Customer Reviews

Ghosts and Golems: Jewish Tales of the Supernatural

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This book includes intriguing tales of the supernatural, appealing to adults and older children. The stories resonate with themes of Yiddish folktales and myths and are a wonderful way to introduce children to these folk traditions, updated and Americanized. Some of the stories may be too intense for younger children.

Compiled by Malka Penn and enhanced with illustrations by Theodor Black, Ghosts And Golems: Haunting Tales Of The Supernatural is an impressive collection of ten spine-tingling stories artfully written by contemporary Jewish authors for young readers. The tales comprising this unique anthology include: The Ghost of Leah Levy (Rivka Widerman); Wings (Deborah Spector Siegel); L'Dor V'Dor (Lois Ruby); The Ghost Well (Ann Manheimer); Forgive Me (Jerry Ranik); Mrs. Samson is Upstairs (Susan Stone); The Shadow of the Golem (Malka Penn); Jerusalem Tunnel (Hanna Bandes Geshelin); Hanukkah Light (Janni Lee Simner); and My Grandma's Ghost (Carol Snyder). Ghosts And Golems makes for especially exciting reading to young folks at campfire cookouts or late at night, and is very highly recommended for anyone who would enjoy tales of the supernatural reflecting Jewish traditions and folklore.

.... These stories are spooky, eerie, tales of the weird and wild, peopled by modern kids just like us. Especially note the psychological puzzler, "L'Dor V'Dor," by Lois Ruby, in which an American boy is haunted by the ghost of a German SS guard's son. The gem of the collection is Jerry Raik's story, "Forgive Me," which is haunting and redemptive and wholly satisfying for kids as well as adults. Check out the cover, too. It's very bizarre!