My First Book of Jewish Holidays - Hardcover

Ages 5-9. Ten Jewish holidays are explained with clarity, reverence, and brevity in an attractive book that takes children through the Jewish calendar. In free verse, Silverman describes Rosh Hashanah, Yom Kippur, Sukkot, Simchat Torah, Hanukkah, Tu BiShevat, Purim, Passover, Shavuot, and the Sabbath. "Saturday is a happy day of rest, and peace, and joyful prayers. / Tell a story, sing a song! Play a game. / When the sun sets and three stars glitter / in the nighttime sky, Sabbath is over." Of special interest is the artwork, a series of "collagraphs," a word that comes from combining collage and graphic. Paper, fabric, string, and other items are glued onto cardboard, and then the process continues with areas of the cardboard being pulled away. Texture is added, and then prints are made. Finally, watercolor is added to each print. Collagraphs of families under the Sukkot, Moses leading the Israelites through the parting Red Sea, and children dressed in costumes at Purim are compelling yet very childlike. A detailed glossary offers information for those who'd like to know more about each holiday. Ilene Cooper

PreSchool-Grade 2-Silverman describes the Sabbath, Rosh Hashanah, Yom Kippur, Sukkot, Simchat Torah, Hanukkah, Tu Bishevat, Purim, Passover, and Shavuot in simple free-verse text. Garrison's collographs are appealingly childlike, but, despite their bright watercolor highlights, are dominated by murky browns. Melanie Greenberg's Celebrations (Jewish Publication Society, 1991) introduces many of the same holidays in more poetic free verse and features joyful full-color artwork. David Adler's A Picture Book of Jewish Holidays (Holiday, 1981), which has a more meaningful text and marvelous illustrations; his Children's Book of Jewish Holidays (Mesorah, 1987), which gives the historical significance of each feast or fast day and outlines how it is observed today; and Greer Cashman and Alona Frankel's colorful Jewish Days and Holidays (Modan-Adama, 1986) are all for the same audience.
Marcia Posner, Federation of New York and the Jewish Book Council, New York City
Copyright 1994 Reed Business Information, Inc.