The Shabbat Box
reS-K-Ira can't wait until it is his turn to bring home his class's "Shabbat Box," but when it finally comes, he loses the box in a snowstorm. Extremely upset, he takes his mother's words to heart when she asks, "How do you think we can solve this?" and he makes a new one to replace the original. Everyone at school loves it, but it turns out that his teacher found the lost box in the snow, so now there are two. The cartoon illustrations are done in a rather cloying greeting-card style and most people have round, red, pursed lips. The concept of Shabbat and the box's importance are never really explained, which limits the book's accessibility to people familiar with the holiday. Ira's dilemma and his solution are positive plot elements, if somewhat predictable, and the simple text, which captures the child's voice and concerns, will be accessible to young listeners. Libraries with a strong need for more picture books with Jewish themes and protagonists may want to consider this basic offering, but most will find it an additional purchase.Amy Lilien-Harper, The Ferguson Library, Stamford, CTCopyright 2001 Cahners Business Information, Inc.