Angels Sweep the Desert Floor: Bible Legends About Moses in the [Hardcover]

Miriam Chaikin (Author), Alexander Koshkin (Illustrator)

Book Description

Publication Date: April 22, 2002 | Age Level: 7 and up | Grade Level: 3 and up

Rabbis in ancient times believed that the answers to all questions could be found somewhere in the Bible. “Turn it and turn it, for everything is in it,” they said. Each answer the rabbis found became a type of story, a midrash. Miriam Chaikin examines familiar midrashim, or stories from the Old Testament. This collection of eighteen moving and lyrical tales follows Moses and the Israelites as they wander the desert, sate their hunger with manna bread, receive the Ten Commandments, and, ultimately, reach the Holy Land. Glowing paintings capture the majesty of heaven and the grace of angels who watch over the Israelites during their difficult journey. Biblical notes, bibliography.

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Grade 4-7-The stories in this collection take place during the Israelites' 40 years of wandering in the wilderness. They are set on earth and in heaven and feature Moses, Aaron, and Miriam interacting with a colorful array of angels. The writing is simple and lyrical, with imaginative flourishes linking the two worlds. And while the overall tone is serious, there are humorous touches, such as the angels called "Sour Faces." As she did in Clouds of Glory (Clarion, 1998), Chaikin draws from biblical and rabbinic literature as well as from her own imagination to create these stories, and lists her sources in a notes section. The full-page watercolor, tempera, and gouache illustrations have a fanciful formality that complements the narrative. Capable of exciting the creative, as well as the spiritual imagination, these wonderful stories make great read-alouds.
Linda R. Silver, Jewish Education Center of Cleveland, OH
Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

From Booklist

Gr. 4-7. In a companion to Clouds of Glory (1988), Chaikin once again returns to the style of Jewish literature known as Midrash to tell the story of Moses as he leads the Israelites through the desert in search of the Promised Land. Angels play a leading role in these 18 tales, as they help the wanderers with food and shade and comment on life both in heaven and on Earth. Moses, too, comes across as a real person, beset with cares and worries, hopes and dreams. Chaikin does a good job of mixing religious history with tenents of Judaism and framing everything as folklore, right at a child's level. Unlike in the previous volume, her introductory explanation of Midrash--stories inspired by the Bible--makes the concept clear in a way that children will understand. The colorful paintings have a patina of illumination, though some of the figures are stiff. A welcoming way to expand Bible stories. Ilene Cooper
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 7 and up
  
• Hardcover: 112 pages
• Publisher: Clarion Books; 1St Edition edition (April 22, 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0395978254
• ISBN-13: 978-0395978252
• Product Dimensions: 10.3 x 8.9 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.6 pounds
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,150,804 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #85 in Books > Children's Books > Religions > Islam

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