THE ADVENTURES OF HERSHEL OF OSTROPOL

Ten tales about the legendary Jewish trickster Hershel, including stories in which he outwits his own family, a bandit who tries to rob him, a local rabbi, an angel, and a count, and one in which he is outwitted by another trickster but gets revenge. Kimmel (Rimonah of the Flashing Sword, p. 386, etc.) makes each of Hershel's escapades an ingenious delight, short enough to hold the attention of young children but clever enough for their older siblings. Hyman's wonderful black-and-white pictures leave readers wanting more. Kimmel's retelling aptly captures the ethnic origins of the collection, detailed in a foreword, and a last chapter, ""Hershel's Sayings,"" is a treat.