Jewish Alphabet

Publishers Weekly

Each letter of the alphabet is illustrated incorporating Judaic symbols, celebrations, food, clothing and traditions and accompanied by a rhyming couplet and an informative paragraph in The Jewish Alphabet by Janet Clement, illus. by Albert G. Rodriguez. Copyright 2006 Reed Business Information.

Children's Literature - Debbie Levy

Colorful illustrations are the main draw in this alphabet book that presents a different Jewish-related idea, item, event, or person for each letter, from A for animals (boarding Noah's ark) to Z for Zion. Some of the choices seem strange or forced, such as U for unmistakable ("unmistakable candles every Friday night). Each page also contains a rhyming verse about the idea, item, event, or person in question, as well as a brief (prose) explanation, and additional related words that begin with the same letter. The rhyming verses are often awkward. The relevance of the additional words sometimes seems a stretch ("zoom" and "zigzag" on the Z page). The pictures are done in a style that some adults may find too primitive, but that children could find appealing and occasionally humorous.

School Library Journal

PreS-Gr 2-A random assortment of Jewish objects, symbols, and Bible stories represents each letter of the alphabet (A for Ark, B for bagel, etc.), along with rhyming couplets and prose descriptions. Related vocabulary is listed on each page. Illustrations incorporate the letter shapes, but distort the named objects to achieve this. Both text and art are labored and self-conscious. Rhymes are forced, perspectives are skewed, and the word lists add little to the understanding of each concept. The pictures, while colorful and inventive, have the naive quality of a child's art. In fact, the whole package has a homemade feel to it, down to the design. This book provides too little context to educate, and too much dry data to inspire, readers. Malka Drucker's A Jewish Holiday ABC (Harcourt, 1992), while also somewhat random, is at least superior in its straightforward text and attractive cut-paper illustrations.-Heidi Estrin, Feldman Children's Library at Congregation B'nai Israel, Boca Raton, FL Copyright 2006 Reed Business Information.

Kirkus Reviews

The Anglo rather than Hebrew alphabet is used here as a loose tie-in presenting Jewish-related information on holidays, customs, traditions and certain religious practices. While some letter connections seem sensibly Jewish-oriented-"K is for Kiddush, a prayer over wine / thanking God for giving us the fruit of the vine / L is for latkes fried 'til crisp and yummy / Add applesauce or sour cream and fill up your tummy"-others seem stretched and more generic: "A is for animals, boarding Noah's Ark / hurrying on two by two before the sky turns dark / B is for bagels baked golden brown / many varieties, all of them round." In addition to displaying upper- and lower-case letters and extra words for each letter, the author provides explanations for each concept. Mixed-media illustrations incorporate the shape of the letter into the object each represents, and accompany prose and uneven and imperfectly rhymed text. An introductory hodgepodge of information, at best. (Picture book/nonfiction. 5-7)