The simple Talmudic lesson has resonance for our contemporary world.
A conundrum is introduced through a parable from the Talmud about a rabbi who questions God on the world’s need for rain balanced against man’s comfort.
Rabbi Hanina is enjoying himself on a walk when a thunderstorm begins and renders him “soaked to the bone!” Drenched and upset, he asks God, “Master of the Universe! The whole world is happy, and Hanina is suffering?” The rain suddenly stops, and the rabbi continues home, changes into dry clothes, and prepares a soup. He’s finally comfortable, but he does not eat when he looks outside to notice that all’s not well. “The ground was parched, the trees were thirsty, the river was dry, and the frogs were staring at the sky longingly.” Once again he questions God: “Master of the Universe! The whole world is suffering, and Hanina is happy?” The thunder and lightning resume along with the downpour while the satisfied rabbi stays comfortably warm inside enjoying both the soup and the sweet-smelling spring rain. Soft, lovely illustrations depict a gray-bearded, pale-skinned sage and his simple abode set in a Middle Eastern garden. The subtle significance of the rabbi’s questions and his ultimate revelation may well encourage discussion—even, perhaps, about our current climate change concerns. The text of the original story from the Babylonian Talmud is printed in both Hebrew and English in the backmatter. (This book was reviewed digitally with 9.8-by-19.6-inch double-page spreads viewed at 58.3% of actual size.)
The simple Talmudic lesson has resonance for our contemporary world. (Picture book. 6-8)Pub Date: Feb. 1, 2021
ISBN: 978-1-5415-6038-3
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Kar-Ben
Review Posted Online: Dec. 14, 2020
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 1, 2021
Cute and brave—gee, Rot’s spud-tacular!
A “scaredy-spud” puts on his brave face.
All “mutant potatoes” love mud. Mud is good for playing games, eating, and even sleeping. But few taters have more tender feelings toward muck than Rot. À la Pete the Cat, Rot celebrates mud in song: “Mud between my toes! / Mud in my nose! / Mud is GREAT / wherever it GOES!” When Rot’s big brother, Snot, tells Rot about the Squirm that lives “deep down in the mushy muck,” his love quickly turns to fear. But he doesn’t give up! Instead, Rot imagines himself in various disguises to work up courage. There’s “Super Spud” (a superhero), “Sir Super Rot, the Brave and Bold” (a superhero-knight), and even “Sir Super Rot the Pigtato” (a, um, superhero-knight-pig-potato). The disguises are one thing, but, deep down, is Rot really brave enough to face the Squirm? Readers wooed by Rot’s charm in Rot: The Cutest in the World (2017) will laugh out loud at this well-paced encore—and it’s not just because of the butt cracks. Clanton creates a winning dynamic, balancing Rot’s earnestness, witty dialogue, and an omniscient, slightly melodramatic narrator. The cartoon illustrations were created using watercolors, colored pencils, digital collage, and—brilliantly—potato stamps. Clanton’s reliance on earth tones makes for some clever, surprising page turns when the palette is broken.
Cute and brave—gee, Rot’s spud-tacular! (Picture book. 6-8)Pub Date: June 16, 2020
ISBN: 978-1-4814-6764-3
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Atheneum
Review Posted Online: Feb. 8, 2020
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 1, 2020
Make space for this clever blend of science and self-realization.
If Pluto can’t be a planet—then what is he?
Having been a regular planet for “the better part of forever,” Pluto is understandably knocked out of orbit by his sudden exclusion. With Charon and his four other moons in tow he sets off in search of a new identity. Unfortunately, that only spins him into further gloom, as he doesn’t have a tail like his friend Halley’s comet, is too big to join Ida and the other asteroids, and feels disinclined to try to crash into Earth like meteoroids Gem and Persi. Then, just as he’s about to plunge into a black hole of despair, an encounter with a whole quartet of kindred spheroids led by Eris rocks his world…and a follow-up surprise party thrown by an apologetic Saturn (“Dwarf planet has a nice RING to it”) and the other seven former colleagues literally puts him “over the moon.” Demmer gives all the heavenly bodies big eyes (some, including the feminine Saturn, with long lashes) and, on occasion, short arms along with distinctive identifying colors or markings. Dressing the troublemaking meteoroids in do-rags and sunglasses sounds an off note. Without mentioning that the reclassification is still controversial, Wade closes with a (somewhat) straighter account of Pluto’s current official status and the reasons for it.
Make space for this clever blend of science and self-realization. (Picture book. 6-8)Pub Date: Aug. 1, 2018
ISBN: 978-1-68446-004-5
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Capstone Young Readers
Review Posted Online: April 24, 2018
Kirkus Reviews Issue: May 15, 2018
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