Customer Reviews

It's Purim Time!

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As with the others in Kropf's holiday series, this book is an excellent example of developmentally appropriate early childhood education. The activities depicted are fun and age-appropriate and the children appear genuinely engaged. We see plenty of individual and group hands-on activities. We see activities that children naturally connect with, such as dressing up and eating treats.

An added benefit is that we see values being transmitted: in several pictures children give shalach manot baskets, and the class makes groggers from recycled materials. Thus we see both generosity and care for the earth being modeled. A sensitive endnote explains the source of the Hebraicized Yiddish term shalach manot.

The children represent varying levels of Jewish observance. Some wear tzitzit and kippot. Others have a mainstream appearance. A group shot of costumed children depicts traditional Purim costumes as well as a few others such as ballerina, horse-rider, etc.

A brief endnote about Purim is included but the book is very much intended for children already familiar with the holiday. This is a must for all Jewish early childhood settings.

This book was named a 2006 Notable Children's Book of Jewish Content by the Association of Jewish Libraries. To hear an interview with the author, tune in to the March 2006 episode of the podcast The Book of Life at www.jewishbooks.blogspot.com.