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OG'S ARK

Name: OG'S ARK
Author: Allison Marks
ISBN: 978-1-4677-6149-9

by Allison Marks & Wayne Marks ; illustrated by Martina Peluso ‧ RELEASE DATE: March 1, 2016

An unusual take on a familiar story, with an enormous and likable character and a few gaps.

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Combining a character from Numbers and Deuteronomy with the biblical tale of Noah’s Ark, the Marks and Peluso introduce the giant Og.

First shown in the arms of a smiling, doughy woman with her back against a tree trunk and her head in the leaves, Og is a big baby, so large he breaks his cradle and every bed after that as he grows. Years of sleepless nights make him grumpy to his fellow humans, but animals seek the safety of his warm mass. Because the animals trust Og, Noah tells Og about the impending flood and enlists his help gathering the animals. The vivid palette in greens, golds, and browns is warm, and the rounded shapes bring a look of juvenile innocence to all of the characters. Bible stories are complicated, and this comforting aesthetic stands in contrast to the devastation and implied death that sensitive youngsters will surely ask about, especially after seeing a close-up of Og’s tear-stained face when he discovers he cannot fit in the ark (although Og has previously said he is so tall he cannot drown). Noah invites Og to ride on top of the ark and later the giant is rewarded, presumably by God, with a giant-sized bed—which Og finds perfectly comfortable once his animal friends join him.

An unusual take on a familiar story, with an enormous and likable character and a few gaps. (authors’ note) (Picture book. 4-8)

Pub Date: March 1, 2016

ISBN: 978-1-4677-6149-9

Page Count: 32

Publisher: Kar-Ben

Review Posted Online: Jan. 8, 2016

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 15, 2016

Categories:

CHILDREN'S RELIGIOUS FICTION

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THE $150,000 RUGELACH
by Allison Marks & Wayne Marks ; illustrated by Ariel Landy

- BOOK REVIEW
A GEFILTE FISHY TALE
by Allison Marks and Wayne Marks , illustrated by Renée Andriani

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UNCLE ELI'S WEDDING

by Tracy Newman ; illustrated by Sernur Işık ‧ RELEASE DATE: March 1, 2015

An author’s note and glossary of key Jewish wedding vocabulary round out this saccharine introductory story for youngsters...

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A young nephew must relinquish some of his valued soccer practice time to attend his favorite uncle’s wedding and is rewarded.

Chafing at being stuck at the wedding instead of doing soccer drills, Daniel expresses his discontent while kicking a ball across the lawn before the day’s festivities begin. The boy is willing to be a part of the day’s event yet is concerned that marriage may change the way Uncle Eli spends time with him. Hoping to get his uncle’s attention (and unfamiliar with the many rituals involved in a Jewish wedding), Daniel offers to help by signing the marriage contract known as a ketubah or by holding one of the chuppah poles of the wedding canopy only to be rebuffed. Finally, the much-anticipated promise of a special role is fulfilled when Eli requires some help with the traditional breaking of glass at the end of the nuptials. Daniel duly complies with some extra-strong foot stomping. Thin-lined watercolor caricatures in a muted palette present a droll though somewhat unflattering atmosphere for this Judaic setting. Daniel’s two grandmothers, Bubbe Tillie and Bubbe Millie, make up a rather grating Greek chorus with their singsong, rhyming commentary: “A simcha! So sweet”; “Such nachas! Let’s eat!”

An author’s note and glossary of key Jewish wedding vocabulary round out this saccharine introductory story for youngsters attending their first ceremony. (Picture book. 5-8)

Pub Date: March 1, 2015

ISBN: 978-0-8075-8293-0

Page Count: 32

Publisher: Whitman

Review Posted Online: Jan. 9, 2015

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 15, 2015

Categories:

CHILDREN'S FAMILY | CHILDREN'S HOLIDAYS & CELEBRATIONS | CHILDREN'S RELIGIOUS FICTION

- BOOK REVIEW
ITZHAK
by Tracy Newman ; illustrated by Abigail Halpin

- BOOK REVIEW
HAVDALAH IS COMING!
by Tracy Newman ; illustrated by Viviana Garofoli

- BOOK REVIEW
AROUND THE PASSOVER TABLE
by Tracy Newman ; illustrated by Adriana Santos

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JOEY AND THE GIANT BOX

by Deborah Lakritz ; illustrated by Mike Byrne ‧ RELEASE DATE: May 1, 2015

Joey would be more sympathetic if he didn’t sound like an ad. He’s about as believable as a parent who says, “My child would...

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Beware of books about good role models.

Kids hate it when their parents say, “I spend a fortune on a toy, and all the kids want to do is play with the box!” It sounds like an excuse to stop buying toys. But a box is still pretty terrific. In this book, Joey uses a carton as a spaceship and a fort. The problem is that the box takes up his entire room. When he tries to store it under the bed, it lifts the bedframe a yard into the air. (Byrne’s illustration is hilarious. Joey looks equally delighted and terrified.) Inspired by a food drive at the supermarket, he decides to turn the box into a gigantic donation bin and collect food for the needy. This is touching, but not every reader will find it convincing. Joey sounds a bit mature and formal for a small child: “Please don’t recycle my box yet….I want to collect food for hungry people—just like at the grocery store.” Lots of children’s books are propaganda (even—perhaps especially—Green Eggs and Ham), but the moral lesson in this book is more than a little heavy-handed.

Joey would be more sympathetic if he didn’t sound like an ad. He’s about as believable as a parent who says, “My child would rather have a box than a toy.” (Picture book. 4-8)