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One of the main characters in this book is a fluffy white cat with blue eyes. She wanders the streets of Jerusalem. By becoming engaged in the stray cat’s journey, the reader learns about the four unique sections of the Old City. The title page includes a simple map that points out the Armenian, Christian, Jewish, and Muslim Quarters.
The neutral cat befriends a Muslim and a Jewish child. Both boys become emotionally attached to the cat. Each feeds it whenever it comes to his respective neighborhood. Toward the end of the story, the wandering cat brings the boys together. They learn that the cat has a litter of kittens. As rare flakes of snow fall on Jerusalem, the boys cooperate. The kittens will be evenly divided. The white cat will split her time between the Jewish and Muslim Quarters of the Old City.
Watercolor illustrations by Cornelius Van Wright and Ying-Hwa Hu provide a glimpse of the four sections. The artists used Uri Yaffe’s photographs to create their muted illustrations. While the pictures are intentionally subdued, readers should be able to recognize symbols, outfits, and structures associated with each group.
The illustrations and the text provide a starting point for discussing the multicultural aspects of the Old City. Modern pictures from the Four Quarters can be used to reinforce some of the obvious differences between the ethnic groups. Learning to acknowledge and accept cultural diversity is the key to the boys’ friendship. Compromise became a possibility when the boys were able to work toward a common goal. A neutral party (the cat) was able to bridge the geographic and cultural gap. Snow in Jerusalem has multicultural messages that should be shared with children.
The book also includes a glossary of Hebrew and Arabic words and an author’s note. Since I am not an authority on life in the Old City, I do not know whether everything stated in the author’s note is still true 13 years later. Even if day-to-day life in the Old City has changed, this delightful multicultural picture book should continue to be read aloud to children.
Take a look at these impressive honors and awards
A Junior Library Guild Selection
A University of Wisconsin’s Cooperative Children’s Book Center Choice for 2002
An Association of Jewish Libraries Notable Children’s Book of Jewish Content for 2001
A Children’s Literature Choice List of Books for 2002
A Jewish Theological Seminary Notable Book for Younger Readers
Harold Grinspoon Foundation PJ Library Selection
- Age Range: 4 - 8 years
- Grade Level: 1 - 5
- Series: Albert Whitman Prairie Books (Paperback)
- Paperback: 32 pages
- Publisher: Albert Whitman & Company; 1 edition (March 1, 2008)
- Language: English
- ISBN-10: 0807575259
- ISBN-13: 978-0807575253
- Product Dimensions: 8 x 0.3 x 10 inches
- Shipping Weight: 4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
- Customer Reviews: 7 customer reviews
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Amazon Best Sellers Rank:
#705,229 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #222 in Children's Middle East Books
- #96 in Children's Muslim Fiction
- #285 in Children's Jewish Fiction Books
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