BooKs

Book Corner

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With each page, any par-
ent who has ever experienced
the terrible moment of a
child's "lost" bear can feel the
angst of this story — until at
last it proceeds to its happy
denouement.

Elizabeth Applebaum
AppleTree Editor

Mommy, I'm Scared: How TV and
Movies Frighten Children and
What We Can Do to Protect Them

by Joanne Cantor, Ph.D. (Harcourt
Brace; $13 paperback, $25 hard-
cover).

1

on't worry: the author, a
professor of communica-
tion arts at the University
of Wisconsin-Madison, does not
advocate hauling your television to
the town dump. What she does sug-
gest is that parents take a closer look
at what their children watch on -V.
You thought it was all in good fun
when your 14-year-old watched Fri-
day the Thirteenth. In this book,
you'll read what boys and girls real-
ly had to say about such movies.
Dr. Cantor recounts one girl's tale:
"When I was in (about) the third
grade my friends and I had a slum-
ber party, and we decided to watch
a horror movie. In this movie a
group of teenage girls were having
a slumber party. And one by one
throughout the movie they disap-
peared and were gruesomely mur-
dered ... That night none of us
could sleep. Every sound that we
heard scared all of us to a point
where we would scream ... We
were so scared that none of us
would even get up and go to the
bathroom. Even after that night the
images [in the film] of the young
girls begging for mercy stuck in my
head. For many nights after that I
had nightmares ... and I thought that
some killer was coming to get me."
Dr. Cantor's book considers the dif-

ferent ways in which adults and
children view potentially frightening or
grotesque images, and tells how to
discuss terrifying film or TV scenes
with your children. She also provides
an explanation of the movie ratings.

I Lost My Bear by Jules Feiffer
(Morrow Junior Books; $16).
If you have ever had a teddy

How Yussel Caught the
Gefilte Fish by Charlotte Her-
man (Dutton; $16.99)
This delightful and charming
story tells of a little boy, his lov-
ing father, Shabbat and setting out to
catch the elusive gefilte fish.
Yussel is going with his father to
Vasser Lake for the first time. It is
early in the day. The father tells his
son, "I have always loved this time
of morning. So still. So quiet. But
sometimes I was lonely walking by
myself. Now I have you."
When they arrive at the lake, Yus-
sel's father gives him a fishing pole
and some of Mama's delicious chal-
la as bait. This is sure to catch the
gefilte fish.
And indeed Yussel is quite lucky,
reeling in a carp, a trout and a
pike. Yet he is disappointed: not
a gefilte fish in the batch. His
father says, "We'll keep [them]
anyway.
He adds, "Don't worry, your
Mama can work miracles."
Yussel helps his mother in the
kitchen, where he sees that what
she's preparing from the day's catch
is none other than some gefilte fish.
But something is still missing, she
says. What could it be?
Now it's Shabbat, and all the
family has come together. Ah yes,

bear and lost it, this delightful book
is for you.
Maintaining a brave face in spite
of her terrible situation, a little girl
goes in search of her favorite
stuffed animal. No one helps — not
her father, who is reading the
paper, nor not her sister, who has
never, never, never played with
your stupid bear."

/I

—eIIo, young readers, wherever you are!
Maybe that creepy Gooseburnps book is the best you've ever read. Or
maybe something in the American Girls series is more your style. Perhaps you
still Clink Dr. Seuss' Green Eggs and Ham is the greatest story in the world.
We want you to report on your favorite book for JN AppleTree. If you're
interested, here's what you have to do:
#1) Tell us the title and author of your favorite book, then write a brief
description (no more than two paragraphs) saying what it's about. Most
important, tell us why you like the book and why you think other kids
will, too. Your final report should be no more than one, double-spaced
typed page. INFORMATION MUST BE TYPED. We reserve the right to

edit your copy for length.
#2) Include a photo of yourself if you have one (please include a self-
addressed, stamped envelope if you need it back), and tell us your age,

school and hobbies.
#3) Then, send your report our way! Mail to: My Favorite Book, c/o Apple-
Tree, 27676 Franklin Road, Southfield, MI 48034. Or e-mail it to:
philapple@earthlink.net .

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Detroit Jewish News

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