It's Shofar Time
The latest entry in Kropf's ongoing series about Jewish holidays once again features color photos that put small children at the heart of things. This time Kropf focuses on Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year, with the title of her book referring to a ram's horn, the sounding of which is one of the most memorable holiday traditions, especially for children. Kropf then eases little ones into more about the celebration, first establishing the time of year when the holiday occurs ("It's fall. Time to celebrate Rosh Hashanah"), then introducing some of the other traditions associated with it--dipping apples in honey; creating cards that sayShanah Tovah--"Have a good year"; and making round challah. Explanations are brief and spot-on for the age group (some little ones will be able to read the text on their own), and the kids in the pictures have a wonderful natural look that speaks to the talent of the photographer. Leslie Kimmelman'sSound the Shofar!(1998) is another title suitable for the very young child.Stephanie ZvirinCopyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved