Dear Elijah [Hardcover]

Miriam Bat-Ami (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: April 1995 | Age Level: 10 and up

Rebecca Samuelson, a girl from a traditional Jewish family, expresses her concerns about her sick father, along with her other hopes and fears, in letters to the prophet Elijah.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Confused and distraught after a heart attack lands her father in the hospital, 12-year-old Rebecca begins writing to Elijah, the biblical prophet. Rebecca's father may not be home in time for Passover, but Rebecca can count on Elijah to be there, at the place traditionally set for him at the seder table. Unfortunately, Rebecca never becomes a flesh-and-blood character, and her correspondence with Elijah sometimes seems like the effort of an ambitious religious school teacher: "You decided to have a big contest with the priests of Baal to prove who was worshipping the true God. That must have been some contest. You against four hundred prophets. Guess who won? (I bet you harty-harred about that one.)" Without a convincing narrator, Bat-Ami's (When the Frost Is Gone) portrayal of a religious Jewish family lacks focus. The open ending, which leaves Rebecca's deteriorating father on the operating table, his prognosis unknown, might disturb readers in the targeted age range-that is, if they care enough about these shadowy figures' fates. Ages 8-12.
Copyright 1995 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From School Library Journal

Grade 5-7?Rebecca, 12, is from an observant Jewish family. She is troubled because her father is in the cardiac intensive-care unit facing bypass surgery and will be unable to prepare for and celebrate Passover with the family. In an innovative twist to the narrative convention, she works out her anxieties by writing notes (and sometimes lengthy letters) to the prophet Elijah. From March 1-April 20, readers are privy to her anger (at herself, her father, and God), her fears, her desires, and her inability to pray or to be as good a Jew as her father would require; all are played out in her one-sided correspondence. Bat-Ami, commendably, does not succumb to easy answers, but the question still remains, "Why Elijah?" Youngsters will understand that Rebecca has, of course, been thinking about the prophet because of the role he plays in the Passover Seder, but while the premise is interesting, the choice of Elijah as a pen pal for an adolescent girl seems strange. That choice, despite the author's note and glossary, limits the book's appeal to a very specialized audience, well versed in Orthodox Jewish practice and Biblical history.?Sharon Grover, Arlington County Department of Libraries, VA
Copyright 1995 Reed Business Information, Inc.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 10 and up
  
• Hardcover: 105 pages
• Publisher: Farrar Straus & Giroux (J); 1st edition (April 1995)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0374317550
• ISBN-13: 978-0374317553
• Product Dimensions: 8.4 x 5.6 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 10.4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #5,955,720 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars School Librarian review, February 16, 2007

By 

Eli Rubin "Scoom" (Ann Arbor, Mi) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Dear Elijah (Paperback)

I am reading this book to my 6 , 7, and 8th graders in a Catholic k-8 school. I LOVE IT! and the kids love it. This diary/epistolary novel combines the realistic portrayal of a 12 year old girl with a very sick father. I mention that I am from a Catholic school because the students are quite curious and eager to learn about the Jewish traditions. There is fabulous glossary of terms for background/discussion. (My husband is Jewish so I am able to add my own family's take on certain traditions). I find it difficult to find a book that capture the attention of my students without being garish or cheap. I highly recommend this for any tween.