Hebrew is a very, very old language. It was spoken in ancient Israel many thousands of years ago, and has been kept alive for centuries by Jews and scholars. Modern Hebrew was the dream and work of a man named Eliezer Ben-Yehuda. He made new words from ancient words and gave Hebrew speakers a way to say modern words such as ice cream, bicycle, and airplane.
This book is a child's introduction to modern Hebrew; but more than that, it is a joyous portrait of a very special family. Its heroine, Gabi, shares in the activities of five-year-olds everywhere; she dances, she pretends, she dresses up, she helps with the baby. Her exuberance about her own life bounces off every page, and the enthusiasm and warmth of her family surround her, and the reader, with love.
MICHELLE EDWARDS is the award-winning author and illustrator of many books for children, including Charlotte Zolotow Award-winning Me and the Boss, for which illustrator April Harrison won a Coretta Scott King honor, and A Hat for Mrs. Goldman, illustrated by G. Brian Karas, which received four starred reviews and was hailed "heartwarming" by the New York Times. She is also the author of A Knitter’s Home Companion, an illustrated collection of stories, patterns, and recipes for adult readers. Visit her at michelledwards.com and @michelleedwardsstudio.