The Blessing of the Animals - Hardcover

Rosen, Michael

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0374308381 ISBN 13: 9780374308384

Publisher: Farrar, Straus and Giroux (BYR), 2000

Synopsis

Should a Jewish boy's dog receive a Catholic blessing?

Jared is looking forward to the Blessing of the Animals on St. Francis's feast day at the church across the street. He plans to go with his friend Ian and take his dog, Shayna, to be blessed. But when he brings the subject up with his mom, she doesn't think its such a good idea. Why? Well, they're Jewish. Jared doesn't see this as a problem, but he agrees with his mom's suggestion to poll four people on the subject, and she'll do the same. Jared approaches his great-grandfather, his father, a Holocaust survivor, and a rabbi, all of whom give diverse opinions on Jared's prospective attendance. Its ultimately up to Jared to decide, and readers, while perhaps differing in their views on his ultimate decision, will cheer Jared for making up his own mind in a thoughtful and deeply personal way. This story for middle-grade readers is enhanced by hand-designed chapter titles and full-page pictures by the author.

About this title

About the Author

Michael J. Rosen is the author and editor of many books for children and adults, including The Thanksgiving Wish. He lives in Glenford, Ohio.

Reviews

Grade 3-6-In an accessible and thought-provoking way, Rosen broaches the complex subject of religious identity. Twelve-year-old Jared is Jewish, but he still wants to take his dog to the annual St. Francis Festival for the Blessing of the Animals at a local church. His mother is less than enthusiastic about the idea, but since "asking questions is a pretty Jewish thing," she suggests that they each get four opinions as to whether or not it's OK to have Shayna blessed in a Catholic ceremony. She also promises the child that the ultimate decision will be his, and thus he sets out to discover what his father, his great-grandfather, his Sunday-school teacher, and his rabbi think about the idea. Buoyed with humor, warmth, and charming dialogue, this book successfully engages readers in a discussion about what it means to practice one's religion in a religiously diverse community. While the subject may seem weighty, the story actually glides along easily. The question of what Jared will choose to do keeps readers in suspense straight through to the last page. Nicely rendered black-and-white illustrations appear throughout.
Teri Markson, Stephen S. Wise Temple Elementary School, Los Angeles
Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Rosen (The Thanksgiving Wish) inflates a query into a conundrum in this issue-driven novel. Jared, who is Jewish, wants to bring his dog to the neighborhood Catholic church for the St. Francis Festival, which includes a blessing of the animals. His mom says no, but, judging the question "complicated," she tells Jared to get four opinions on the matter; she'll seek out four opinions, too. Among those heard from are the Catholic priest, Jared's great-grandfather (who helped found the local synagogue), the Sunday school teacher (a Holocaust survivor), a cantor and a rabbiAall individuals who could be presumed to bring some expertise to the debate. However, the characters engage in surprisingly superficial and uninformative dialogue, and although the topic is essentially religious, they rarely touch upon the issue of faith. Instead, the discussion ranges from a specious debate about whether or not Jared's dog is Jewish to a message to be proud of the difference conferred by Jewish identity. A Reform rabbi says to get all the blessings you can; another rabbi posits that taking care of animals is the Jewish way to bless them. The argument touches on a few other points, none of them well developed. Francis himself figures chiefly as "the king of animal lovers"and the meaning of the contested ceremony remains vague. A disappointing, slack treatment of a promising theme. Ages 8-12. (Sept.)
Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc.

The author of Elijah's Angel: A Story for Chanukah and Christmas (1992) takes another careful, penetrating look at cultural and religious boundaries. When Jared sees posters announcing the upcoming St. Francis Festival at St. Catherine's, right across the street from his new apartment, he sees no reason why he can't take his dog Shayna to the Blessing of the Animals-sure, he's Jewish, but Shayna isn't. Understandably, his mother takes a dim view of the idea. She is willing, though, to let him make up his own mind, so long as he first listens to the opinions of eight others on the matter. Enter a priest, two rabbis, relatives and acquaintances of several generations, most of whom offer complicated insights into what it means to be Jewish, and the assimilative pressures faced by minority groups, rather than a simple yea or nay. This is clearly a teaching story, but Rosen fleshes out the situations and characters with buoyant good humor. Christian and Jewish readers both will ponder the issues he raises, but will also come to care enough about Jared to make his eventual decision-the Blessing, no. The potluck afterward? Definitely yes. (Fiction. 9-11) -- Copyright © 2000 Kirkus Associates, LP. All rights reserved.

Gr. 3-6. Jared wants to be part of the St. Francis Festival in which people bring their pets to the church for a blessing. But Jared is Jewish, not Catholic. Although his mother opposes Jared's attending, she allows him to make the final decision after he gets four other opinions. The people Jared consults range from his rabbi to the parish priest. They encourage him to be proud of himself and not to feel obligated to fit into the crowd, and they tell him that his daily kindnesses to his dog, Shayna, are blessing enough. Jewish youngsters living in predominantly non-Jewish neighborhoods are constantly confronted with such dilemmas. Jared's situation may not be quite the same, but it can help them, as well as other kids who feel like outsiders, weigh the importance of conformity in their own lives. Lively, believable dialogue across generations, the encouragement of nurturing adults, respectful treatment of people and pets, and short, quickly paced chapters combine to make this brief book both entertaining and thoughtful. Ellen Mandel
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

Edition details

• Publisher: Farrar, Straus and Giroux (BYR)
• Publication date: 2000
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0374308381
• ISBN 13: 9780374308384
• Binding: Hardcover
• Illustrator: Rosen Michael
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 96