Looking at their list of recommended books, I do not see any that mentions or appears to take place in Israel.
Early Readers (3K–Grade 2)Bubbe and Bart’s Matzoh Ball Mayhem, by Bonnie Grubman; illustrated by Deborah MelmonEmma’s Poem: The Voice of the Statue of Liberty, by Linda GlaserEmmy Noether: The most Important Mathematician You’ve Never Heard Of, by Helaine Becker; illustrated by Kari RustFeivel’s Flying Horses, by Heidi Smith Hyde; illustrated by Joana van de SterreGittel’s Journey: An Ellis Island Story, by Lesléa Newman; illustrated by Amy June BatesHannah’s Way, by Linda Glaser; illustrated by Adam GustavsonKibitzers and Fools: Tales My Zayda Told Me, by Simms TabackMitzvah Pizza, by Sarah Lynn Sheerger; illustrated by Deborah MelmonThe People’s Painter: How Ben Shahn Fought for Justice with Art, by Cynthia Levinson; illustrated by Evan TurkThe Tower of Life: How Yaffa Eliach Rebuilt Her Town in Stories and Photographs, by Chana Stiefel; illustrated by Susan GalElementary (Grades 3–5)All Three Stooges, by Erica S. PerlThe Book Rescuer: How a Mensch from Massachusetts Saved Yiddish Literature for Generations to Come, by Sue Macy; illustrated by Stacy InnerstGoing Rogue (At Hebrew School), by Casey BretonHammerin’ Hank: The Life of Hank Greenberg, by Yona Zeldis McDonough; illustrated by Malcah ZeldisHidden: A Child’s Story of the Holocaust, by Loïc Dauvillier; illustrated by Marc LizanoHoney and Me, by Meira DrazinHow To Find What You’re Not Looking For, by Veera HiranandaniI Dissent: Ruth Bader Ginsburg Makes Her Mark, by Debbie Levy; illustrated by Elizabeth BaddeleyThe Librarian of Auschwitz: The Graphic Novel, based on the novel by Antonio Iturbe; adapted by Salva Rubio; illustrated by Loreto ArocaOsnat and Her Dove: The True Story of the World’s First Female Rabbi, by Sigal Samuel; illustrated by Vali MintziMiddle School (Grades 6–8)Black Bird, Blue Road, by Sofiya PasternackHereville: How Mirka Got Her Sword, by Barry DeutschThe Length of a String, by Elissa Brent WeissmanLinked, by Gordon KormanLucky Broken Girl, by Ruth BeharMusic Was It: Young Leonard Bernstein, by Susan Goldman RubinThis Is Just a Test, by Madelyn Rosenberg and Wendy Wan-Long ShangThe Trouble with Good Ideas, by Amanda PanitchTurtle Boy, by M. Evan WolkensteinThe Unfinished Corner, by Dani Colman, Rachel Petrovicz, Whitney Cogar, and Jim CampbellUpper Grades (Grades 9–12)Anne Frank: The Diary of a Young Girl, by Anne FrankBernice Sandler and the Fight for Title IX, by Jen Barton; illustrated by Sarah GreenColor Me In, by Natasha DíazDissenter on the Bench: Ruth Bader Ginsburg’s Life and Work, by Victoria OrtizIt’s A Whole Spiel: Love, Latkes, and Other Jewish Stories, edited by Katherine Locke and Laura SilvermanLucy Clark Will Not Apologize, by Margo RabbRecommended for You, by Laura SilvermanSomeday We Will Fly, by Rachel DeWoskinThey Went Left, by Monica HesseThe Way Back, by Gavriel Savit
I understand that this is meant to focus on Jewish Americans, but there are books about the Holocaust and others that take place in vaguely European Shtetl-type settings.
I remember as a child I had a book published in 1964 called Eli Lives in Israel, which is long out of print. And it appears that outside of Jewish publishing houses, the number of books that treat Jews as normal people living in Israel is very small.
This has been noticed by others. There is an unofficial boycott on publishing Israel-themed books, both for kids and in novels for adults.
One reason appears to be that publishers don't want to deal with the anti-Israel crowd.
Then there was Haley Neil, a new Jewish young-adult novelist, who reportedly felt compelled to rewrite her first novel, debuting in February (2021). Why? Hostile critics left 1-star reviews on Goodreads, because the story was rumored to take place on a Birthright trip to Israel, a popular tour for young Jews to reconnect with their heritage. Bloomsbury’s director of publicity for children’s books emailed the Washington Examiner, “We don’t comment on specific changes made in the editorial process,” before adding, “It’s worth noting that early commentors were not responding to any draft of the book, as it was not released.”So even though nearly half of the Jews in the world live in Israel, kids don't know this - or they only see the Jews as aggressive soldiers through the distorted lens of Palestinians, who publish lots of children's stories that all include subtle or not-subtle anti-Israel components.
The message is clear: Jews in Israel must be treated like monsters, or ignored altogether. They do not have their own lives independent of the conflict, their own hopes and dreams and struggles like kids worldwide.
This is the kind of antisemitism that Jews have to live through that is accepted by the enlightened world of book publishers, teachers and public school systems.
