description: "In the middle of the night on a Thursday, two crooks—onions should grow in their navels—drove their horse and wagon to the saloon of Reb Elias Olschwanger, at the corner of 14th and Carr streets in St. Louis. This didn't happen yesterday. It was 1919." So begins 
  Shlemiel Crooks
, a modern folktale set in the Yiddish community of the author's great-grandparents. In original and engaging storytelling, 
  Shlemiel Crooks
 introduces young readers to the history of Passover as Pharaoh and a town of Jewish immigrants play tug-of-war with wine made from grapes left over from the Exodus from Egypt. Punctuated by colorful Yiddish expressions, the customs and language of a Jewish community of another time come alive.In a review, Booklist noted: "Shtetl humor and magic realism come to St. Louis in 1919 in this wry Pesach story. The best thing here is Olswanger's Yiddish storyteller's voice, particularly the hilarious curses she weaves into the story. Great for reading aloud."
  Shlemiel Crooks
 is a Sydney Taylor Honor Book in the Young Reader's Category from the Association of Jewish Libraries and a PJ Library Book.
language: English
title: Shlemiel Crooks
titlecomplete: Shlemiel Crooks
genres: Fiction, Picture Books, Inspirational, Humor, Childrens, Historical Fiction
ratings_count: 24
publisher: NewSouth Books