A Good Children’s Book Is Far More Than a Bedtime Story
Hebrew Book Month is an opportunity to celebrate the written word, but also to remember where it all begins: with the first book a child encounters, the character that sparks curiosity, the illustration that expands their world, and the moment when reading ceases to be a task and becomes an experience. Before we ask children to love literature as adults, we must first give them, in childhood, books truly worth falling in love with.
Children’s literature is not a marginal branch of Hebrew literature. It is one of its most important foundations. A high-quality children’s book enriches language, nurtures imagination and curiosity, and provides emotional and social tools. Through a story, we can speak with children about fear, friendship, loss, difference, hope and courage – even when it is difficult to find the words in a direct conversation. It also creates a safe space in which children are allowed to ask, wonder, make mistakes and rediscover the world.
In Israel in recent years, this has taken on particular importance. Many children are growing up amid uncertainty, tension and disruptions to their educational routine. At the same time, the data compel us to pause: the PIRLS study, which examines reading literacy among fourth-grade pupils, showed a sharp decline of 20 points in the achievements of Israeli students – a return to levels recorded more than two decades ago. This is not merely a problem for the education system. It is a social warning sign.
Against this backdrop, it is especially difficult to ignore the decision not to award the Deborah Omer Prize for Children’s and Young Adult Literature due to budget cuts. Prizes are not merely ceremonies. They provide recognition to creators, encourage original writing and illustration, and signal to the public what we choose to value. When institutional support weakens, the responsibility to strengthen the field also falls on publishers, libraries, educational institutions and civil society.
The accelerated entry of artificial intelligence into the world of writing also demands reflection. Technology can support creators and make content more accessible, but it is no substitute for a distinct human voice, original imagination and the sensitivity required to write for children. The easier it becomes to generate texts rapidly, the more important it is to cultivate works that offer depth, responsibility, cultural memory and a genuine encounter with the child’s world.
In the only country in the world where Hebrew is the primary language, investing in children’s literature is an investment in the future of Hebrew culture, in the preservation of a tradition thousands of years old and in the future of the children who will carry it forward.
