Customer Reviews

Too Young for Yiddish

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When one picks up this book, a momentary confusion sets in. The reader shifts the book in her hand, wondering whether she is seeing a mistake, for the book appears to be made backwards! What is usually the front bears no title, picture or author's name. In their place are a scan code and the words "Like a Yiddish book, this book begins on the other side." Accompanying this sentence are two short book comments by authors Jane Yolen and Maurice Sendak. Well, this reviewer thought, if Yolen and Sendak like the book, it must be a winner!

And a winner it is, beautifully written and telling a warm story of the relationship of Aaron, a young Jewish boy, and his zayde (Yiddish for "grandfather"). Zayde and his many books come to live with Aaron's family after his wife dies. All the books are in Yiddish, which Aaron would love to learn in order to read them, but Zayde says Aaron is too young.

Many years later Zayde throws away his library of books because his eyesight fails him, and he thinks "in America the soup has lost its flavor. Everyone mixes too well; no one remembers anymore where they came from." Aaron rescues the books, and convinces Zayde to teach him Yiddish. Their already loving relationship strengthens as together they share Zayde's life story and the traditions of the Yiddish language and way of life.

Neil Waldman's pen and watercolor illustrations are beautifully touching and evoke a nostalgic feeling. The sepia tones of the warm palette tie scenes of the past to those of the present and future. Yiddish words in the background also serve to give the reader an idea of what the language looks like.

In the text, Yiddish words are used liberally and appear in italics. A glossary at the end (front) of the book further explains what the words mean. Another section gives more information about the Yiddish language, and an afterward adds even more. Information about the National Yiddish Book Center in Amherst, MA which houses Yiddish books numbering over a million was started by Aaron Lansky who noticed the number of Jewish people discarding their books written in Yiddish.

There was no distraction in reading a book back to front for this reviewer. In fact, it was difficult not to take notes in the same manner! This reviewer found the story touching and enlightening in a way altogether different than other books about aspects of Jewish life. This is an exceptionally unique look at the importance of the Yiddish language and its connection to the Jewish culture.