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Friday February 16, 2007

Runaway gefiltes take readers on a wild ride

by liz harris
staff writer

Is it my imagination, or are there more Jewish kids books than ever before? My guess is, self-publishing vehicles and small presses are helping aspiring writers let loose. That’s mostly a good thing, though a note of caution: Sometimes publishing houses turn down submissions for good reason.

Happily, that wasn’t the case with “Five Little Gefiltes,” by Dave Horowitz. From the start, this clever book is a joy.

Beginning to end, from the pictures to the text, it is witty and humorous. When the book opens we meet a round-faced cartoon character sitting at the table, facing a gefilte fish fresh from the jar: “Feh!” he blurts. “That’s disgusting.”

This sets the tone for the zany tale of five little black-hatted gefiltes who split from the jar to explore the sights and the sounds of New York City. The escaped balls crash a deli buffet, take a swim in the bay, even take in a play (the billboard proclaims: “Little Miss Matzah,” rated four stars by the Shmata).

Poor Mama Gefilte wants them home safe. “Oy vey,” she cries.

Rife with old-time references those of a certain East Coast-bred citified generation can especially appreciate, the book is perfect for reading aloud, grandparent to grandchild. Kids should love it, too.

“Two Grandmothers to Love,” by Harriet Goldner, is another matter. The Delray Beach, Fla., grandma initially wrote the story on her computer, for her two grandchildren of an interfaith family. After positive responses from family and friends, Goldner spruced up her work and self-published it, with cute illustrations by Denis Proulx.

Basically, we learn that Isaac and Ellie have two grandmothers. There’s Grammy, who golfs, has a cat named Punim, worships in a synagogue and celebrates holidays like Chanukah and Passover. And there’s Grandma, who plays tennis, has a dog named Muffy, is Christian, and celebrates holidays such as Christmas and Easter. Both love their grandchildren very much.

That’s the gist of the story, which is rather thin. However, “Two Grandmothers To Love” might be useful for parents who think their children need help understanding the concept of interfaith families.

Filling another niche is “Jewish Alphabet,” by Janet Clement. The author, described as a “provider consultant for center-based childcare,” gets an A for effort. Her book recites the English alphabet from a Jewish perspective.

It begins:

“A is for animals, boarding Noah’s Ark, hurrying on two by two before the sky turns dark.

“During a great flood, two of each animal stayed on Noah’s boat, the ark.”

That’s simple enough, but at times Clement herself goes overboard, offering lengthy explanations and historical references that seem beyond the grasp of children learning their ABCs. After a while, it’s hard to tell whether this is an alphabet book for kids or adults. Luckily, Albert Rodriguez’s large, colorful illustrations help bail out the book when the text becomes too heavy.

For parents or teachers seeking a Jewish-themed alphabet book, this fits the bill.

“Five Little Gefiltes” by Dave Horowitz (32 pages, Putnam Juvenile, $12.99).

“Two Grandmothers to Love” by Harriet Goldner (40 pages, www.jewishfamilyfun.com, $13.95).

“Jewish Alphabet” by Janet Clement (32 pages, Pelican Publishing Co., $15.95).

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