The Diamond Tree: Jewish Tales from Around the World

Howard Schwartz has edited three collections of Jewish folklore: Elijah’s Violin & Other Jewish Fairy Tales, Miriam’s Tambourine: Jewish Folktales from Around the World, and Lilith’s Cave: Jewish Tales of the Supernatural. Mr. Schwartz lives in St. Louis, MO.

Barbara Rush has edited Jews of Kurdistan and Seventy and One Tales for the Jewish Year: Folktales for the Festivals. She lives on Long Island, NY.

Uri Shulevitz has illustrated The Fool of the World & the Flying Ship: A Russian Tale, retold by Arthur Ransome, for which he received the 1969 Caldecott Medal. He lives in New York, NY.

Grade 3-5-- Drawing together the threads of Jewish folk literature from places as distant as Yemen and Eastern Europe, Morocco and Germany, and ranging over 15 centuries, Schwartz and Rush weave a rich tapestry that shows the diversity of Jewish culture. In this collection of 15 stories, Elijah and King Solomon rub shoulders with witches, goblins, and the fools of the town of Chelm. This is often a benevolent universe where gentle justice reigns. Young Chusham, for example, is loved in spite of his foolishness. The story of Og, the giant who takes refuge on the ark during the great flood, illustrates the value of cooperation and repaying kindness while demonstrating the rewards of honesty. Other stories show similarities to those from other traditions. A particularly moving tale tells of how a little bird persuades King Solomon of the cruelty and stupidity of building a palace of birds' beaks. In all, the language is simple and vivid, and the narrative moves along at a good pace. The generous amount of white space makes the book accessible to younger readers. Ten tales are accompanied by Shulevitz's bright, dramatic watercolor paintings. Storytellers of varying degrees of experience and ability will find this a particularly valuable resource. An excellent collection for reading aloud or alone, with selections that are not readily available in other sources. --Susan Giffard, Englewood Public Library, NJ
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