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Bkss Your Heart

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by Kim 3 tovs,rd

The Shabbat Box by Lesley
Simpson, with illustrations by
Nicole Linden Bosch. Copyright
2001, published by Kar-Ben
Copies, Inc. 32 pages. Paperback.
$6.95.
This is a delightful little book about
a boy named Ira, his class, and a
Shabbat box.
What, exactly, is a "Shabbat box"?
In this book, the first Shabbat box
(there are two) is at school, which
every child has a chance to take home
for the weekend. "Inside there were
candlesticks, a kiddush cup, and a
challah cover. Each week the teacher
added fresh challah rolls with raisins.
"Everyone loved the box. There was
only one problem. There was only one
box. And there were 14 kids in the
class."
Ira waits for weeks until it's his turn,
at last, to bring home the box.
It is winter, and Ira has a long, cold
walk home. When he arrives, his
father is fixing honey chicken and pea
soup with noodles for Shabbat. Ira is
miserable.
"Ira took off his knapsack. In the
storm, the flaps had opened and the
Shabbat box had fallen out. His lips
trembled. He began to cry."
Ira's mother comforts him, and
assures him he'll think of something.
And he does. After Havdalah, Ira
makes his own Shabbat box, complete
with card games, a challah cover that
he makes from his pillowcase, and lots
of candy "because Shabbat should be
sweet."
At the end, readers are told how to
make their own Shabbat box: Take an
old shoe box, "decorate it with what-
ever 'beautiful junk' you have at home
... Use your imagination to fill the
inside." (Some ideas: your own challah
cover made from a handkerchief, a
candy bowl, a Shabbat place mat, a
flower vase).

10/19

2001

88

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•

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pages. Hardback. $16.
A new year's wish:
May one reading of

Not only is the story happy, the
illustrations are fun and beautiful.
You'll want to jump right into the pic-
tures!

My Very Own Jewish Calendar by
Judyth Groner and Madeline Winkler.
Copyright 2001-2002, published by
Kar-Ben Copies, Inc. $7.95.
If you're the type who envisions one
of those generic (probably free) pads
with a few obligatory nature scenes
when you hear the word "calendar,"
it's time to hit your favorite Jewish
book store and pick up this treasure.
Calendars — Jewish and otherwise
— just don't get any better than "My
Very Own Jewish Calendar."
First of all, it is clear and easy to
read, listing both Jewish and American
holidays. Second, it has great recipes
along the way, each appropriate for the
holidays in that month — for exam-
ple, chocolate honey cake for Rosh
Hashanah.
There are great tidbits about Jewish
life and Israel. Learn about the first set
of food stamps to be issued by Israel's
Philatelic Service, three stamps pictur-
ing traditional Jewish dishes from dif-
ferent parts of the world — falafel,
couscous and gefilte fish. Each stamp
includes a colorful picture of the dish,
a list of ingredients, and a picture of a
utensil used in preparation.
In all, this calendar is colorful,
bright, cheery and interesting. Trust
me: You'll become addicted and look
forward to each year's "My Very Own
Jewish Calendar."

Rivka's First Thanksgiving by Elsa
Okon Rael, with illustrations by
Maryann Kovalski. Copyright 2001,
published by McElderry Books. 32

Rivka's First
Thanksgiving be your last.
This book is so utterly cutesy, it
makes the Smurfs and the Cabbage
Patch Kids and Barney — combined
— look downright wicked by compar-
ison.
Rivka is 9 years old, the daughter of
immigrants. and she is ready to cele-
brate Thanksgiving. After learning
about Thanksgiving in school, she
wants to celebrate at home.
Her mother and grandmother hesi-
tate — the grandmother asserts, "But
we don't know any Indians.", and
Mama adds "It sounds to me as
though this is a party for gentiles. It's
not for us." But Rivka is adamant: "It's
a national holiday. For everybody."
So the grandmother decides to con-
sult with Rabbi Yoshe Preminger.
Or, rather, she decides Rivka will
consult with the rabbi.
Rivka is led to the rabbi's study, •
piled high with books. She tells him
that Thanksgiving is a holiday all
about giving thanks, and here in the
United States Jews have much for
which they should give thanks.
"In parts of Europe," she says, "terri-
ble things happen to Jews every day
— riots and pogroms. My father told
me of the horrible things that are hap-
pening there right now [the
Holocaust]. But here we are safe. I
wish all Jewish in Europe could come
here, don't you, Rabbi?"
But the rabbi rules against Jews cele-
brating Thanksgiving.
So Rivka writes him a letter, and he
agrees to reconsider his decision.
This time, Rivka meets with many
rabbis and gives them the same rou-
tine and guess what? Sure enough,
they all see the wisdom of her ways
and at the end, even Rabbi Preminger

himself is seen sitting with Rikva and
her family as they enjoy a
Thanksgiving meal.
At the table, the rabbi "said a prayer
in Hebrew, which Rivka thought must
be a long thank-you" (this child lives
in such a religious family that they
won't do anything without consulting
a rabbi, but she doesn't understand
Hebrew?) and then he adds, "It is also
a great pleasure to give my heartfelt
thanks to the Almighty-blessed-be-He,
for the wisdom children give us."
Please, give me something — a
break.

Bless Your Heart by Holly Bea,
illustrations by Kim Howard.
Copyright 2001, published by
Starseed Press. 32 pages. Hardback.
$15.
This is a friendly little generic
book (just an implicit understanding
of God, with the words "bless"
repeated throughout) that reminds
us of the wonder of children, and
the world.
The text is brief and to the point,
including such verses as:
"Bless the hug you give to
me/Bless the freckle on your knee"
and "Bless your busy little
hands./Bless your castles made of
sand."
What makes this book especially
nice is the illustrations: they're
bright and cheery, just like a child's
world should be.
If you're looking for a book that
will appeal to just about anyone, this
may be it.

❑