The Diamond Tree: Jewish Tales from Around the World (Hardcover)

by Howard Schwartz (Author), Barbara Rush (Author), Uri Shulevitz (Illustrator)

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly
One of the pleasures of reading folk and fairy tales attributed to specific cultures lies in finding the traits they share with stories from other peoples or places; another is coming upon the element that makes the story indigenous to that particular culture. The 15 brief tales collected here contain both delights: witness the story of Katanya, an obvious variant of "Thumbelina," who is a gift from the prophet Elijah to a lonely old peasant woman; and Og, a giant who is rewarded for helping Noah with a berth on top of the ark and is given food, drink and a raincoat by the grateful animals themselves. The editors do a splendid job of incorporating introductions of unfamiliar characters or ideas smoothly into the text--these tellings roll trippingly off the tongue. Shulevitz's ( Dawn ; The Treasure ) illustrations, with their characteristic jewel-like tones, are a perfect match; it seems unfortunate that there are only 10. Ages 7-10.
Copyright 1991 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From School Library Journal
Grade 3-5-- Drawing together the threads of Jewish folk literature from places as distant as Yemen and Eastern Europe, Morocco and Germany, and ranging over 15 centuries, Schwartz and Rush weave a rich tapestry that shows the diversity of Jewish culture. In this collection of 15 stories, Elijah and King Solomon rub shoulders with witches, goblins, and the fools of the town of Chelm. This is often a benevolent universe where gentle justice reigns. Young Chusham, for example, is loved in spite of his foolishness. The story of Og, the giant who takes refuge on the ark during the great flood, illustrates the value of cooperation and repaying kindness while demonstrating the rewards of honesty. Other stories show similarities to those from other traditions. A particularly moving tale tells of how a little bird persuades King Solomon of the cruelty and stupidity of building a palace of birds' beaks. In all, the language is simple and vivid, and the narrative moves along at a good pace. The generous amount of white space makes the book accessible to younger readers. Ten tales are accompanied by Shulevitz's bright, dramatic watercolor paintings. Storytellers of varying degrees of experience and ability will find this a particularly valuable resource. An excellent collection for reading aloud or alone, with selections that are not readily available in other sources. --Susan Giffard, Englewood Public Library, NJ
Copyright 1992 Reed Business Information, Inc.

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Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 9-12
  
• Hardcover: 120 pages
• Publisher: Harpercollins Childrens Books; 1St Edition edition (August 1991)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0060252391
• ISBN-13: 978-0060252397
• Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 7.5 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #1,179,724 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars best childhood book, August 4, 2003

By A Customer

I'm 17 now, but every once and a while, I go back to this book and read it again. I've been reading it since I was little, and I love it. The stories in it are so well written, perfectly geared for children, but then okay if I want to look back and reflect on the more serious side of them. I highly recommend this book: I dont think its cheesy or silly. Its like the Aesop's fables for jews, and I think it will last a long long time.

2 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars More Jewish Folk Tales, April 5, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: The Diamond Tree: Jewish Tales from Around the World (Paperback)

Like all of Howard Schwartz's books that I know, this is a collection of fairy tales with a Jewish or biblical theme. The stories in this collection are fun to read, geared for kids 9-12, but appropriate for younger ones too. One of the things I liked about these stories was that when reading them to a younger child, I enjoyed them too. So many books for kids are crashing bores for an adult reader. This one definitely isn't!

5.0 out of 5 stars Folk tales told by Jewish people from the Middle East, North Africa and Eastern Europe, April 30, 2007

By	Charles Ashbacher "([e-mail])" (Marion, Iowa United States([e-mail])) - See all my reviews (TOP 50 REVIEWER)

This review is from: The Diamond Tree: Jewish Tales from Around the World (Library Binding)

One of the best ways to realize how much human societies are alike is to read the folklore generated by the many different cultures when they had no contact with each other. There are some fundamental differences due to varying climates, but the similarities dominate the differences. There are poor people made rich by doing good deeds, magical vessels, magic animals and evil witches who enchant people, primarily children.
This book is a collection of stories told by Jewish people throughout the Middle East, North Africa and Eastern Europe. At the end of each story, the geographical point of origin and the time context is given, which gives some perspective, especially on the names of the characters and the local geography. The illustrations are colorful, certain to catch the eye of the interested child.
An excellent selection of folk tales, I strongly recommend that this book be read to children. And when doing so, explain the source of the folk tales. Their plots and messages show us that at some fundamental level, all human cultures are very much alike.