A is for Abraham: A Jewish Family Alphabet (Sleeping Bear Alphabets) - Hardcover

Michelson, Richard

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 1585363227 ISBN 13: 9781585363223

Publisher: Sleeping Bear Press, 2008

Synopsis

From Abraham to Zaydee, and from ancient times to modern day, A is for Abraham: A Jewish Family Alphabet encompasses the history of Jewish traditions and customs and how they are practiced today. Following the alphabet, a poem identifies the letter topic while sidebar text provides background information. C could be the challah that my bubbe used to braid, or C could be the chicken soup, when I was sick she made, or chocolate coins on Chanukah we added to our coffers. But I say C should be for Chai "To Life" and all it offers. This joyful celebration of family and heritage includes the meaning behind celebrations such as the Festival of Lights, Passover, and Sukkot; important names and stories from the Old Testament; and how modern-day families continue to celebrate their heritage. Richard Michelson's children's books have received distinctive awards such as a New Yorker Best Book Award and a Jewish Book Council Book of the Month. His titles include Too Young for Yiddish; Across the Alley; and Tuttle's Red Barn (a Publishers Weekly Best Children's Book of 2007). He lives in Northampton, Massachusetts. Ron Mazellan's work has been featured in film and advertising, as well as books and magazines. His work for young readers includes The Harmonica (an IRA Children's Choice Award winner) and The Longest Season (a New York Times top ten bestseller). Ron teaches at Indiana Wesleyan University and lives in Marion, Indiana.

About this title

About the Author

Richard Michelson's Lipman Pike: America's First Home Run King was a New York Times Editor's Choice for 2011. He lives in Amherst, Massachusetts.

Review

Trying to understand the rules, traditions, and history of a faith is never easy, even if you are of that faith. For people outside the faith, the stories and customs can be confusing, and the nuances of meaning can be lost. In this splendid alphabet book Richard Michelson explores the Jewish faith in a new way. Using the format of an alphabet book the author tells his readers about some of the things that make the Jewish faith unique and interesting.

For every letter of the alphabet Richard Michelson focuses on some aspect of Jewish life. For the letter B he tells us about Bar and Bat Mitvahs, the coming of age ceremonies that signify that a young person is no longer a child. For the letter C he tells us about challah, a special bread that Jews eat on the Jewish Sabbath. This braided bread is a just one of the many special foods that Jews make.

This book can be enjoyed on several levels because each topic includes a poem, an illustration, and then a longer section of text. Young children can look at the pictures, and they can either have the poems read to them, or they can read them themselves. Older children will enjoy reading the more involved sidebar text. It is here that they will find out further details about Jewish religious practices, history, and customs.

This is just one in a splendid collection of alphabet book published by Sleeping Bear Press. Other topics covered include cats, poetry, music, and China. --Through The Looking Glass, December 2009

"A is for Abraham" appears to be inexorably headed for greater regional, national and even international recognition. Sophisticated yet accessible and child-friendly, whimsical yet respectful, offering a multi-dimensional understanding of Judaism relatable to people of all ages and faiths, stunningly beautiful, and encyclopedically informative without being at all pedantic, the book holds the promise of becoming a genuine classic. --Judy Polan, Jewish Ledger, Decembre 19, 2008

About this edition

• Publisher: Sleeping Bear Press
• Publication date: 2008
• ISBN 10: 1585363227
• ISBN 13: 9781585363223
• Binding: Hardcover
• Number of pages: 40
• Illustrator: Mazellan Ron