The Mysterious Visitor: Stories of the Prophet Elijah
Grade 1-4.  An attractive and handsomely produced companion title to The Uninvited Guest and Other Jewish Holiday Tales (Scholastic, 1993). Eight stories from German-Jewish traditions, Yiddish folklore, Morocco, and ancient Palestine have as their central character the Biblical prophet, Elijah. Although traditionally associated with the Jewish festival of Passover, Elijah has also taken on the persona of one who helps those in need. "The Dream" is a variation of the tale popularized in Uri Shulevitz's The Treasure (Farrar, 1979), while "Elijah in the Marketplace" has previously been retold by Isaac Bashevis Singer in Elijah the Slave (Farrar, 1970). The stories are told in a gentle voice that is well suited to reading aloud. Although there are morals in each tale concerning the need to live wisely and treat strangers with kindness, the tone is never didactic. Nor are these selections limited to a Jewish audience. All children can recognize familiar motifs found in other folktales such as "The Fisherman and His Wife" and "Snow White and Rose Red." Certainly, the precepts are universal and of universal appeal. The full-page art is colorful and sets each story's mood with an appealing mix of concrete and abstract imagery. Jaffe provides a thoughtful introduction and notes on the origin of each selection.?Susan Pine, New York Public LibraryCopyright 1997 Reed Business Information, Inc.