Most Popular Books by Steven Schnur

Everyone in Mrs. Hamilton's class thinks Rafi is the clumsiest boy in the fifth grade. Rafi's friend Hannah begins to suspect that there is another explanation for Rafi's bruises.

An old man named Brooks Clark, who was a neighbor of Henry David Thoreau, walks along a New England road in autumn, and upon passing the homestead of acquaintances, shares with them the treasures of nature which he has collected on the way.

Young readers are introduced to Henry David Thoreau's masterpiece, Walden, through excerpts from the original work.

When the letters from the pages of books start to fall off in Mrs. Popham's elementary school library, the whole school comes together to find a solution to the problem.

"That dream again-the clanging, clattering donkey, the gypsy peddler, the storm-then waking in a pool of sweat, panting, panic-stricken, disoriented, still hearing the sound of his own terror-filled voice shouting "Mama!" as lightning flashed and cold rain coursed down his tear-streaked face, soaking his hair, his shirt, his shoes. He was lost! His heart raced, his breath came in spasmodic gulps. There was no Mama. Mama was dead! And somehow it was his fault! "No, it was just a dream, just a terrible dream. He was not that child, not anymore, not now as he peered through the steamy summer darkness seeking reassurance. Where was he? His sleep-saturated brain told him he was floating on a cloud surrounded by fluttering, filmy waves, flickering lamps, twinkling dots of distant light, and just there, almost directly overhead, a great white beacon drawing him upwards. Was this heaven? Was that beacon Mama? Don't be silly! It was the moon, and there, her back turned to him, lay Evie, and beyond her Papa and Mama Vera and the girls, all sleeping soundly on the crowded fire escape."-from the Prologue to Sleepy Hollow. Plagued by feelings of guilt over the death of his mother, intimidated by the foreignness and pace of life in America, the young immigrant protagonist of this novel set in New York City's Lower East Side at the turn of the last century, finds unexpected redemption in the landscape and language of a literary classic from his adopted home.

What is this life if not an accumulation of days, days of doubt, days of splendor, days of awe--days that leave us breathless with wonder, stupefied with uncertainty, saturated with gratitude. In these brief, incisive essays on life in the opening years of the 21st century, novelist and children's author Steven Schnur reflects upon what it means to be human in a world fast losing touch with its humanity, discovering even in the midst of terrorism and war countless reasons to celebrate and rejoice. With wry wit, a keen ear for the music of language, and a sharp eye for nature's inestimable gifts, the author focuses his attentions on the raw material of daily life--the change of seasons, the growth of children, the morning headlines, the imminence of death--artfully awakening his readers to the minor miracles that underlie even the most quotidian events and the powerful feelings they evoke. Spend a moment in the company of these deft meditations on the richness of the human spirit and you will come away delighted, enlightened, and renewed. Days of Awe is nothing short of awe-inspiring.

While spending the summer on his grandfather's farm in the French countryside, eleven-year-old Etienne discovers a secret dating back to World War II and encounters the ghosts of Jewish children who suffered a dreadful fate under the Nazis.

The Shadow Children "Schnur's novel is poignant and haunting. Etienne's direct, first-person narrative draws readers into his world, one of pleasure and puzzlement, action and reflection. The fantasy elements are smoothly integrated into the story, and add a unique slant to a frequently covered topic. A thought-provoking addition to the World War II literature."--School Library Journal Beyond Providence "To a cast of passionate, fully realized characters, Schnur adds a compelling sense of place and time and several surprising subplots. With lyrical prose and metaphorical imagery, it's a novel that grows on readers with each turn of the page."--Kirkus Reviews The Koufax Dilemma "Danny's usually warm relationship with his mother and coach, and his mixed feelings for his mother's boyfriend and his dad's new family are portrayed in a believable way. His struggles with faith, family, and team loyalty make this novel an appealing account of family caring and compromise, as well as a satisfying sports story."--Children's Literature Winter: An Alphabet Acrostic "Schnur and Evans round out the year, producing another visually and verbally entrancing title following Autumn, Spring, and Summer. Evans makes hand-colored linoleum blocks whose strong and supple graphic line sets off her rich colors. Schnur's deceptively simple acrostics trace the alphabet and the season. With this latest entry Schnur and Evans complete a most satisfying quartet that can be read with pleasure the whole year round."--Kirkus Reviews

Today’s dad comes home at the end of the day to a job he loves: fatherhood. Daddy’s Home! gathers together honest and funny true stories about coming home into manhood--getting married, buying a house, having kids, and everything else that happens when you don't want to put off being a grown-up any longer. Steven Schnur writes about the frustrations of infertility, the scary joy of helping his wife give birth, and the relentless scramble to keep up with twins. Always, he gets the details right and adds a dose of his own hard-won wisdom. Today’s dad is learning to appreciate the small things--the daily discoveries children make, the pleasures and worries of raising them right, and the ever-evolving knack for turning little trials into little triumphs. Today’s dad is negotiating the supermarket, coming to terms with his family history and heritage, and living with the sweet chaos of watching his children change. Daddy’s Home! preserves in words what is so fleeting in nature: “the cherished hopes, the mayhem, and the minor miracles that amplify the narrowly circumscribed universe of one doting father.” The perfect companion for both veteran and novice dads, Daddy’s Home! is a tribute to people everywhere who are heroic in their ability to recognize joy. It is a celebration of a man’s biggest challenge-and also his biggest delight.

On the last night of Chanukah, after hearing how an old man lost his family in the Holocaust, a young boy makes a wish that is carried to God as the menorah candles burn down.

"When a water main bursts outside the synagogue on the eve of Alex's Bar Mitzvah, Grandpa saves the day, moving the service and celebration to the extremely narrow house he built years ago. In the process the family discovers the real meaning of Bar Mitzvah" --

Twelve-year-old Nathan comes of age on a beloved yet dilapidated farm as he struggles to understand the death of his mother amidst the anger and violence of his father and brother.

In a companion volume to Autumn: an Alphabet Acrostic and Spring: an Alphabet Acrostic, sandy beaches, juicy watermelons, and porch swings are just a few of the warm-weather delights featured in acrostic poems about summer.

Describes the autumn season, with its animals, rain, cold winds, and harvested food. When read vertically, the first letters of the lines of text spell related words arranged alphabetically, from "acorn" to "zero."

This book is a classic celebration of winter in a remote Montana valley.

A collection of acrostic poems--one for each letter of the alphabet--that celebrates the joys of winter.