Bagels from Benny [Hardcover]

Aubrey Davis (Author), Dusan Petricic (Illustrator)

Book Description

Age Level: 4 and up | Series: An Elliot Moose Story

Benny loves to help out at his grandpa's bakery in the morning, and the customers love the crusty bagels with their soft insides. When Grandpa explains to Benny that God, not him, should be thanked for the wonderful bagels, Benny sets out to do just that. He decides to leave God a bagful of bagels in the synagogue at the end of each week. And each week God eats the bagels -- or so Benny thinks ... Lovingly told, Bagels from Benny explores the values of caring and sharing, building a strong sense of community and finding joy in giving thanks. (200310)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

Benny adores helping out his Grandpa at the bagel bakery, the best in town. The young Jewish boy loves his grandfather's bagels so much, he wants to thank God for them. But how? One morning, he asks his Grandpa if he could pay him for his work with a big bag of bagels. So equipped, he heads for the synagogue, takes a deep breath, opens the big wooden cupboard that is the Holy Ark, and places the steaming bag inside: "King of the Universe," he whispered. "I brought You some bagels. I know You make them. But You never taste them, because Grandpa sells every last one." Benny keeps this up week after week until he discovers, to his dismay, that a poor man in a tattered coat has been eating his bagels, and not God. How will God know he is thanking Him if someone else is eating the bagels? Grandpa reassures him that by making the world better, he is indeed thanking God. Dusan Petricic's expressive, cross-hatched illustrations, each one as round and warm and brown as a freshly baked bagel, illuminate all of the story's best moments with humor and emotion. This simple, touching Jewish folktale from Spain transcends Judaism as a story of human kindness and generosity of spirit that will resonate with all children. --Karin Snelson

From Booklist

PreS-Gr. 2. Benny says thank you to God, but how does he know that God hears? Why doesn't God answer? Benny works out a plan: in return for working in his grandpa's bakery, Benny asks for a bag of bagels every Friday and he leaves them for God in the Holy Ark in the synagogue. Every week the bagels disappear, and Benny is happy that God has taken them. Then Benny and Grandpa see a ragged man take the bagels from the ark and thank God for feeding him; the man says that he has found work at last, and he promises to help others. Based on an ancient Jewish folktale from Spain, the story of how a small gesture can make a difference is a moving drama of generosity and faith. The casual, cartoon-style watercolors with pencil cross-hatching show the mystery in ordinary things. The pictures, in a circular in shape in the center of each page, are as round as a bagel, as round as the Earth made by God. Hazel Rochman
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

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Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 4 and up
  
• Hardcover: 32 pages
• Publisher: Kids Can Press (September 1, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1553374177
• ISBN-13: 978-1553374176
• Product Dimensions: 9.9 x 9.3 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 14.2 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (9 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,608,022 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Before becoming an award-winning writer and storyteller, Aubrey Davis worked as a logger, house painter and lab technician. He sold antiques, car parts, books, and beads. A retired teacher with an M. Ed. in psychology and adult education, he taught an oral language program to primary and special needs students. He has written four books: Bone Button Borscht, Sody Salleratus and The Enormous Potato. His latest, Bagels for Benny, has won multiple awards including the Sydney Taylor Award, The Mr. Christie Award (Silver) and the Canadian Jewish Book Awards Children's Literature Prize. Aubrey has also written a screenplay for Sheldon Cohen's new animated film, The Three Wishes (Film & DVD: NFB & PMA Productions, 2005). His forthcoming picture books are Kishka for Koppel (Orca, Fall 2011, A Hen for Izzy Pippik/Une Poule pour Izzy Pippik (Kids Can Press/Editions Scholastic, March 2012). Aubrey tells his tales to people of all ages across Canada and the US. A featured presenter at festivals and conferences, he's also told stories on national radio and television. He is currently Director and Corporate Secretary for The Institute for Cross-cultural Exchange (ICE), a charity helping at-risk Canadian and Afghan children read and own their own books. Aubrey lives in Toronto with his wife and storyteller Sandra Carpenter-Davis and their dog, JojoBella. His daughter and grandchildren live in Saskatoon.and his son lives nearby.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

15 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Winner of the 2003 SYDNEY TAYLOR BOOK AWARD!, February 5, 2004

By 

Heidi Estrin (The Book of Life podcast, www.jewishbooks.blogspot.com) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Bagels from Benny (Hardcover)

Bagels From Benny is the gold medal winner of the 2003 Sydney Taylor Book Award from the Association of Jewish Libraries! It was selected out of nearly 200 eligible titles as the best Judaic book of the year for younger readers.

Based on an ancient Jewish folktale, this is a whimsical yet serious story of a child's attempt to connect with God. Benny's grandfather bakes the best bagels in town, but gives the credit to God, the source of the earth from which the wheat grows. Benny wants to say 'thank you,' and places bagels in the Holy Ark so that God can taste the results of His handiwork. Benny finally discovers that the bagels have been eaten, not by God, but by a hungry, tattered man, and is disappointed until grandfather explains that Benny has thanked God by helping others and making the world a better place. In some ways, this adaptation is more believable than the original tale in which a grown man places challahs in the Ark; after all, it is more developmentally appropriate for a child to believe that God needs to eat!

Author Aubrey Davis is a storyteller as well as a writer, and the poetic text has a "read-aloud" quality. Dusan Petricic's slightly surreal illustrations emphasize Benny's emotions. The palette leans toward a warm, bagel-y beige with splashes of brighter color. Small sepia sketches capture moments like Grandpa's eyebrows raised in surprise, or provide context by giving exterior views of the bakery or synagogue. The final illustration, which merges Benny and Grandpa with the starry sky, is a perfect metaphor for the oneness with the universe they've just achieved by thanking God.

While the word "Jewish" appears only in the end note, this is a story of strong Jewish identity and values. We see Benny visiting the synagogue, opening the Ark, and wearing a yarmulke to Shabbat services. We learn about Jewish values like gratitude, charity, love between the generations, and most of all, "tikkun olam," the repair of the world. It is not only the moral of the story that is Jewish, but the attitudes and actions of all its characters. While the Judaic elements of the story are not explained, enough context is provided for non-Jewish readers to understand them, and the emotional facets of the story can be appreciated by any reader. A valuable addition to Judaic AND public children's library collections, and to home collections as well.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great for Christians as well, August 25, 2005

By 

R. Johnson - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Bagels from Benny (Hardcover)

I am not Jewish but feel this book is wonderful for all children who are trying to grasp the concept of God and for parents who want to impart this important lesson - God wants us to help others. My 7 year old checked this book out from the public library and had me read it to him over and over again. He related to Benny and especially loves the part when the Grandfather is initially horrified with what Benny is doing with the Bagels. This book is a true classic and I am disappointed that I don't find it available in my local bookstores.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Meaningful, May 2, 2004

By 

N. R. Johnson (Colorado, USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Bagels from Benny (Hardcover)

I shed a tear when I read this one. I can't wait to buy it and read it to our Religious School children. It is touching, poignant and meaningful.