Highlights an intriguing aspect of Jewish American history through a child’s eyes.
A Jewish girl living on New York City’s Lower East Side reels in the wake of Abraham Lincoln’s assassination.
When Rebecca’s father left to fight in the Civil War, he said, “We Jews, who were once slaves in Egypt, we, especially, should never let a human being be held in slavery.” Though he lost a hand, he’s still firmly supportive of Lincoln but realizes that some people are nursing feelings of anger. “Anger from those who still believe that they ought to own their fellow humans. And anger from those who were left so long in slavery.” On Friday night, April 14, 1865, while Lincoln attends a play at Ford’s Theatre, Rebecca’s family observes the Sabbath. Rebecca has a strange feeling as she watches the candles flicker. The next morning, she and her family go to Temple Emanu-El. Suddenly, the rabbi arrives and says something to the cantor, who begins to sing the prayer for the dead, the Kaddish. The rabbi announces that Lincoln is dead, and the whole congregation begins to recite the prayer. This tale is rooted in historical events; as reported by the New York Times, those at Temple Emanu-El did indeed say the Kaddish. The choice to frame the events as a work of fiction narrated by a young girl directly touched by the war provides emotional resonance to the straightforward text. Rebecca’s family presents white in realistic, though static, illustrations.
Highlights an intriguing aspect of Jewish American history through a child’s eyes. (author’s note, archival photographs, information on the Kaddish, English translation of the Kaddish) (Picture book. 7-9)Pub Date: Sept. 10, 2024
ISBN: 9798765602997
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Kar-Ben
Review Posted Online: May 31, 2024
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 1, 2024
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
An outstanding contribution to the recent spate of reminders that women too helped send men to the moon.
Who would have guessed from standard-issue histories of the space race that the spacesuits worn on the moon were largely the work of women employed by the manufacturer of Playtex bras and lines of baby wear?
Here, in a profile that laudably focuses on her subject’s unusual skills, dedicated work ethic, and uncommon attention to detail rather than her gender or family life, Donald takes Eleanor “Ellie” Foraker from childhood fascination with needle and thread to work at ILC Dover, then on to the team that created the safe, flexible A7L spacesuit—beating out firms of military designers and engineers to win a NASA competition. Though the author clearly attempts to steer clear of sexist language, she still leaves Foraker and her co-workers dubbed “seamstresses” throughout and “engineer” rather unfairly (all so designated presenting male here) defined in the glossary as “someone who designs and makes things.” Still, her descriptions of the suit’s concepts and construction are clear and specific enough to give readers a real appreciation for the technical challenges that were faced and solved. Landy gives the figures in her cleanly drawn illustrations individual features along with period hair and clothing, varying skin tones so that though most are white, at least two are women of color.
An outstanding contribution to the recent spate of reminders that women too helped send men to the moon. (Informational picture book. 7-9)Pub Date: June 18, 2019
ISBN: 978-1-84886-415-3
Page Count: 36
Publisher: Maverick Publishing
Review Posted Online: April 27, 2019
Kirkus Reviews Issue: May 15, 2019
A candid introduction to a little-known figure in Jewish American history.
The successful business life and subsequent philanthropy of one of early America’s wealthiest and most pious Jews are recounted in a picture-book biography.
Raised by his uncle, Isaac Hays, a founder of Boston’s first bank, Judah learned much about shipping, real estate, and trade before setting off on his own at the dawn of the 19th century. A quiet, private man, Judah made his fortune in New Orleans trading New England products. After being wounded during the War of 1812, Judah began to concentrate on putting his wealth toward charitable causes. Simply drawn illustrations in muted brown, gray, and blue hues have both a childlike feel and the look of crayons or colored pencil in combination with watercolor; this results in a humble view not often seen in representations of New Orleans and appropriately reflects the story’s themes. The easy-flowing narrative tells how this son of a rabbi in a Sephardic immigrant family adhered to the Jewish tradition of giving inconspicuously, to causes both local and all over the world, hoping to avoid recognition for his good deeds. Some of these were paying for the freedom of enslaved African Americans, a few of whom are included in one illustration alongside the pale-skinned Judah. The author’s notes provide some added information about the benefactor’s family and his legacy.
A candid introduction to a little-known figure in Jewish American history. (Picture book/biography. 7-9)Pub Date: April 7, 2020
ISBN: 978-1-5415-4561-8
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Kar-Ben
Review Posted Online: Dec. 17, 2019
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 15, 2020
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
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