Noted children’s author Chris Barash and illustrator Sydney Hanson have given us a warm, beautifully illustrated book which portrays Shabbat as the kind of encompassing experience one wishes to fully inhabit and would be reluctant to leave.
The gentle, greatly treasured rituals, redolent with delicious tastes, savory smells, and happy family memories, engulf the snugly feathered nest of the multigenerational owl family, much as they do some human families.
This is a perfect introduction to Shabbat and its joys, filled with nostalgia, warmth, and caring. The wise owls know to appreciate this special time as will young readers, listeners, and their caregivers. Parental discretion is not necessary — children will respond and want to read and listen to this one again and again.
Award-winning journalist and freelance writer, Helen Weiss Pincus, has taught memoir writing and creative writing throughout the NY Metro area to senior citizens and high school students. Her work has been published in The New York Times, The Record, The Jewish Standard, and other publications. She recently added “Bubby” to her job description.
