Eliezer Ben-yehuda: 2 (Jewish Biography Series)
Grade 5-9 Fictionalized dialogue and attributed thoughts and feelings detract from this biography of the man who dedicated his life to the revival of the Hebrew language, even though many opposed its colloquial use. In 1881, Eliezer Perelman, who changed his name to Ben-Yehuda, meaning ``son of Judea,'' moved to Jerusalem with his wife, where he began coining new words and started working on a multi-volume Hebrew dictionary. His biography is written in a style that is easy to read, and it touches upon the high points of his life, but the narrative is interrupted by explanations of Jewish life and customs. It is unfortunate that these explanations were not put in a glossary as in Drucker's Celebrating Life: Jewish Rites of Passage (Holiday, 1984). The unattractive olive and yellow cover will not attract children.Lorraine Douglas, Winnipeg Public Library, Manitoba, CanadaCopyright 1987 Reed Business Information, Inc.