The Diamond Tree: Jewish Tales from Around the World

1991 (edition) HarperCollins hardcover & DJ (in mylar jacket), 5th printing. Beautiful color illustrations by Uri Shulevitz. Stories: The Giant Og and the Ark; Magic Pitcher; Chusham and the Wind; Katanya; Magic Sandals of Abu Kassim; Water Witch; Enormous Frog; Tale of Two Chickens: Palace of Bird Beaks; Diamond Tree; Moving a Mountain; Bear and the Children; The Goblin; Prince Who Thought He Was a Rooster; Angel's Wings; and Sources & commentary.

Grade 3-5-- Drawing together the threads of Jewish folk literature from places as distant as Yemen and Eastern Europe, Morocco and Germany, and ranging over 15 centuries, Schwartz and Rush weave a rich tapestry that shows the diversity of Jewish culture. In this collection of 15 stories, Elijah and King Solomon rub shoulders with witches, goblins, and the fools of the town of Chelm. This is often a benevolent universe where gentle justice reigns. Young Chusham, for example, is loved in spite of his foolishness. The story of Og, the giant who takes refuge on the ark during the great flood, illustrates the value of cooperation and repaying kindness while demonstrating the rewards of honesty. Other stories show similarities to those from other traditions. A particularly moving tale tells of how a little bird persuades King Solomon of the cruelty and stupidity of building a palace of birds' beaks. In all, the language is simple and vivid, and the narrative moves along at a good pace. The generous amount of white space makes the book accessible to younger readers. Ten tales are accompanied by Shulevitz's bright, dramatic watercolor paintings. Storytellers of varying degrees of experience and ability will find this a particularly valuable resource. An excellent collection for reading aloud or alone, with selections that are not readily available in other sources. --Susan Giffard, Englewood Public Library, NJ
Copyright 1992 Reed Business Information, Inc.

One of the pleasures of reading folk and fairy tales attributed to specific cultures lies in finding the traits they share with stories from other peoples or places; another is coming upon the element that makes the story indigenous to that particular culture. The 15 brief tales collected here contain both delights: witness the story of Katanya, an obvious variant of "Thumbelina," who is a gift from the prophet Elijah to a lonely old peasant woman; and Og, a giant who is rewarded for helping Noah with a berth on top of the ark and is given food, drink and a raincoat by the grateful animals themselves. The editors do a splendid job of incorporating introductions of unfamiliar characters or ideas smoothly into the text--these tellings roll trippingly off the tongue. Shulevitz's ( Dawn ; The Treasure ) illustrations, with their characteristic jewel-like tones, are a perfect match; it seems unfortunate that there are only 10. Ages 7-10.
Copyright 1991 Reed Business Information, Inc.