Satisfyingly and appropriately, community spirit defeats a bully.
A Jewish holiday celebration takes on contemporary relevance.
On Purim Jews read the Megillah, the story of Esther, which recounts how she saved the Jews of Persia from the evil Haman. Each time Haman’s name is mentioned, graggers, or noisemakers, are rotated by hand so that their noise drowns out his name. In this tale, a shopkeeper has arranged a display of the graggers, and a boy is almost ready to purchase one for his sister, also named Esther. He just needs more money. Then another boy enters the shop and rudely demands the very gragger the protagonist (whom readers eventually learn is named Ben) has selected. The shopkeeper sets it aside for the first lad, though. As Ben and Esther, both dressed in costumes for a Purim parade, leave the store they are accosted by the bully. Soon, Esther, joined by the shopkeeper and passers-by, enters into the spirit of the holiday, and they all spin their noisemakers, creating so much “racket” and “commotion” that the bully runs off. The shopkeeper uses the occasion to deliver a message: namely “we must never be afraid to take a stand against cruelty.” It is certainly a timely lesson, albeit delivered purposefully and at somewhat greater length than a typical picture book. Colorful illustrations are set in an indeterminate time and place with a largely Jewish, light-skinned cast. Four pages of backmatter offer further information on Purim, its observance, and graggers as well as instructions on how to make homemade noisemakers.
Satisfyingly and appropriately, community spirit defeats a bully. (Picture book. 5-8)Pub Date: Jan. 7, 2019
ISBN: 978-1-937786-75-5
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Wisdom Tales
Review Posted Online: Nov. 20, 2018
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Dec. 15, 2018
BOOK REVIEW
Sugary uplift, shrink-wrapped for the masses.
An elusive new quarry leads the How To Catch… kids on a merry chase through a natural history museum.
Taking at least a step away from the “hunters versus prey” vibe of previous entries in the popular series, the racially diverse group of young visitors dashes through various museum halls in pursuit of the eponymous dino—whose quest to “spread kindness and joy ’round the world” takes the form of a mildly tumultuous museum tour. In most of Elkerton’s overly sweet, color-saturated scenes, only portions of the Loveosaurus, who is purple and covered with pink hearts, are visible behind exhibits or lumbering off the page. But the children find small enticements left behind, from craft supplies to make cards for endangered species to pictures of smiley faces, candy heart–style personal notes (“You Rock!” “Give Hugs”), and, in the hall of medieval arms and armor, a sign urging them to “Be Honest Be Kind.” The somewhat heavy-handed lesson comes through loud and clear. “There’s a message, he wants us to think,” hints Walstead to clue in more obtuse readers…and concluding scenes of smiling people young and otherwise exchanging hugs and knuckle bumps, holding doors for a wheelchair rider, and dancing through clouds of sparkles indicate that they, at least, have gotten it. (This book was reviewed digitally.)
Sugary uplift, shrink-wrapped for the masses. (Picture book. 5-7)Pub Date: Dec. 6, 2022
ISBN: 9781728268781
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Sourcebooks Wonderland
Review Posted Online: Jan. 17, 2023
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 15, 2023
Fun, in an odd sort of way.
The old folk song is given a Hanukkah spin in a parody that blends Jewish tradition with art appreciation.
The kerchiefed grandma swallows a tiny dreidel placed atop her cream-cheesed bagel by the family cat, setting off the familiar chain of events. She swallows the oil, the latkes, 10 barrels of applesauce, a 20-ton brisket, a “mine full of gelt, before it could melt,” the menorah and candles until she is finally full. A large burp makes her feel better. The silliness, cadence and rhythm of the verse all work with the original tune; it can be a tongue twister at times but will keep kids engaged. “I know an old lady who swallowed a menorah— / A mountainous menorah, while we danced the hora.” Acrylic-based drawings using charcoal, pen and pencil place this bubbe in various scenes taken from classical paintings, providing an educational twist. She appears in comical versions of Munch’s The Scream and Vermeer’s The Milkmaid. The applesauce in a red-and-white can spoofs Andy Warhol’s Campbell Soup Cans, and the menorah is set against the background of van Gogh’s The Starry Night. Adults will see the humor but might wonder about the artist’s point in his note stating that “a new look at famous works of art seemed like the perfect way to help people of all backgrounds enjoy this fresh take on an ancient holiday.”
Fun, in an odd sort of way. (Picture book. 5-8)Pub Date: Aug. 26, 2014
ISBN: 978-0-439-91530-4
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Levine/Scholastic
Review Posted Online: Aug. 11, 2014
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 1, 2014
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