Customer Reviews

Goodnight Sh'ma (Very First Board Books)

5 star:		(10)
4 star:		(0)
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REVIEWED BY: Gayle Jacobson-Huset, Managing Editor

These First Board Books are a great tool to acquaint your child with the Jewish faith. One of my favorite authors, Jacqueline Jules, wrote Goodnight SH'MA in perfect rhyming text. It's a flowing and gentle read-aloud for little ones.

A child gets ready for bed. He brings his teddy bear and book, and Mom reads to him. Then it's time to say the SH'MA prayer. The author provides the words of the prayer in both Hebrew and English. Melanie Hall's illustrations are dreamlike, soft, and if an illustration could be "huggable", then these fit that bill. I give this book a high five for the perfect rhyming text, awesome illustrations, and the overall quality of this Kar-Ben book. This is a real keeper!

Simple, poetic, and effective Goodnight Sh'ma is a perfect bedtime companion. The board book format is perfect for little hands, and certain to become a bedtime classic that will give comfort to young ones at bedtime. Parents and children will love the soft, ethereal illustrations that accompany the lovely prayer. The sparse text is best for younger children, but it is likely to create a soothing ritual that can last a lifetime. An older sibling could easily read Goodnight Sh'ma to a little brother or sister. This is a book that will fill a desired niche for many Jewish families. Reviewed by Barbara Bietz

My three year old memorized the Sh'ma after just a few nights reading this, it's a great way to introduce a little night time prayer into your toddler's routine. Sweet, dreamy illustrations too.

Short, sweet, rhythmic and beautiful. It's a fast and enjoyable way to make a bedtime ritual a little more meaningful by introducing a short version of the Shema at bedtime. I've been reading this to my little one for over 6 months now and she sways gently when we get to the last page, anxiosly awaiting my singing of the Shema! While some baby books become boring (and annoying) over time, this one seems to be a timeless classic. As she gets older, the mystical images seem to come alive for her. I highly recommend this as a gift for any Jewish baby.

Wonderful purchase for my 20-month-old son with no attention span. It is a great way to introduce saying the Shema before going to sleep. He now anticipates reading the book before bed:-)

My 18 month old daughter loves this book. To her, it has beautiful pictures and she has fun looking at the animals on every page, and hearing mommy sing the sh'ma at the end. For me, it makes me feel good every time I read it to know that I'm passing along such a beautiful prayer to my daughter, that I'm doing something, no matter how small, to instill a love of Judaism in her.

This is a wonderful book for every Jewish child. It can be bought for babies, since it is a board book, but would also be a nice present for preschool-age child. The pictures in it are gorgeous and the words are very sweet. As the book progresses, it builds up to the first refrain in the Sh'ma. It is a peaceful book and a wonderful way to end the evening.

My two and a half year old loves this book. He really knows it's bedtime when I get it out, and he snuggles in when I read it to him. The beautiful imagery and rhyming words, combined with the most famous words in Judaism that he's known since he was born, captivate him and help make Judaism a viable part of his everyday life. I love this book, and recently purchased more of the books in the series, with high hopes due to the precedent set by this charming book.

My three year old nephew Adam learned how to say the Sh'ma, and learned how important the Sh'ma is by reading GOODNIGHT SH'MA, which he got as a Chanukah present from his uncle. The simple, straightforward language and gentle, colorful pictures allowed him to understand the Sh'ma and its meaning after just two readings. Now he says the Sh'ma every night before he goes to sleep. Good boy!

We've read this book every night before bed for 4 months and my son loves it. He recites the whole thing with me now, and it's a lovely part of our bedtime routine.