It’s hard to go wrong with a story about Chelm.
A poor teacher and his wife worry that they won’t be able to afford to celebrate the Shavuot holiday with traditional blintzes and hatch a savings plan with good intentions but ridiculous results.
Gitele and Yankl are residents of Chelm, populated by the wisest fools. They take an old, dirty, wheeled trunk, cut a hole in the top, and vow to each throw in a coin every day, thus collecting enough to shop for and make blintzes. But left alone, each spouse relies on the other to do the saving, so when the trunk is opened at the end of two weeks, only the original two coins are inside. An argument ensues, and in the scuffle, the couple ends up in the trunk, which then closes and begins to roll down the hill. As it approaches the synagogue, Gitele and Yankl’s screams from within cause the townsfolk, comically depicted with wide necks and long noses, to fear that a dybbuk, or demon, is inside. The trunk is opened and the disoriented couple’s story prompts the rabbi to forbid a teacher living on a hill with a trunk on wheels from making blintzes. While no explanation of either the holiday or the reason for its customary meal is given, the absurdity of the story and its nonsensical conclusion will be appreciated by those familiar with these Eastern European noodlehead tales.
It’s hard to go wrong with a story about Chelm. (author’s note) (Picture book. 4-6)Pub Date: April 1, 2016
ISBN: 978-1-4677-7985-2
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Kar-Ben
Review Posted Online: Jan. 8, 2016
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 15, 2016
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
The now-classic tale’s humor still fosters eye-rolling laughter, with Wohnoutka’s illustrations as rib-tickling complement.
A well-used trope of misidentification allows a village elder to innocently open her home to a possible predator with humorous, even endearing results.
Despite her advanced age of 97 and her poor eyesight and hearing, Bubba Brayna “still [makes] the best potato latkes in the village.” When Old Bear is awakened from his winter sleep by the savory aroma of frying latkes and comes to her door, Bubba Brayna invites him in for a fresh batch, mistaking the bear’s rotund girth and bushy face for the heavy-set bearded rabbi’s. Heading straight for the kitchen, the growling bear is encouraged to play dreidel with nuts he chooses to eat, then devours all the latkes with jam like any hungry bear would. Sleepy and satisfied, he leaves with a gift of a red woolen scarf around his neck. After some investigating by the crowd that has gathered at Bubba Brayna’s door, which includes the actual rabbi, a new batch of potatoes are brought from the cellar, and with everyone’s help, Bubba Brayna hosts a happy Hanukkah. This newly illustrated version of The Chanukkah Guest, illustrated by Giora Carmi (1990), is a softer rendition, with acrylic paints and curved lines in tints of yellow, brown and green for warm, earthy atmosphere.
The now-classic tale’s humor still fosters eye-rolling laughter, with Wohnoutka’s illustrations as rib-tickling complement. (Picture book. 4-6)Pub Date: July 1, 2013
ISBN: 978-0-8234-2855-7
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Holiday House
Review Posted Online: Aug. 13, 2013
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 1, 2013
For preschoolers who want a Halloween book that is more silly than scary.
Ward and Gray exchange the little old lady for an old mummy, and the book gets pleasantly goofy from there.
Cartoon illustrations with Technicolor clarity follow a round-eyed mummy as he traipses from the cemetery to a haunted house. Along the way he swallows a spider, rat, crow, bone, brew, witch, and a ghost. Obviously the narrator doesn’t “know why he swallowed the spider,” but the rhyme always ends with an odd “Open wider!” Even though the transitions from item to consumed item seem a bit arbitrary, young readers will focus on the comic details and opportunity to chime in with the familiar song. Fortunately for sensitive children, all the live creatures that end up in the mummy’s tummy appear to be getting along well enough. Just remember: “There was an old mummy— / this story is true. / You’d better look out, / or he’ll swallow… // YOU, too! / BOO!”
For preschoolers who want a Halloween book that is more silly than scary. (Picture book. 4-6)Pub Date: July 21, 2015
ISBN: 978-1-4778-2637-9
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Two Lions
Review Posted Online: July 14, 2015
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 1, 2015
© Copyright 2026 Kirkus Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.
Follow
Popular in this Genre
We can’t wait for you to join Kirkus!
It’s free and takes less than 10 seconds!
Already have an account? Log in.
OR
Sign in with GoogleTrouble signing in? Retrieve credentials.
Welcome Back!
OR
Sign in with GoogleTrouble signing in? Retrieve credentials.
