Shabbat [Hardcover]

Miriam Nerlove (Author, Illustrator)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 1998 | Age Level: 4 and up | Grade Level: P and up

A simple and lovely story about Shabbat--the Jewish sabbath--that young children are sure to enjoy again and again. Full color.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

In this upbeat picture book, Nerlove (Purim) invites young readers to a Jewish family's celebration of Shabbat, or the Sabbath. Each Friday, Mom and the children clean the house, set the table and bake the challah bread in preparation for their Sabbath dinner. At the table, Mom lights candles with a Sabbath blessing and Daddy says the Kiddush blessing over the wine. The warm and happy evening gives way to Saturday morning, when the whole family attends services at the synagogue, listening to the cantor and the rabbi. The family later ends the Sabbath with another candle lighting called Havdalah. Nerlove paints these sacred rituals as a joyful part of everyday Jewish life, not reserved for those who are especially religious. Her rhyming text keeps the mood light while also imparting information about Hebrew and Yiddish words and customs. Airy, pale-toned watercolors clearly depict a close-knit clan celebrating its faith. Jewish children familiar with these practices will take pride in seeing them in print, while those unfamiliar may be encouraged to start a new family tradition; and non-Jews will enjoy discovering elements of another religion. Ages 3-6.
Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From School Library Journal

PreSchool-Grade 2-As she did in Purim (1992), Passover (1989), and Hanukkah (1989, all Whitman), Nerlove follows a Jewish family as they observe a holiday. Starting with an explanation of why Shabbat is celebrated, readers see the family prepare on Friday, and then begin the observance at sundown with prayers and blessings before the evening meal, go to the synagogue and rest on Saturday, and end with the Havdalah ceremony. The mixed seating in the synagogue, along with the religious garb of the men, mark this as a traditional Conservative Jewish family. A page of endnotes explains the words and customs that are not defined in the text. Unfortunately, the text is awkward-sometimes it has a singsong rhyme and sometimes it does not scan at all. The watercolor illustrations do little to enhance the narrative. The blue eyes of the children often seem vacant and zombielike. A marginal addition for libraries with large Jewish collections.
Yapha Nussbaum Mason, Brentwood Lower School, Los Angeles
Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc.

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Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 4 and up
  
• Hardcover: 24 pages
• Publisher: Albert Whitman & Company (September 1998)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0807573248
• ISBN-13: 978-0807573242
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 8.1 x 0.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 9.6 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,527,320 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars For children and adults, June 20, 2008

By 

Linda B. Nelson "daily reader" (North Carolina, USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Shabbat (Paperback)

This is a beautfully presented teaching tool for children to draw closer to the joy of sabbath worship as celebrated by Jewish families. Protestant adults who are unfamiliar with the topic have also found

this book an open door!

5.0 out of 5 stars Great for kids and new Sabbath keepers, July 16, 2007

By 

Robin Lee-Williams (Chicago, IL USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Shabbat (Paperback)

I like the book and my children like it. It helped me introduce the Sabbath to them as we are new Sabbath keepers.