An effective presentation of the weekly religious observance as a personal reflection on life’s simple pleasures.
The peaceful respite offered by Shabbat is celebrated in the nature walks a boy and his grandfather enjoy.
Grampa’s weekly ritual encourages Noah to find Shabbat shalom, or Sabbath peace, in the beauty of the natural world. Summer offers a fluttering butterfly and ducks on a lake. Autumn’s falling leaves reflect the sun’s "dancing dots of light," along with a glistening spider web and sweet raspberries. Softly falling snowflakes in the quiet atmosphere of winter are perfect exemplars of Shabbat shalom. But Noah wishes to share all this with his dog Mazel, quite the rambunctious puppy, whose exuberance, according to Grampa, would spoil the tranquility and purpose of outings on the day of rest. But once a year has passed, Mazel, a bit older and less feisty, joins Noah and Grampa on the weekly stroll to find their Shabbat shalom together. Double-page graphite drawings digitally colored in muted shades provide an array of unassuming urban scenes. Numerous examples in the text flesh out Grampa's exhortation to appreciate life in the observance of the day of rest.
An effective presentation of the weekly religious observance as a personal reflection on life’s simple pleasures. (Picture book. 5-7)Pub Date: April 1, 2012
ISBN: 978-0-7614-6145-6
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Marshall Cavendish
Review Posted Online: Feb. 21, 2012
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 15, 2012
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
The Anglo rather than Hebrew alphabet is used here as a loose tie-in presenting Jewish-related information on holidays, customs, traditions and certain religious practices. While some letter connections seem sensibly Jewish-oriented—“K is for Kiddush, a prayer over wine / thanking God for giving us the fruit of the vine / L is for latkes fried ’til crisp and yummy / Add applesauce or sour cream and fill up your tummy”—others seem stretched and more generic: “A is for animals, boarding Noah’s Ark / hurrying on two by two before the sky turns dark / B is for bagels baked golden brown / many varieties, all of them round.” In addition to displaying upper- and lower-case letters and extra words for each letter, the author provides explanations for each concept. Mixed-media illustrations incorporate the shape of the letter into the object each represents, and accompany prose and uneven and imperfectly rhymed text. An introductory hodgepodge of information, at best. (Picture book/nonfiction. 5-7)
Pub Date: Oct. 1, 2006
ISBN: 1-58980-414-7
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Pelican
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 15, 2006
Those who favor a literal interpretation of Bible stories and fans of Smith’s popular series will probably feel that this...
This interpretation of the story of Noah and his Ark combines the familiar Old Testament story with perennially popular LEGO® building blocks used to create the illustrations.
The story is told in contemporary language with no reference to a particular version of the Bible or location of the relevant verses. God is depicted as an old, bearded white (or yellowish plastic) man in a white robe, and the animals and human characters are all familiar LEGO® shapes, humorously arranged in creative scenes. Smith’s series of Bible stories, the Brick Testament, has provoked controversy due to the violence depicted in some illustrations. This latest addition to the series does not shy away from the difficult issues inherent in the story. Blood (translucent red LEGO® blocks), battles and burning denote evil behavior ("God looked at the world and saw that all the people were very bad"); drowning people and the torso of a body can be seen as the waters rise, and (smiling) skeletons litter the ground when Noah and his family exit the Ark. A note for parents by a religious educator is included with guidelines for explaining the Noah’s Ark story to children.
Those who favor a literal interpretation of Bible stories and fans of Smith’s popular series will probably feel that this floats their boat; those looking for a gentler (and less visually ridiculous) introduction to the popular story should look elsewhere. (Picture book/religion. 5-7)Pub Date: May 1, 2012
ISBN: 978-1-61608-737-1
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Sky Pony Press
Review Posted Online: April 24, 2012
Kirkus Reviews Issue: May 15, 2012
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