Jackie and Jesse and Joni and Jae come together with other children and adults to participate in the tashlich ritual during Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year.
As they walk through a forest to a river, the children carry bread that they will tear up and throw into that moving body of water to represent any wrongdoings committed last year. Perhaps some of the children are not Jewish, as “Jackie asked Jesse and Joni asked Jae, / ‘Is this bread for the ducks / or a game that we’ll play?’ ” Before Jesse or Jae can answer, Rabbi Miriam explains: “On Rosh Hashanah, we all need to say / ‘I’m sorry’ to those whom we’ve / hurt in some way.” The children each remember moments when they hurt their friends, incidents that range from teasing to betraying a secret. All have apologized, but their acts still weigh on their minds. After their personal reflections, they throw their breadcrumbs into the water to take part in the symbolic communal action of asking for forgiveness. Their actions and their vows are concrete and will easily be understood by readers. The simple rhyming text adequately covers the concepts of tashlich and forgiveness for young children. The illustrations, seemingly digital, have a childlike, naïve quality. Most characters present as white, although Jae and his family appear Asian. A brief author’s note explains the custom for readers not familiar with it.
This child-friendly introduction to tashlich will be welcome in Jewish homes and classrooms and will open up secular discussions of forgiveness. (Picture book. 4-6)Pub Date: Aug. 1, 2019
ISBN: 978-1-68115-550-0
Page Count: 24
Publisher: Apples & Honey Press
Review Posted Online: June 10, 2019
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 1, 2019
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A Halloween book that rides on the rhythms of “Over in the Meadow.”
Although Halloween rhyming counting books abound, this stands out, with a text that begs to be read aloud and cartoony digital illustrations that add goofy appeal. A girl and two boys set off on Halloween night to go trick-or-treating. As the children leave the cozy, warm glow of their street, readers see a haunted house on a hill, with gravestones dotting the front yard. Climbing the twisty path to the dark estate takes time, so the story turns to the antics inside the house. “At the old haunted house in a room with no sun / lived a warty green witch and her wee witch one. ‘SPELL!’ cried the witch. ‘POOF!’ cried the one. / And they both practiced spells in the room with no sun.” The actions of the scary creatures within may seem odd, but the rhyme must go on: Cats scratch, goblins dust, monsters stir, and mummies mix. Eventually the three kids reach the front door and are invited in for stew, cake and brew. At first shocked by the gruesome fare, the children recover quickly and get caught up in partying with the slightly spooky but friendly menagerie.
A good choice to share with wriggly listeners, who will soon be joining in. (Picture book. 4-6)Pub Date: Aug. 12, 2014
ISBN: 978-1-4778-4769-5
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Two Lions
Review Posted Online: July 16, 2014
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 1, 2014
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Ferry and the Fans portray a popular seasonal character’s unlikely friendship.
Initially, the protagonist is shown in his solitary world: “Scarecrow stands alone and scares / the fox and deer, / the mice and crows. / It’s all he does. It’s all he knows.” His presence is effective; the animals stay outside the fenced-in fields, but the omniscient narrator laments the character’s lack of friends or places to go. Everything changes when a baby crow falls nearby. Breaking his pole so he can bend, the scarecrow picks it up, placing the creature in the bib of his overalls while singing a lullaby. Both abandon natural tendencies until the crow learns to fly—and thus departs. The aabb rhyme scheme flows reasonably well, propelling the narrative through fall, winter, and spring, when the mature crow returns with a mate to build a nest in the overalls bib that once was his home. The Fan brothers capture the emotional tenor of the seasons and the main character in their panoramic pencil, ballpoint, and digital compositions. Particularly poignant is the close-up of the scarecrow’s burlap face, his stitched mouth and leaf-rimmed head conveying such sadness after his companion goes. Some adults may wonder why the scarecrow seems to have only partial agency, but children will be tuned into the problem, gratified by the resolution.
A welcome addition to autumnal storytelling—and to tales of traditional enemies overcoming their history. (Picture book. 4-6)Pub Date: Sept. 3, 2019
ISBN: 978-0-06-247576-3
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Harper/HarperCollins
Review Posted Online: May 8, 2019
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 1, 2019
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