A fanciful, beautifully illustrated story about the ingenuity of artists.
A klezmer band must find a fiddler in time for an important Purim party in Strom’s children’s book.
Shloyml Boyml plays trombone in the best klezmer band in Bessarabia. When the prominent rabbi of Shtefeneshter invites the trio—which includes Shloyml as well as his friends Yudl on bass and Tuvia on clarinet—to play at his annual Purim gathering, they leap at the opportunity. The only problem? The rabbi specifically requests they compose a brand-new piece on the violin for the party—and none of them play the violin. Shloyml knows that if they can’t produce a piece of fiddle music and a fiddler to play it, there’s no way that the rabbi will invite them to perform again the next year. The band stages a hasty audition to find a violinist in Shloymls’s uncle’s store, but their efforts are foiled by a jealous (and thoroughly mediocre) rival musician. Feeling defeated, Shloyml gives himself over to despair: “He sat down on a step and buried his head in his hands. Suddenly, he heard something faintly in the distance. It was music.” Shloyml follows the music to its source and discovers a brilliant Romani fiddler named Barbu. But can Shloyml really bring a gentile fiddler to the rabbi’s Purim party? (Perhaps, since they’ll all be wearing masks.) The story is told in both English and Yiddish. Strom’s prose has a folktale simplicity: “Shloyml knew it wasn’t going to be easy to find a fiddler. Any fiddler worth his weight in gold was already engaged to play for a Purim party or to accompany the Purim actors as they went from house to house delivering special Purim treats to their neighbors.” The tale concludes with a piece of sheet music attributed to Shloyml’s band, but the book shines brightest in the gorgeous illustrations by Singer-Fuer. The story is short and rather straightforward, perfect for small children, particularly during the Purim season.
A fanciful, beautifully illustrated story about the ingenuity of artists.Pub Date: N/A
ISBN: 9789198721980
Page Count: -
Publisher: Olniansky Tekst Farlag
Review Posted Online: Aug. 4, 2023
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
With a universal message of love and community, this book offers a beautiful representation of a too-often-overlooked...
From a debut author-and-illustrator team comes a glimpse into a young American Muslim girl’s family and community as she walks around in “Mommy’s khimar,” or headscarf.
The star of this sunny picture book is a young girl who finds joy in wearing her mother’s khimar, imagining it transforms her into a queen, a star, a mama bird, a superhero. At the core of the story is the love between the girl and her mother. The family appears to be African-American, with brown skin and textured hair. The girl’s braids and twists “form a bumpy crown” under the khimar, which smells of coconut oil and cocoa butter. Adults in her life delight in her appearance in the bright yellow khimar, including her Arabic teacher at the mosque, who calls it a “hijab,” and her grandmother, who visits after Sunday service and calls out “Sweet Jesus!” as she scoops her granddaughter into her arms. Her grandmother is, apparently, a Christian, but “We are a family and we love each other just the same.” The illustrations feature soft pastel colors with dynamic lines and gently patterned backgrounds that complement the story’s joyful tone. The words are often lyrical, and the story artfully includes many cultural details that will delight readers who share the cheerful protagonist’s culture and enlighten readers who don’t.
With a universal message of love and community, this book offers a beautiful representation of a too-often-overlooked cultural group . (Picture book. 4-8)Pub Date: April 3, 2018
ISBN: 978-1-5344-0059-7
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Salaam Reads/Simon & Schuster
Review Posted Online: Feb. 2, 2018
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 15, 2018
Lively, funny, and child-friendly.
A young girl is upset when her mother defers her promises.
When Ranya asks her mother if they can go to the park, Mama replies, “Insha’Allah.” Ranya fumes—that’s what her parents always say when they mean no! Mama explains that the sky’s looking overcast and adds that “insha’Allah“ means “God willing.” People say it when they hope for something that they aren’t sure will happen: “Sometimes Allah has other plans.” Ranya pries a little more: Is that why they didn’t bake cookies last night? And why her sleepover with her friend Jayda fell through? And why her parents have never taken her to Disneyland? Mama replies that it was getting too late to bake and that Jayda’s grandmother became sick, but she promises to take Ranya to Disneyland before she turns 18…insha’Allah. Ranya negotiates with her mother, who agrees that they can bake cookies later and Ranya can plan another sleepover. Mama notices the weather has improved and says they can go to the park. But first, she asks Ranya to clean up her toys. Ranya impishly replies, “Insha’Allah!” This is a sweet introduction to an expression often used in Muslim and Arabic-speaking communities. The playful banter between mother and daughter forms the heart of the story. Ranya and Mama are illustrated with warm brown skin tones; theirs is a diverse neighborhood. Homey illustrations in bold primary colors create a sense of coziness.
Lively, funny, and child-friendly. (authors’ note) (Picture book. 4-8)Pub Date: May 14, 2024
ISBN: 9780823454419
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Holiday House
Review Posted Online: March 9, 2024
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 1, 2024
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BOOK REVIEW
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