Customer Reviews

Rivkas First Thanksgiving

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The recent political atmosphere makes this book even more profoundly important. Children see the need and are starving to understand each other's cultures. I read it to my 11-yr and 13-yr. Puerto Rican - American born niece & nephew a couple of days before Thanksgiving, wondering if they'd be too old & too sophisticated to enjoy it, (they are Harry Potter fans.) This book both empowered them and satisfied their need to more fully understand how children from a different culture (Jewish) relate to "Thanksgiving." It 's apparent that we've gotton away from the roots of this American holiday and that "Thanksgiving" had never clicked in their heads. It helped them to understand why people from other countries still come to America today. My "kids" strongly identifed with "Rivka's" courage to stand up for her own point of view . They were thoroughy engaged in the story and loved the illustrations-and so did I. J. Gardner

Rivka's First Thanksgiving explains in moving detail why Jews have special reasons to be thankful for the freedom and safety we have found in the U.S. Parents and teachers should review the Yiddish vocabulary (found in a glossary in the back) before reading to children. I recommend this book for classroom reading and discussions at home, with an ideal audience of 4th through 6th graders. Younger children will have difficulty with the wordy text and the mentions of disturbing events (like pogroms) from Jewish history. It also depicts some aspects of traditional Jewish life (such as a rebbetzin who covers her hair with a wig and batei-dinin--rabbinic courts) with which many children will be unfamiliar. I have had particular success with this book in discussing with my 6th-grade students (who still get excited by a good picture book) how Thanksgiving is unlike other "American" holidays (like New Year's, Halloween, etc.) and merits Jewish communal celebrations as well as celebrations at home.

In rich and spirited prose, accompanied by warmly rendered illustrations, Rivka's First Thanksgiving captures the texture and cadence of early 20th century Jewish immigrant life in New York City. The story teaches children the importance of old traditions, as well as the necessity for creating new ones. The reader can almost smell the turkey -- and the challah!

Hear an interview with Rivka's First Thanksgiving illustrator Maryann Kovalski on The Book of Life podcast's Thanksgiving Special episode (November 2007) at www.bookoflifepodcast.com!

Kovalski's heroine touches children on both a personal and national level. Rivka endeavors to become American. Her family's quest for freedom is like the Pilgrim's. She helps her family to recognize and celebrate the true spirit of the Thanksgiving Holiday.

Elsa Rael's book fills a truly needed place in American-Jewish children's literature and children's literature on the whole. The story of a clear headed and plunky little girl who mounts up steep wood tenement steps to confront first one austere little rabbi in his book-filled room to a whole roomful of them to explain why Jews should celebrate Christmas is wonderful! The Lower East Side is everyone's heritage, and Ms. Rael and her magical illustrator bring it to life. You see the world of the 1930's through the eyes of a child. Original and heartwarming.