­Jason Belongs: The Story of Jason Schachter McKinney

Gr 1-4–The true story of how a young man left his religious origins and found his way back, with charming illustrations of the journey from Muñoz. Born to a Black father and a Jewish mother, McKinney grew up in Hebrew school and synagogue, right through his bar mitzvah. His father’s embrace of Judaism and the warmth of his family background was always obvious, but whispers at school—how could he be Jewish if he’s Black—sent him into a crisis. He turned his back on Judaism, growing into a young man with a wonderful singing career, but something was missing. While on tour in Antwerp, Belgium, he found himself outside a synagogue at sunset and joined the congregation for the first time in years. There, he found his true voice, becoming a cantor who ultimately sang at esteemed venues like the White House and Lincoln Center, as well as for his own congregation. The story arc, deliberately simple, makes McKinney’s journey accessible to any child who has questioned where or how to fit in with community, family, and school. The story also has an inevitability that makes his ­arrival at the synagogue in Antwerp a pitch-perfect moment. Vibrant illustrations of ­McKinney’s life also contribute to the accessibility of the story; that a majority of the book is about McKinney as an adult will leave children encouraged that growing up is a forever process and there will be plenty of time for life-altering decisions.