Mazel Tov! It's a Boy/Mazel Tov! It's a Girl - Softcover

Korngold, Jamie

Softcover

ISBN 10: 1467719587 ISBN 13: 9781467719582

Publisher: Kar-Ben Publishing ®, 2015

Synopsis

Join a Jewish family as they celebrate the birth of a baby brother, and then flip this book over to celebrate the birth of a baby sister!

About this title

About the Author

Rabbi Jamie S. Korngold received ordination from the Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion and is the founder and spiritual leader of the Adventure Rabbi Program. She lives in Boulder, Colorado with her two daughters, Sadie and Ori.

Jeff Finkelstein's images have appeared in hundreds of publications including National Geographic, USA Today and The Jerusalem Post. He lives in Boulder, Colorado with his wife and two daughters.

Review

"The joy of welcoming a new baby into a Jewish home is portrayed in this dos-á-dos, dual-gender photo essay. A big sister takes readers through her family's experience from the time a new baby is expected to its arrival and ultimate welcoming ceremony. For a little girl's naming, big sister explains the brit bat or simchat bat, done on the eighth day of the new child's life. Similarly, a little boy's naming is called a bris or brit milah. Friends and family join a rabbi for a little girl and a mohel and rabbi for a little boy. Presumably as the book is intended for very young children, the mohel's performance of a circumcision is quietly left out, along with its religious significance. Instead, the rationale behind the choosing of names is described. Both babies are given names honoring a family member, and in both situations, the family gathers for a small reception 'in the hope that our baby's life will be sweet.' Korngold's simple approach to this vital topic works well and is nicely coupled with clear, color photography of the same family documenting the activity of these two very special days. Each ceremony is depicted separately, with the stories converging in the middle with one large double-page circular view of a culminating festive family gathering. A joyful and eminently useful book." -- Kirkus Reviews

(Journal)

"Rabbi Jamie Korngold, author of the popular Sadie series, writes about an important life cycle event for the youngest audience. Korngold tackles the birth of a new sibling in this back-to-back inverted volume that follows a little girl's experience as her family welcomes a new baby. Really two books in one, the charming blond big sister enjoys the birth of brother in one half of the book. Flip it over, and she celebrates the birth of a sister. When will the new brother be big enough to play soccer with me? / She is so small that she can't play hopscotch or feed herself like me - muses the big sister. Each story concludes with a celebration: bris for the brother; simcha bat for the sister. The big sister has a valued place in each simcha in the warm embrace of her extended family. The kid-friendly story is supported by luminous photographs by Jeff Finkelstein. Each photo is beautifully composed and creates a synthesis with the text. The comparison of hand and foot size with the new baby is particularly poignant." -- AJL Reviews

(Magazine)

"Fans of flip picture books, k'vel! Here is a well thought out, useful, warm, happy picture book with a sound life-cycle topic. Ex­cellent photographs and sweetly chronological events capture the thrilling experience of welcoming a new baby, one way for girls, flip! the other way for boys, each version meeting in the middle with the same concluding photograph. Ceremonies for enfolding a new child into Judaism differ on a gender basis by religious tradition. Here they each end up in at-home celebrations, named (nicely in Hebrew and English), included in community, blessed and rejoiced. Family and festivities arrive through the eyes of the older sister who is equally as happy with a new baby sister as a new baby brother. Large, sharp, colorful, mobile, active photographs capture the emotional response of everyone as the older sister considers the new baby and the steps of her/his ceremony. Both stories cover pregnancy, hospital delivery, and cute but talentless newborns, climaxing in the cuddly adorable one's draw to friends and relatives for the brit bat or brit milah. Extended family members travel long distances to share the milestone moment, arriving from Israel and New York. How grand to find a quality, upbeat read with content of value that teaches and entertains. Mazel Tov to author Korngold and photographer Finkelstein who shine again. Recommended for ages 2-8 to learn and to their parents and grandparents for memories." -- Jewish Book World

(Magazine)

About this edition

• Publisher: Kar-Ben Publishing ®
• Publication date: 2015
• ISBN 10: 1467719587
• ISBN 13: 9781467719582
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 32