Kibitzers and Fools - Hardcover

Taback, Simms

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0670059552 ISBN 13: 9780670059553

Publisher: Viking Juvenile, 2005

Synopsis

A saying: It pays to have a little chutzpah (nerve).

With Old World charm, universal humor, and just a bit of chutzpah, Simms Taback offers this lively spin on thirteen playful tales—as only he could. Paired with his trademark vibrant and hilarious artwork, these stories illustrate ultimate universal truths and important life lessons, from the difference between a shlemiel and a shlimazel to the idea that just because you can talk doesn’t mean you make sense.Taback delivers the perfect combination of wisdom and humor—just the way your zayda (grandpa) would.

About this title

About the Author

Simms Taback grew up in the Bronx and graduated from Cooper Union. He has worked as an art director and a graphic designer, and has taught at the School of Visual Arts and Syracause University. He has illustrated many children's books, including I Know an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Fly (Viking), Spacy Riddles, Snakey Riddles, Buggy Riddles, and Fishy Riddles (all written by Katy Hall and lIsa Eisenberg, Dial). His work has won many awards, including the Caldecott Honor Award Medal for I Know an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Fly and a New York Times Best Illustrated Children's Book. A father of three and grandfather of three, Mr. Taback lives with his wife in Willow, New York copyright ? 2000 by Penguin Putnam Books for Young Readers. All rights reserved.

Reviews

Grade 3-6–These 13 tales range in humor from slapstick to ridiculous to poignant. Each story includes a Yiddish word or two followed by a simple translation and ends with a saying, e.g., Not every thought is worth expressing; Everyone has his own craziness. The detail-filled cartoon illustrations include an occasional piece of realism–a tidbit of matzo; a snippet of cloth; little faces cut from photographs, with beards, hats, and rosy cheeks painted on; pieces of patterned paper that form a scarf or trim clothing. The stories take place in the small Jewish villages that existed in Eastern Europe during the late-19th- and early-20th centuries. Mixed-media paintings with predominantly gold backgrounds, type that looks hand printed, and a riot of color and pattern on each expertly designed page offer strong visual appeal. A glossary of Yiddish words is included. Some of the humor is a bit sophisticated, especially for those who have no background to which they can relate the stories. Libraries in synagogues and Jewish secular schools will want to purchase this collection, as will public libraries in areas where there is interest in Jewish literature.–Susan Scheps, Shaker Heights Public Library, OH
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K-Gr. 3. Like Taback's Caldecott-winning book, Joseph Had a Little Overcoat (1999), this uproarious book celebrates the shtetl scene with energetic, mixed-media pictures in bright, folk-art style. But there is nothing sweet and gentle this time. The 13 tales, based on Yiddish tradition, focus on self-important fools; the chief rabbi is no more able to answer the question, "What is life?" than the goats and chickens. Yiddish is a joyful part of the telling (most of the terms are in the appended glossary), and the endpapers are a patchwork of wry sayings from daily life. Some stories end a little abruptly, but most are enjoyable. Best of all is the tale of "two kibitzers (smart alecs, know-it-alls)" who get into a "philosophical dispute" about why, when a slice of buttered bread falls to the floor, it always lands on the buttered side: the farce of the telling; the curses and platitudes; the lively, intricately detailed pictures of the community; and the climax are unforgettable. Families will want to share this. Hazel Rochman
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

Edition details

• Publisher: Viking Juvenile
• Publication date: 2005
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0670059552
• ISBN 13: 9780670059553
• Binding: Hardcover
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 48