LisTen Up

tears began to fall from her sad eyes;
she knew that she had never, ever
been so all alone in all her life!" —
that sort of ghastly thing.
Here, though, author David Adler
masterfully writes of a m'an's survival in
a Nazi death camp, of terrible loneli-
ness and of profound friendship. Note
his description of a man's painful
memories, "That night, after Morris
closes the shop, he puts the menora
on the front seat of his truck. As he
drives, he remembers the last time he
used the menora. His sister had
helped him. It was just before the
Nazis came to his village and took
him and his family away to a ghetto.
Later they were taken by train to
Auschwitz." Adler's writing is so ten-
der, it's. music.
As to how Morris survives: I can't
spoil it by revealing it here, but it has
everything to do with the title of the
book.
Equally brilliant are the illustrations
— especially the one where Morris is
remembering his parents and siblings,
all of which perished. This drawing, a
mixture of sadness and sweetness, is
itself worth the price of the book.

The Kids' Catalog
of Bible Treasures
written and illustrat-
ed by Chaya M.
Burstein (Jewish
Publication Society
of America, paperback, $17.95).
Chaya Burstein probably is best
known for her Jewish Kids' Cata-
log, though she has written numer-
ous Jewish books. Each one has
been great — and this latest
effort is no exception.
First of all, Burstein's books are
invariably fun. The Kids' Catalog
of Bible Treasures opens, for
example, with a chapter called
"Flying above the Land of the
Bible," where children are taken
back in time with STEV (the
Space-Time-Tra-vel-E-ffec-tu-a-tion
Ve-hi-cle). Along the way, they
will learn about the Torah and thr3
Tanach, children in the Torah, the

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1999

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Until The Messiah Comes: A Do-It
Yourself Jewish Adventure by Ken-
neth Roseman (UAHC Press, paper-
back, $7.95.)
Several years ago someone had a
great idea: write books that allow
young readers to actually participate
in the story. How? Give them a start
— say, "You are walking along and
suddenly see a large black purse"
— and then options: "You (A) Pick it
up and find $100. You want return
it to the owner, but there's no
address; (B) Find a mysterious note
inside that begins, 'You must help
me!' or (C) Watch as a genie pops
out when you open the top."
The story depends on the option
chosen by the child, taking a differ-
ent path each time until at last it
comes to a conclusion.
Various endings and numerous
paths are available, so the book
can be read again and again, yet
stay "new".
Then Rabbi Roseman had a great
idea: write a Jewish book that
Let's Celebrate Shabbat! by Miri-
allows
young readers to actually
am Sagasti (Kar-Ben Copies Inc.,
participate in the story.
hardcover, $4.95.)
Until the Messiah Comes is the
Often, cute is a word that pretty
sixth in a series by Rabbi Roseman
much makes all thinking people
of Temple Shalom in Dallas, Texas.
physically ill. But this book is
In this adventure, readers go back
cute, and it really is A-okay.
to
the 19th century in Russia. Their
This is a short, thick cardboard
choices will be complex and difficult
book, which means it can be
ones: how to escape pogroms,
read again and again (or thrown
whether to become a socialist or
on the floor or in the bathtub) by
Zionist, or to move to Palestine or
small ones and come out little
the United States.
worse for the wear.
It's fun to participate in the story,
Let's Celebrate Shabbat! =has
but also educational. How can you
Sagasti's familiar, adorable ani-
decide
whether you'll join up with
mals enjoying a Friday-night din-
Lenin and Trotsky if you don't have
ner. Kippot-clad bears and pups,
an idea of who they were? But
and a raccoon in a dress, all
don't worry about stumbling along
enjoy making pudding, cleaning
the way: Rabbi Roseman provides a
up, giving tzedaka
complete glossary at the end.
and lighting the
This book is recommended for chil-
candles for Shab-
dren aged 10-13, and this guide-
bat. Then everyone
line should be followed. While
sits down, even
younger boys and girls might have
some humans, for a
fun choosing their life paths, a num-
delicious meal.
ber of these adventures end tragical-
With a nice
ly, and would not be appropriate for
rhyming text and dar-
the tenderhearted.
ling illustrations — what's not to like?

reason behind numerous Jewish
laws and archaeology — and
that's just the start of it.
Burstein also provides fascinat-
ing little tidbits, like the real
meaning of the word Torah (it's
."teaching," not "law"), and plenty
of ideas for arts and crafts. As
always, Burstein fills the book
with her own illustrations and
maps.
The Kids' Catalog is directed
toward young readers, both to
give them historical information
and help them understand how
the Torah, such an ancient text,
continues to shape our lives
today. No matter your age, if
you've been looking
Let's Celebrate Shabhat!
for a book to give
you some basic
information about
our history and reli-
gion, this is a great
place to get started.

God's Garden: Chil-
dren's Stories Grown
From the Bible by
Adam Fisher (Behrman
House Inc., paper-
back, $12.95.)
The publishers of this book
promise it will "charm and enthrall
children of all ages."
Not exactly.
The premise certainly is good
enough: retell, for a younger set,
each weekly parsha (Torah por-
tion), considering its messages and
offering ideas for props to help tell
the story.
Sometimes the idea works. But
not enough to justify buying the
book.
The author, Adam Fisher of Tem-
ple Isaiah in New York, does a
very good job of recounting the
parshiyot. Where God's Garden
falls short is in the followup.
First of all, he always gives us the
values" in the parsha. Sometimes
you, the adult reader, will agree
with Rabbi Fisher and sometimes
you will not. But is any of that rele-
vant, in any case? Wouldn't it
have been better to ask the child
what he or she understood to be
the values evinced in the story?
Second, his questions following
each parsha are not exactly revolu-
tionary.
After the story about Joseph and
his brothers, surely one of the most
intriguing and poignant accounts in
the Torah, Rabbi Fisher offers these
"Questions to Discuss":
Why do you think Joseph's broth-
ers were mean to him? How did
Joseph react to their meanness?
Yes, of course, these are ques-
tions to be asked — but can't just
about any thinking adult come up
with these on his own?
And as for "Story-Telling Props
and Tips," the author recommends
a "coat of many colors." Do we
really need to be told this?
It's a good idea, unfortunately not
well executed. No need to go dig-
ging in this garden.

"

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