DREAM BIG, LAUGH OFTEN

An unusual, fascinating blueprint for living a good, happy life.

The book assumes familiarity with Old Testament personages, but carefully constructed retellings allow them to be seen in new and different ways. In fact, the audience is instructed to pay attention to the words and even closer attention to the art, created with stunning collages of found objects. Bright double-page spreads introduce the characters, followed by very brief moral mantras. The text speaks directly to readers, zeroing in on exploits, adventures, or life works and putting forth unusual interpretations or twists. Children are urged to “Be Curious” like Eve, shown with a magnifying glass for an eye and billowing hair made of tiles with numbers and Hebrew letters, while a leopard-skin snake slithers out from a frame of plastic food (for thought). Noah, with an oven mitt face, stands on a cork ark carrying plastic animals as a dove made from a white glove flies overhead. Moses’ hair and beard are matzah pieces. Miriam’s face is a tambourine, and other characters show a wide variety of “skin” tones. Every tale is a bit of earnest fancy with an incredible variety of highly detailed worlds. Readers and their grown-ups will examine, peruse, and discuss it all again and again, with some ideas remaining ever mysterious. “Trust the Journey,” “Dream Big,” “Laugh Yourself Silly,” and “Feel Your Power.” (This book was reviewed digitally.)

An amazing, joyous achievement.