Rebecca [Paperback]

Alison Greengard (Author), Carol Racklin-Siegel (Illustrator)

Book Description

Publication Date: December 1, 2003

Rebecca, destined to become the matriarch of two mighty nations, is remembered for her generosity and compassion, as well as her beauty. We are introduced to the young Rebecca who journeys to an unknown land to meet with her betrothed, Isaac.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"Racklin-Siegel's imaginative illustrations enhance the fascinating narratives. If you've never been able to to envision Creation... you will now." --Intermountain Jewish News, December 2002

"It is recommended for all libraries with children's collections. Both Jewish and general collections should welcome it." --Association of Jewish Libraries Newsletter, September/October 2003 Volume XXIII, No. 1

Product Details

• Paperback: 32 pages
• Publisher: Eks (December 1, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0939144395
• ISBN-13: 978-0939144396
• Product Dimensions: 8.8 x 8.3 x 0.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,199,239 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great book, January 4, 2007

By 

Alias Reader - See all my reviews

This review is from: Rebecca (Paperback)

This book is really good. It was useful and very beautiful
like the others in the series.

2 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Underwhelming translation, flawed by omission, September 1, 2010

By 

Jennifer M. Macleod "yiddishe supermama" (Canada) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Rebecca (Paperback)

I did have high hopes for this series: literal texts from the chumash, decent translations and compelling artwork. I bought two for my 5-year-old daughter: Lech Lecha (the story of Avraham and Sarah) and Rebecca (the story of Rivka).

I'm pleased with the quality of the books themselves, which are printed in full colour, on thick, shiny paper. And my daughter seems to like them (her middle name is Rivka - that's why I chose this one).

However, perhaps it's the stark nature of the Biblical text, or perhaps there's something else lacking: what is actually a fascinating narrative in this case just feels cold.

I will say up front that art is a matter of personal taste, and some people might love these books for Racklin-Siegel's distinctive style. But I've found I just don't like it. I find it artificial and in a few cases, just weird, as folks' eyes look like they're rolling about in the pictures, or, in one case, a winged angel of an unsettlingly "goyish" appearance flutters across the page at random.

There's also the annoying omission of a crucial step in this story: Avraham sends Eliezer to find a wife, then Eliezer devises a test: "if a girl comes and offers water to both me and my camels, I will know she is the one." Then, Rivka (Rebecca) comes out and fulfills this test to the letter.

Greengard's book omits this one important passage, so that Rivka's offer of water isn't the culmination of the story, but rather just another plot event. Eliezer does refer to his test later on, but it's not mentioned up-front, where it could add much-needed depth to the plot.

While I understand the importance of editing for brevity and plot, in the case of the Rebecca narrative, this omission plus a few others actually diminish the story's significance (finding a suitable wife & mother for the next generation) and, more importantly, the sense that the hand of God is guiding the narrative itself.

I guess conveying that is asking a lot (I suspect that's what the fluttering angel is meant to convey, but she just doesn't cut it for me), and it is possible to supplement this book with other stories, midrashim, etc., which I plan to do. But I was hoping something slightly grander would come through with these books - something that has, perhaps, been lost in translation.