Excellent Children's Books: 'Noah's Journey' and `Toblah'

Books for children are becoming valuable assets
in educating the youth. A good book for a child,
whether it deals with history, traditions, athletics,
the ways of life, serve as guides in molding 'charac-
ter—and in linking the child with the past and the
present, providing information as guides for the
future.

Two of America's leading publishing houses.
Random House and Viking Press, have just issued
two books that have an unusually strong appeal for
young readers. For the very young, Viking Press has
produced a book about Noah , and the Ark that is
so charming, so unusual in its approach, that it will
delight the young who either read it or have it read
to them, and the parents and teachers who may do
the reading for or with them. Random House has
issued a story about a Jewish lad that is related to
ancient history and while it is fiction it creates an
interest in olden days and in a specific era. •
"Noah's Journey," the Viking book, written by
George MacBeth, is remarkably well illustrated by
Margaret Gordon. It is a poem and it is divided into
four parts: The Building of the Ark, the Entry of
the Animals, The Battle With the Elements and The
Landing on Ararat. It is evident at once, from the
title, that the able author has incorporated in his
poetic description of the biblical tale all the steps in•
the creation, the journey and the final landing of
Noah's Ark.
The use of oak and pine commences the build-
ing process. Gathering the animals for the journey,
we read about mouse and bat, rat and lynx, bear,
crocodile, elephant, etc. and the young reader is
told about the whale who "must swim by the side
of the ship."

It is a natural for this story that the author also
should- write about the thunder and lightning,. the
rain and the wind, which must be overcome by Noah
and his kinsmen in the ark. Then comes the landing,
the settling on land and rock, the sight of grass and
the signal: "Noah, you may safely land. I was the
first to dry. This is your warm and expected haven.
And here's. your long-lost dove and your raven."

"Noah's Journey" is a most delightful story,
well told, ably illustrated, skilfully describing an
old tale.
*
*

"Journey for Tobiah," the Random House story.
by Barbara E. Morgan, with a number of splendid
drawings, some in full-page sizes, by W. T. Mars,
is an adventurous tale about a young Jewish lad who
was taken into slavery by the Assyrians. It is a
dramatic account of a lad's experiences in a land he
learns to love. Tobiah begins to crave for military
service with the Assyrians. He is deeply devoted and
loyal to his master.
In the course of time, Tobiah learns, from an-
other Hebrew who was taken into slavery, that he is
of the House of Aaron o' the City of Beth-Shemesh
in Israel, that he is of the priestly tribe. While he
had learned the Assyrian language, he begins to
recollect his Hebrew as he learned it in his original
home.

Tobi is sent on a journey by his master, with a
merchant who acquires a hoard of gold, who is beset
by thieves, who is in constant danger but who is
ably assisted by the Hebrew slave in warding off
attacks. The Assyrian king's little . daughter is an
accomplice in his activities. She had hidden to ac-
company the caravan against the merchant's wishes,
and Tobi cares for her well.

The merchant himself, having learned of Tobi's
origin, speaks of the Hebrews and their God. He
tells Tobi about the ancient heroes of his people,
about "this god, Yahweh" who "has a splendid
sanctuary in Jerusalem . . . "

In the course of time, Tobi is given his freedom
by the appreciatiVe Assyrian king and 'Tobi in turn
ransoms the Hebrew slave who first told him of his
heritage. There is the return to his heritage after
the dramatic events in his life and his eventual dis-
illusionment with the military lure.

