By
– February 13, 2012
What a lovely, pensive, ethical book for children. Through the love of a gentle grandfather and a tot (boy), primary readers learn about the golden rule in a multi-cultural way. The two characters are out walking when they see the golden rule, in both its do and do not form, on various signs. The child asks and the adult explains in warm, comprehensible language that this is a rule that promotes civility and morality between people and nations. He explains it is golden because it is so valuable a way of living that your life shines. He encourages the boy to use his imagination to understand; the boy empathetically puts himself in various age appropriate situations, showing concretely that he (and the reader) gets it. The grandfather explains that many religions promote this rule with Judaism being second after Christianity (ouch, the Jewish bible came first and double ouch, the art gives Christianity a half page color spread while Judaism is reduced to two small square sketches of symbols). The child understands this rule is simple, but not easy, to carry out and that it starts with each person. The lesson is delivered without didacticism and with smashingly gorgeous art; the layout is sophisticated and the muted colors mix grey and white drawings with the active color spreads. This stunning book is not Jewish, but it contains a Jewish teaching that is quite valuable. Ages 5 – 8.
Ellen G. Cole, a retired librarian of the Levine Library of Temple Isaiah in Los Angeles, is a past judge of the Sydney Taylor Book Awards and a past chairperson of that committee. She is a co-author of the AJL guide, Excellence in Jewish Children’s Literature. Ellen is the recipient of two major awards for contribution to Judaic Librarianship, the Fanny Goldstein Merit Award from the Association of Jewish Libraries and the Dorothy Schroeder Award from the Association of Jewish Libraries of Southern California. She is on the board of AJLSC.
