Tracing Our Jewish Roots (American Origins)

Traces Jewish roots in America from the mid-seventeenth century to the present, discussing their experience of prejudice, the contributions they have made to American culture, and the breakdown in their religion.

Gr. 4-7. From the American Origins series come books that give American children an idea of what life was like--both at home and in their new land--for family members who emigrated to this country. Here, Sagan goes back to the shtetls of Eastern Europe and describes the hardships and happiness (mostly the former) of life there, the first wave of immigration, the difficult trip to America, the process of assimilation, and what life is like for Jews in America today. There are also profiles of famous Jews and personal remembrances. Although the book has many

strong points, including excellent historical photos, there are also a few missteps. Sagan is occasionally careless with details; for instance, she states, Barbra Streisand "joined forces" with I. B. Singer to make the movie Yentl, when in fact, though Streisand owned the film rights, Singer disliked the idea of the movie from the start. The author also says Moses led the Jews out of Egypt into Palestine, which is not a biblical locale. Also, the sepia-colored cartoons are well intentioned but don't really work. Most unfortunate, there are no source notes. Still, this has a lot going for it, not the least of which is its attractiveness to browsers. Ilene Cooper