18—Friday, September 9, 1966

THE DETROIT JE1NISH NEWS

The Amount of Charity One Should Give

From the Shulhan Arukh of
not himself become a public
Rabbi Joseph Karo (1488-1575)
charge. This refers only to his life-
The amount of charity one time. Of course, at the time of
should give is as follows: if one death a man may leave for charity
as much as he pleases.)
The author, Barbara Morgan, a former teacher can but afford, let him give as
One should never give less than
in Bath, England, who has specialized in the history much as is needed. Under ordi- one-third of a shekel a year and
and archaeology of Southwestern Asia, has ap- nary circumstances, a fifth of one's if a man gives less than
. this, he
pended an historical note to her adventurous tale
property is most laudable. To does not fulfil the command to be
about the Hebrew slave boy. She dates back the give one-tenth is the average dis- charitable.—Article
249:1 2.
events to 700 BCE, to King Sennacherib's fourth position. But to give less than
campaign, tells about the Nineveh ruins and the one-tenth is niggardly. When the :**********************A
prince Merodach-Baladan who plays a role in the To- Rabbis said a "fifth" they meant
See NORM RUBY t.
biah story. She mentions the split in the ancient king- a fifth of the property the first
dom of Judah into two kingdoms after the destruc- year only and a fifth of the profits *
at
tion of Samaria by the .Assyrians in 721 BCE, the in succeeding years.
**
NORTHLAND
FORD
scattering of the inhabitants who vanished as the
* * • ,
(Note by Isserles: But a man ) t
10 Mile at Greenfield
Lost Tribes of Israel, the survival of Judah before should not give more than one-
Ook Park LI 8 0800
it was taken by the Babylonians in 597 BCE.
fifth for charity, so that he might k********-***************,
Thus we have a dramatic story about ancient
times, charmingly related, offering a taste of history
mingled with exciting adventures. It is a remarkably,
good story and "Journey for Tobiah" deserves being
listed among the very best children's stories pub-
liShed in recent years.

-

s

-

TREES FOR ISRAEL

Parents and children will find another new
volume of great interest. A most informative work
on mathematics for the youth has been published
by Pantheon Books (22 E. 51st, NY22). It is James
T. Rogers' "The Pantheon Story of Mathematics
for Young People."

Dealing with the emergence of the mathematical
skills, leading up to the newest methods of our
own time, Rogers traces the science of mathematics..
from the time when primitive man used his fingers
to count, gradually developing the skills until our
own electronic computers have made mathematics
one of the most important of the sciences.

Will Burtin designed this impressive and in-
formative work. The charts, illustrations, sets of
figures from earliest times until the present,
have made his achievement stand out superbly,
just as Rogers' text serves a great purpose in
making mathematics understandable as a develop.
ing art, as part of history, as an indication of
how the science advanced from the most primitive
methods.

,,,•11 DM {711 ynxn >x ,N117/
AND WHEN YE SHALL COME INTO THE LAND AND YE SHALL PLANT

EXTEND NEW YEAR
GREETINGS BY PLANTING
A TREE IN ISRAEL

An introductory note by Dr. Morris Kline,
professor of mathematics at New York University,
commends this work as a history "wisely chosen,
accessible and carefully worded," containing ac-
counts which will introduce the young readers "to
an exciting world of ideas, and undoubtedly_ motivate
them to read further."

Rogers' work has equally as much merit as an
encyclopedic work on mathematics for parents.
Prof. Kline emphasizes, however, the importance
of continual reading on the subject by young people
and he points to this history as showing that
"mathematics is a human creation."
Much of the historical data is fascinating.
Puzzles, games, figures that serve as games, will
be found in this history. There are historic personali-
ties who have significant roles in this history.

Describing mathematics of this era, the author
has not overlooked the contributions of Albert
Einstein; of Pascal and Newton; of Ernst Mach and
the works of George Cantor; of the roles played by
many nations of the past eras and the modern
gifts to mathematics.

There is no doubt about the great merit of the
Rogers-Burtin "Patheon Story of Mathematics for
Young People." •

A

most sincere and sianificant method of wishing
your Friends and Relatives

A VERY HAPPY NEW YEAR

is by planting a tree in Israel, in their honor.
This unusual New Year Greeting will be truly cherished

Each Tree Certificate — $2.00

(tax deductcble)

LET ISRAEL ENJOY YOUR SIMCHAS TOO
MAIL OR PHONE YOUR ORDER — WE WILL DO THE REST

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