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THE LORD’S PRAYER

Holder has created a breathtaking interpretation of the Lord’s Prayer, using the traditional wording from the 1928 edition of the Book of Common Prayer. Her artistic interpretation is anything but traditional, however, as she illustrates the text in dusky pastels without showing any people, using only animals, birds, and insects, complemented by flowers, plants, and a few buildings and artifacts. Printed on buff-colored paper with an antique look, the left-hand pages feature one phrase of the prayer with a large initial capital in gold, while the right-hand pages employ a full-page illustration with an arched top and intricately detailed surrounding borders. The illustration for “Give us this day our daily bread,” for example, shows two birds pecking at bread crumbs, with a mouse hoping for a share. Corresponding borders show minuscule cats and dogs looking for food on deserted streets, with grapes and wheat incorporated into the design. Two concluding pages of author’s notes explain the choice of flora and fauna and relevant biblical references in the illustrations. There are surprisingly few recent editions of the Lord’s Prayer in illustrated format; this offering presents a new view of ancient words for all ages. (Religion. 4+)

Pub Date: April 11, 2004

ISBN: 1-932425-03-9

Page Count: 28

Publisher: N/A

Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010

Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 15, 2004

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WHAT JEWISH LOOKS LIKE

A celebration of progressive Judaism and an inclusive primer on Jews making a difference in the world.

This wide-ranging collection of short biographies highlights 36 Jewish figures from around the globe and across centuries.

Explicitly pushing back against homogenous depictions of Jewish people, the authors demonstrate the ethnic, racial, and gender diversity of Jews. Each spread includes a brief biography paired with a stylized portrait reminiscent of those in Elena Favilli and Francesca Cavallo’s Good Night Stories for Rebel Girls (2016). A pull quote or sidebar accompanies each subject; sidebars include “Highlighting Jewish Paralympic Athletes,” “Jewish Stringed Music,” and “Ethiopian Jews in Israel.” Kleinrock and Pritchard’s roster of subjects makes a compelling case for the vastness and variety of Jewish experience—from a contemporary Ethiopian American teen to a 16th-century Portuguese philanthropist—while still allowing them to acknowledge better-known figures. The entry on Raquel Montoya-Lewis, an associate justice of the Washington Supreme Court and an enrolled member of the Pueblo Isleta Indian tribe, discusses her mission to reimagine criminal justice for Indigenous people; the sidebar name-checks Ruth Bader Ginsburg and Elena Kagan. The bios are organized around themes of Jewish principles such as Pikuach Nefesh (translated from the Hebrew as “to save a life”) and Adam Yachid (translated as the “unique value of every person”); each section includes an introduction to an organization that centers diverse Jewish experiences.

A celebration of progressive Judaism and an inclusive primer on Jews making a difference in the world. (resources) (Nonfiction. 8-12)

Pub Date: Sept. 24, 2024

ISBN: 9780063285712

Page Count: 128

Publisher: Harper/HarperCollins

Review Posted Online: June 15, 2024

Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 15, 2024

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SAINT VALENTINE

The most interesting feature of this retelling of a story about a saint martyred in A.D. 270 is the art, a meticulous re- creation of the medium of its subject's period. Using thousands of tiny, rectangular pieces resembling tiles, Sabuda replicates the effect of Roman mosaics. His simple designs and harmonious, gently muted colors are pleasing, and he achieves surprising subtleties of expression, considering the intractability of the medium. Actually, the illustrations work even better from a slight distance (as with a group), so that the demarcations between the tiny pieces are less predominant. The technique, which tends to congeal the action, makes relatively undramatic illustrations; still, it's a fascinating experiment that brings the ancient world to life by paying tribute to its art rather than by picturing it in a modern style. The straightforward narrative centers on Valentine as a physician whose ointment restores the sight of a jailer's blind daughter, long the saint's friend. It's implied that the long-awaited cure takes place at the moment of his offstage death; the story ends with the joy of the child's renewed vision. An unusual and attractive rendition. Historical note. (Nonfiction/Picture book. 6-9)

Pub Date: Oct. 30, 1992

ISBN: 0-689-31762-X

Page Count: 32

Publisher: Atheneum

Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Nov. 15, 1992

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