one can afford to not discuss. When it comes to end-of-life and other weighty medical decisions, the areas can be potential minefields, and as Torah Jews, we are urged to proceed with utmost caution—by knowing when and about what to ask sheilos.

A family receives a call that their father’s death is imminent. May they go on Shabbos to be with him?

The doctor says that the surgery he needs to perform has a mortality rate of 50%. Does halachah allow for that surgery to be done?

The doctor advises a patient to be transferred to a hospice facility for palliative care. What must the patient’s family be aware of before allowing for this?

Is one ever allowed to put himself at risk in order to save the life of another person?

Medical Decisions in Halachah, by Rabbi Moshe Rotberg, is a newly published work that deals with these issues and hundreds of others on the topic, all in a clear and concise fashion. The culmination of nearly a decade of research, done in conjunction with the leading poskim and medical doctors in America, Canada, and Israel, this sefer can be used as a guide at those serious times when a person’s medical care is being put on the table for discussion.

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In today’s day and age, it sometimes seems that anyone and his brother can write a novel. Think up a few good characters and their quirks, add some danger to the mix (a terrorist, car crash, or trip to the Emergency Room usually works well for that), throw in a shidduch or two (what’s a good Jewish novel without that?)—and voila! The next bestselling thriller, at your fingertips, with your very own name on the front cover! Easy as pie, nothing to it, right?

Um…not exactly. Chances are, a book like that would be exactly that: nothing to it! The plot would be clichéd, the characters stereotypical and two-dimensional, the writing style would be flat.

In short, nothing at all like the vibrant fiction writing of Yitzchak Goldman. Especially in his book Code One.

This, folks, is a book whose fine writing style fairly sings; whose intricate plot is so well-researched and authentic, you wonder if it is true (FYI, it is not, although all the historical background and details are accurate); whose characters are so sharply defined, you’re sure you must have met them somewhere before (FYI, you did not, as they are all fictional—though I bet you’re secretly wishing you could meet Gerald Moore; he’s definitely my favorite character in the book!).

Sometimes bloggers tends to exaggerate, but believe me, I’m not inflating anything here. Truly, if you’re looking for quality Jewish fiction at its best, you needn’t look any further than Goldman’s latest and greatest thriller, a book that spans continents, generations, and readership: Code One.

You’ve got the book in your hands? Good. And so we dim the lights, begin the music, and lift the curtains… And now, please sit back, relax, and enjoy, as a skilled novelist takes you on a most exhilarating and unforgettable reading experience…

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If the plethora of dieting books out there on the market is an indication of anything, dieting is tough. Tough enough to make people want to shell out good money to buy books on the topic. Even if all those books will do is lecture you on why you should not eat that fresh cinnamon bun in your hand. (What? You’re still holding it, even after the book told you to put it down?!)

But Dieting Is Tough, Losing Weight Is a Cinch is a whole different story. Here is a dieting expert who truly understands you. She knows how you’re salivating for that sticky cinnamon bun in your hand, whose warm vanilla glaze is dripping onto your fingers; in fact, she describes herself as “someone who always prefers cream cake to lettuce and whose best friend is chocolate”! She realizes that engaging in constant battle against an enemy called food is self-destructive, and she equally respects your desire to eat and your desire to lose weight. And—here’s the most amazing part—she will prove to you in this book that these two conflicting interests can coexist peacefully!

Yes, you read that right!

Weight-loss coach Rachel Lambersky has written a truly one-of-a-kind—and effective—dieting book that draws upon the foundations of life coaching and psychodrama and helps you lose weight without the aggravation that typically is part and parcel of every diet plan. Her secret? Listen to yourself.

This method, of course, is analyzed and explained in great detail in the book, but what you’ll also find in these pages is something that will really make you smile. Rachel understands that a serious topic such as weight-loss needs some comic relief, and boy, has she provided it for you! Take a look at these colorful and amusing comics found throughout the book, and tell me that you won’t find yourself giggling helplessly! At the oh-so-true scenarios; at Rachel’s humor; and yes, at yourself.

Now that you are on your way to losing weight—and maintaining that weight-loss—you really do have much to laugh about!

Oh, and hope you enjoy that well-deserved cinnamon bun!

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It happened so many years ago. We’re generations away from the Jews who lived during the times of the Churban Beis Hamikdash. How are we, in 2016, supposed to feel the pain of the Churban on a personal level, the way we know we should?

It’s something we all need to work on, of course, and I’m not here to offer words of mussar on the topic. But what I can do is recommend one excellent way of connecting to the Churban: read Chains, an exquisite historical novel written by talented author Leah Gebber. Set in this exact time period, during the destruction of the second Beis Hamikdash, this is a book that pulls at your heart and brings you to tears just by virtue of the vivid descriptions of the times—all meticulously researched and accurate—and breathtakingly beautiful writing style.

You’ll immediately feel connected to the characters in the book: the brave Shulamit; her stoic cousin Mariam; Chanan, whose heart lies in one big state of confusion, and the rest of the cast. Your breath will catch in your throat as you follow their suspenseful saga. More importantly, you’ll receive an inkling of how the Jews felt as they were led, in chains, by their hated captors, to Rome, the city that was the antithesis of the kedushah of Eretz Yisrael…

Reading this book will change the way you recite the Kinnos on this year’s Tishah B’Av. It will put new understanding of the pain of the Churban and of galus into your heart. Your connection with Klal Yisrael’s glorious past will be strengthened—as will your prayers of Hashiveinu Hashem eilecha v’nashuvah…

Click here to purchase online.