Rachel's Library [Hardcover]

Richard Ungar (Author)

Book Description

Age Level: 7 and up | Grade Level: 2 and up

The citizens of Chelm have always had a reputation for foolish­ness. How can they convince people otherwise and show outsiders their true wisdom? Surely the answer lies in the great city of Warsaw. They will send a delegation to the capital to find a solution.

Young Rachel is an unexpected addition to the group, but as always, she is the one with the answer. The clue to wisdom lies in books. What Chelm needs is a library. In her own creative fashion, Rachel finds a way to build a village library – different from any library you can imagine.

Rachel Captures the Moon and Rachel’s Gift have introduced the endearing village of Chelm – always quirky and always full of surprises.

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Grade 2-4–Ungar's third story about Rachel, "inspired by" Samuel Tenenbaum's"Chelm's School," finds the clever child traveling to the city of Warsaw with a small delegation of fellow residents who are hoping to find a way to show others that the people of Chelm are wiser than they seem. Rachel's idea to create a library is eagerly accepted, and the townsfolk immediately pool their resources to construct one that, despite its unorthodox design, is both extraordinary and useful to every household. The attractive folk-art illustrations, created with watercolor and thickly applied colored pencil that gives the appearance of oil pastel, are jewel-toned, with heavy use of red, fuchsia, and emerald. They show people in peasant dress, simple cottages, the dirt roads of the shtetl (small 19th-century Eastern European village), and the crowded streets of Warsaw. The humor in this story rooted in Jewish folk literature can be appreciated by children of various backgrounds.–Susan Scheps, Shaker Heights Public Library, OH
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About the Author

Richard Ungar balances the worlds of law and art. A practicing lawyer by profession, he devotes his leisure hours to painting. He has studied painting at The Ontario College of Art and Design. He also took a five month sabbatical to study in France and at the Jerusalem School of Fine Art. His work can be found in corporate and private collections in Ontario and in private collections in New York, British Columbia, and Israel. Richard Ungar lives with his wife and two sons in Toronto. Visit his website at: www.geocities.com/ungart2001/.

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 7 and up
  
• Hardcover: 32 pages
• Publisher: Tundra Books (August 24, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0887766781
• ISBN-13: 978-0887766787
• Product Dimensions: 8.2 x 0.4 x 10.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 14.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,764,086 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3.0 out of 5 stars Rachel's Library, February 7, 2007

By 

Jewish Book World Magazine (New York, NY) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Rachel's Library (Hardcover)

Richard Ungar has written another tale of Chelm with young Rachel (the only one with common sense) as the star villager. In a word, his other books, Rachel Captures the Moon and Rachel's Gift, were better. In this story, which Ungar notes is inspired by the story, "Chelm's School" by Samuel Tenenbaum, the citizens of Chelm decide they no longer want to be known as a village of fools. Rachel and a special delegation travel to Warsaw to observe the sights of the big city and make some determinations as to what kinds of homes, fashions, or foods they should bring back to Chelm. Finally Rachel notices a library and decides that a library is exactly what her village needs. "What better way can there be to show the world that we are wise than by having our very own library in Chelm!, she exclaims. The story takes a while to get going and the usual Chelm gags tend to fall rather flat. Perhaps it is the sharp incongruity of the dazzling-bright illustrations with supposed old-world Shetel charm that fails to draw in the reader completely. However, this would be a fine purchase for those who enjoy collecting Chelm stories.
Reviewed by Lisa Silverman