Charming and joyous but not for the uninitiated.
Preparing for the Friday night Shabbat ceremony and meal is a joyous expression of faith and tradition.
Shabbat is the most important ritual observance in Judaism, beginning on Friday night at sundown and lasting until Saturday night at sundown. It is a day of prayer and rest, an abstention from all forms of work. “Shabbat Shalom, Hey” is a song that children sing in anticipation of Shabbat, and here, the song lyrics are the only text. The slight tale is told solely via the illustrations, which are viewed by turning the book vertically. Bright color blocks surrounded by white provide the backgrounds. A lion states the Sabbath greeting and is startled to hear a response of “Hey!” from a toucan peeking over the top edge of the frame. Repeating the greeting elicits the same response from a monkey and a snake, this time at the bottom edge. The lion continues his greetings with increasing levels of excitement until the other creatures join in with him, bringing the traditional accouterments of the Shabbat dinner in the form of candlesticks, a wine goblet and the traditional braided bread called challah. It is lively and entertaining, but it presumes an audience that knows the traditions. A recording of the song can be downloaded via QR code on the back of the book.
Charming and joyous but not for the uninitiated. (Picture book. 3-5)Pub Date: April 1, 2015
ISBN: 978-1-4677-4917-6
Page Count: 24
Publisher: Kar-Ben
Review Posted Online: Feb. 2, 2015
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 15, 2015
A successful swap from coconut tree to Christmas tree.
A Christmas edition of the beloved alphabet book.
The story starts off nearly identically to Chicka Chicka Boom Boom (1989), written by John Archambault and the late Bill Martin Jr, with the letters A, B, and C deciding to meet in the branches of a tree. This time, they’re attempting to scale a Christmas tree, not a coconut tree, and the letters are strung together like garland. A, B, and C are joined by the other letters, and of course they all “slip, slop, topple, plop!” right down the tree. At the bottom, they discover an assortment of gifts, all in a variety of shapes. As a team, the letters and presents organize themselves to get back up on the Christmas tree and get a star to the top. Holiday iterations of favorite tales often fall flat, but this take succeeds. The gifts are an easy way to reinforce another preschool concept—shapes—and the text uses just enough of the original to be familiar. The rhyming works, sticking to the cadence of the source material. The illustrations pay homage to the late Lois Ehlert’s, featuring the same bold block letters, though they lack some of the whimsy and personality of the original. Otherwise, everything is similarly brightly colored and simply drawn. Those familiar with the classic will be drawn to this one, but newcomers can enjoy it on its own.
A successful swap from coconut tree to Christmas tree. (Picture book. 3-5)Pub Date: Oct. 1, 2024
ISBN: 9781665954761
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Beach Lane/Simon & Schuster
Review Posted Online: July 4, 2024
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 1, 2024
BOOK REVIEW
A child-friendly tale packed with all things winter.
A look at hallmarks and celebrations of the coldest season.
Winter’s here, and there are icicles, snow gear, sledding, and snowball fights, of course. Inside, kids make decorations, snuggle under warm blankets, and sip hot chocolate. We also see kids celebrating a variety of holidays. Children play dreidel and enjoy latkes while a menorah sits in the window. Some hang ornaments on a Christmas tree; others observe Kwanzaa. Youngsters also ring in the new year with “fizzy drinks to clink.” Several kids perform a dragon dance on Chinese New Year, and in February, the little ones exchange valentines at school. The scope and vocabulary make this a perfect book to share with preschoolers both in a classroom setting and at home, and the rhyming gives it a read-aloud-friendly cadence. The illustrations perfectly encapsulate the blustery cold of winter as well as the comfort of hunkering down inside, thanks to wisps of wind across windowpanes and cozy, blanketed kids. All the scenes are fully imagined and well drawn, with plenty to observe, from squirrels peeking in at the kids making crafts and a bird’s-eye view of the town where a menorah sits in a house and a car sports decorative antlers. The quality rhymes and meaningful illustrations make this a worthy selection. The kids depicted are diverse in terms of race and ability.
A child-friendly tale packed with all things winter. (Picture book. 3-5)Pub Date: Oct. 1, 2024
ISBN: 9780316570138
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Little, Brown
Review Posted Online: July 4, 2024
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 1, 2024
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