I Am Jewish

Introduces the ancient religion of Judaism through the eyes of a Jewish child living in St. Louis.

Gr 1-4--Basic information from the perspective of young people who are members of the worldwide spiritual communities represented in the series. All of these children have a strong commitment to their religion. Ahmet is a Muslim living in Detroit. Anastasia is Eastern Orthodox. Her brother is the priest of her church in Chicago. Protestant introduces Yvonne, a black girl from Atlanta. She is an Evangelical Protestant, but the book clearly states that there are many types of Protestant denominations with major beliefs in common. David, who lives in St. Louis, is an observant Jew. This title gives special attention to the links of Jews today with their history and with the land of Israel. Difficult theological ideas such as salvation are presented in a gentle and reassuring manner. All of these titles feature phonetic spellings of unfamiliar words within the narratives. Full-page, full-color photos appear opposite each page of brief text and convey the unique qualities of each religion; this is especially true when marriage ceremonies are described. While this personalized approach may create interest, these books do not reflect reality in this country. Except for the comments on Protestantism, the religions are portrayed as monolithic in belief. All of the young people have loving, supportive, two-parent families. There is no contact with individuals of other backgrounds, as if cultural and religious segregation were the norm here.

Libby K. White, Schenectady County Public Library, NY

Copyright 1997 Cahners Business Information, Inc.