THE ELEPHANT AND THE PURIM CROWN

A young girl’s compassion proves more precious than gold or rubies.

Drawing from her mother’s childhood in Burma (now Myanmar), where a vibrant Jewish community flourished for years, Kierzenblat tells a story centered on the Jewish value of treating animals with kindness. Rachel is on her way to a Purim celebration when her cousin points out a man offering elephant rides. She’s disturbed to find that underneath its elaborate costume, the animal is old and tired. Later, at the Purim festival, Rachel wins a valuable golden crown. She decides to trade her prize for the elephant, allowing it to retire. The elephant handler is so moved by her selflessness that he lets her keep the crown and the elephant. Rachel donates both to a sanctuary, demonstrating that animals are the real treasure. Though wearing costume crowns is a common way to honor Purim hero Queen Esther, readers may find it implausible that a child is inexplicably gifted a towering, bejeweled creation worth more than an elephant. Still, with richly colored illustrations and alliterative text, the story portrays a variety of Burmese Jewish foods, clothing, and traditions. Characters are depicted with medium to dark brown skin tones. An author’s note addresses both Kierzenblat’s connection to the historic Jewish community in Myanmar and the status of its elephants, accompanied by photographs.

A welcome glimpse of a culture too rarely depicted in American children’s literature.