Goodnight Sh'ma

A Jewish child gets ready for bed and says the traditional "Sh'ma" prayer in this beautiful board book with rhyming text. Charming illustrations by award-winning Melanie Hall.

Children's Literature

A bedtime ritual is a wonderful thing for any child. This toddler knows exactly what will happen after he/she has a bath and climbs into bed. First there is a story, and then a prayer, in fact, it is part of the prayer that Orthodox Jews traditionally say at the end of the day. The prayer is provided in both Hebrew and English. Saying it helps the child in this story feel connected to his world. Like most toddlers, this one has a special friend, a teddy bear who lends comfort in the night. The illustrations use a soft palette with lots of swirls and a night sky that is not truly dark even with a full moon shining. While the book probably has a limited audience, for that audience it is ideal. Reviewer: Judy Silverman and Marilyn Courtot

Jacqueline Jules is the author of many Kar-Ben books including The Ziz and the Hanukkah Miracle, Noah and the Ziz, The Hardest Word, Once Upon a Shabbos, Clap and Count, and the Bible series Abraham's Search for God and Sarah Laughs, of which this title is the third. Her award-winning poetry and prose has appeared in magazines including Cricket, Cicada, and Highlights for Children. She lives in Arlington, VA.

Melanie Hall grew up in Manchester-By-the-Sea, Massachusetts. She attended the Rhode Island School of Design and Pratt Institute, receiving her B.F.A. from Pratt Institute. Ms. Hall went on to earn her M.A. at Marywood University in Scranton, Pennsylvania, where she studied children's book illustration. She is the illustrator of over twenty-five children's books.