The Diamond Tree: Jewish Folktales from Around the World [Paperback]

Howard Schwartz (Author), Thao Cha Nhia (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: February 1998 | Age Level: 9 and up | Grade Level: 4 and up

Notable Children's Books of 1992 (ALA)
Notable 1991 Children's Trade Books in Social Studies (NCSS/CBC)
Children's Books of 1991 (Library of Congress)

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Ten folktales feature both new and familiar characters: Noah and King Solomon rub shoulders with giants and witches. "These tellings roll trippingly off the tongue," said PW. All ages.
Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From School Library Journal

Grade 3-5-- Drawing together the threads of Jewish folk literature from places as distant as Yemen and Eastern Europe, Morocco and Germany, and ranging over 15 centuries, Schwartz and Rush weave a rich tapestry that shows the diversity of Jewish culture. In this collection of 15 stories, Elijah and King Solomon rub shoulders with witches, goblins, and the fools of the town of Chelm. This is often a benevolent universe where gentle justice reigns. Young Chusham, for example, is loved in spite of his foolishness. The story of Og, the giant who takes refuge on the ark during the great flood, illustrates the value of cooperation and repaying kindness while demonstrating the rewards of honesty. Other stories show similarities to those from other traditions. A particularly moving tale tells of how a little bird persuades King Solomon of the cruelty and stupidity of building a palace of birds' beaks. In all, the language is simple and vivid, and the narrative moves along at a good pace. The generous amount of white space makes the book accessible to younger readers. Ten tales are accompanied by Shulevitz's bright, dramatic watercolor paintings. Storytellers of varying degrees of experience and ability will find this a particularly valuable resource. An excellent collection for reading aloud or alone, with selections that are not readily available in other sources. --Susan Giffard, Englewood Public Library, NJ
Copyright 1992 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 9 and up
  
• Paperback: 112 pages
• Publisher: HarperTrophy (February 1998)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0064406954
• ISBN-13: 978-0064406956
• Product Dimensions: 7.4 x 5.1 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4.8 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #491,537 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #71 in Books > 4-for-3 Books > Children's Books > Religions > Fiction > Jewish
  • #88 in Books > 4-for-3 Books > Children's Books > Literature > Fairy Tales, Folk Tales & Myths > Anthologies

More About the Author

Howard Schwartz is Professor of English at the University of Missouri-St. Louis. He has published three books of poetry, and several books of fiction, including The Captive Soul of the Messiah and Adam's Soul. He has also edited a four-volume set of Jewish folktales, which includes Elijah's Violin & Other Jewish Fairy Tales, Miriam's Tambourine: Jewish Folktales from Around the World, Lilith's Cave: Jewish Tales of the Supernatural and, most recently, Gabriel's Palace: Jewish Mystical Tales. He has also edited three major anthologies: Imperial Messages: One Hundred Modern Parables, Voices Within the Ark: The Modern Jewish Poets (with Anthony Rudolf), and Gates to the New City: A Treasury of Modern Jewish Tales. His recent book, Reimagining the Bible: The Storytelling of the Rabbis, was a finalist for the National Jewish Book Award for 1999. In addition, Schwartz has also published ten children's books, including The Diamond Tree (with Barbara Rush, which won the Sydney Taylor Book Award in 1992), Next Year in Jerusalem: 3000 Years of Jewish Tales (which won the National Jewish Book Award and the Aesop Award of the American Folklore Society, both in 1996), A Coat for the Moon (with Barbara Rush, which won Anne Izard Storyeller's Choice Award for 1998 and the 1999 Honor Title of the Storytelling World Awards, and The Day the Rabbi Disappeared: Jewish Holiday Tales of Magic (which won the National Jewish Book Award and The Aesop Prize of the American Folklore Society for 2000). His major book, Tree of Souls: The Mythology of Judaism, won the National Jewish Book Award for 2005 in the category of Reference. Schwartz lives in St. Louis with his wife Tsila, a calligrapher, and his three children, Shira, Nathan and Miriam.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars best childhood book, August 4, 2003

By A Customer

This review is from: The Diamond Tree: Jewish Tales from Around the World (Hardcover)

I'm 17 now, but every once and a while, I go back to this book and read it again. I've been reading it since I was little, and I love it. The stories in it are so well written, perfectly geared for children, but then okay if I want to look back and reflect on the more serious side of them. I highly recommend this book: I dont think its cheesy or silly. Its like the Aesop's fables for jews, and I think it will last a long long time.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Folk tales told by Jewish people from the Middle East, North Africa and Eastern Europe, April 30, 2007

By 

Charles Ashbacher (Marion, Iowa United States) - See all my reviews
(TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (VINE VOICE)    (HALL OF FAME REVIEWER)   

This review is from: The Diamond Tree: Jewish Tales from Around the World (Library Binding)

One of the best ways to realize how much human societies are alike is to read the folklore generated by the many different cultures when they had no contact with each other. There are some fundamental differences due to varying climates, but the similarities dominate the differences. There are poor people made rich by doing good deeds, magical vessels, magic animals and evil witches who enchant people, primarily children.

This book is a collection of stories told by Jewish people throughout the Middle East, North Africa and Eastern Europe. At the end of each story, the geographical point of origin and the time context is given, which gives some perspective, especially on the names of the characters and the local geography. The illustrations are colorful, certain to catch the eye of the interested child.

An excellent selection of folk tales, I strongly recommend that this book be read to children. And when doing so, explain the source of the folk tales. Their plots and messages show us that at some fundamental level, all human cultures are very much alike.

2 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars More Jewish Folk Tales, April 5, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: The Diamond Tree: Jewish Folktales from Around the World (Paperback)

Like all of Howard Schwartz's books that I know, this is a collection of fairy tales with a Jewish or biblical theme. The stories in this collection are fun to read, geared for kids 9-12, but appropriate for younger ones too. One of the things I liked about these stories was that when reading them to a younger child, I enjoyed them too. So many books for kids are crashing bores for an adult reader. This one definitely isn't!