Customer Reviews

The Little, Little House

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Once when my granddaughter was visiting we went to the library to pick out books to read. This was one we took home and she was delighted by it and wanted to keep it and take it home with her. (Obviously she didn't quite understand the concept of what a library is all about.) So I bought her her very own copy. It's a charming retelling of a Jewish folk tale that can be enjoyed by any ethnic group. Just looking at the pictures is great fun. And the story itself teaches you to be satisfied with what you have.

This delightful retelling of the familiar Eastern European Jewish folktale features a poor man named Joseph who lives in a crowded house with his wife and children. When the house becomes "so jammed and crammed, so squashed and squeezed" he asks his wise, old Aunty Bella for advice. She instructs him to bring into the house his chickens, rooster, cow, and goat in turn. Then, only after the animals go back outside do Joseph and his family realize how peaceful, quiet, clean, and not so little their house is after all. The text reads wonderfully aloud with varying font sizes, styles, and page placements adding to the excitement on each page. While traditional retellings feature a rabbi, the Jewish flavor of Souhami's version is preserved through her colorful, vibrant, and bold illustrations featuring Jewish symbols like candlesticks and kiddish cups. The final page features the family sitting down to a lovely Shabbat meal complete with challah, candles, and wine. And, children will enjoy finding the humor in the illustrations: the chickens wreaking havoc by untying Joseph's shoes under the table, playing cards, reading books, and drinking from the wine glasses!