A welcome change

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	• Purim Goodies Gefen Publishing House, 2007 - 36 pages average customer review:based on 2 reviews view larger image
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A welcome change

As a synagogue librarian, I welcome the book Purim Goodies as a breath of fresh air. The story about mishlach manot is one that young children can understand. The majority of children's books for Purim comprise the Biblical story of Esther, with its Byzantine plot and palace intrigue. It is not an easy story for children in grades K-2 to understand. I am delighted to have a book for young children that focuses on a different and simpler aspect of the Purim holiday.

Purim Goodies

What an apt title! Here is a Purim goodie with a new tack - holiday unfettered by bible story - and with legs - based on a work by Sholom Aleichem. Author/illustrator Amalia Hoffman focuses on the tradition of shalach manes through a delightful Yiddish tale, humorous characters, and delicious Purim treats. The moral, delivered by the rabbi, is as digestible as the entire picture book. Two servants dressed in hand me downs and rags, head for each other's households to deliver the annual treat. They meet in route, stop to savor, and, before they realize it, gobble up all the goodies. The recipients consider the empty trays a hostile mockery and stop talking to each other. The wise rabbi shames the couples, restoring peace and teaching a lesson. The contrite servants bake hamentaschen for all the town poor; they share their recipes with readers. The setting is an Ashkenazic town large enough to hold various economic levels. The time is deduced from the pictures: plumbing, lighting, stoves, pocket watches, printed books and modern eyeglasses. This is an "in" story: the plot relies on young readers knowing Purim and its custom of sending gifts of food. The afterword offers bare bones holiday background; the ending glossary has no definition of Purim. The text meshes colorful description and dialog. Muted art supports and enhances the text, incorporating word balloons, interesting looking individuals, food as still life, and corner commentaries from bizarre figures. Biblical images and Jewish symbols float through the pages, noting the naturalness of Jewish identity for all characters, including household animals. The glossary defines Yiddish vocabulary. Ages 6 - 9. Reviewed by Ellen Cole

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Purim Goodies is a beautifully illustrated children's book that tells about the many assorted ingredients related to the Purim Holiday and the importance of giving. The book also includes a Recipe for baking Hamantaschen as well as a glossary of Yiddish terms used throughout the story! Who could resist the tempting smell of fresh-baked Purim goodies? Kleineh Adella and Groyseh Adella just can t. And so ... they nibble on the torte, dip into the pudding, pinch the mandelbrot and ... even though they don t mean to ... completely gobble up the hamantaschen. But when these mischievous young maids attempt to deliver the Purim goodies to the families of their employers best friends ... oy vey, oy vey, there are only leftovers on the tray! Seasoned with humor, sprinkled with Yiddish words, sweetened with luscious illustrations and a delicious hamantaschen recipe, this book is sure to whet your appetite.

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