The Wonder Child: & Other Jewish Fairy Tales

Schwartz, Howard; Rush, Barbara

ISBN 10: 0060235187 ISBN 13: 9780060235185

Publisher: HarperCollins, 1996

Synopsis

Bold, full-color artwork complements an international anthology of Jewish fairy tales, filled with shape-changers, giants, heroic adventures, and mysterious undersea realms.

About this title

Reviews

Grade 3-6?Eight tales from Ashkenazic and Sephardic traditions reveal both similarities to familiar European motifs and differences that highlight the stories' Jewish origins. In the title selection, an Egyptian variant of "Snow White" and "Sleeping Beauty," a rabbi and his wife pray for a child on Shavuoth. "The Long Hair of the Princess" is a Libyan tale with the familiar motif of a princess having to choose her husband from among seven deserving suitors. The importance of good deeds is stressed in "The Black Cat," a story from Morocco. Another tale with a Biblical flavor is "The Forest Witch" from Eastern Europe, which reinforces the sanctity of marriage vows. The giant Og makes an appearance in "The Tailors and the Giant," also from Eastern Europe, which explains the origin of tailors' pale faces. The three concluding stories feature more otherworldly characters: "The Rabbi Who Became a Werewolf" and "The Peddler and the Sprite" from Eastern Europe, and "The Purim Dybbuk" from Morocco. Lovely, full-page, full-color illustrations and spot art enhance the mood of the text. Detailed notes provide sources and groupings, and a brief glossary explains the Hebrew and Yiddish words used. A solid collection with magic, mystery, and humor.?Susan Pine, New York Public Library
Copyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Edition details

• Publisher: HarperCollins
• Publication date: 1996
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0060235187
• ISBN 13: 9780060235185
• Binding: Library Binding
• Illustrator: Fieser Stephen
• Number of pages: 66