Cakes and Miracles

PreS-Gr 3—"Hershel was the only blind boy in his village. But his blindness did not keep him from going to school, or shaking pears from the neighbor's trees, or catching frogs in the river." And, he is still able to help his mother by fetching, carrying, and cleaning. He wishes he could help her more, especially when she bakes three-corned cakes, called hamantashen to sell in the marketplace at Purim time. When an angel appears in his dream and encourages him to make what he sees when he closes his eyes, Hershel sneaks into the kitchen and forms his mother's cookie dough into beautiful shapes. His mother's hamantashen and his special cookies sell out quickly and Hershel earns the praise of the town baker. Edited significantly from the 1991 edition, the new text is more accessible to a younger audience and works better as a read-aloud. Rich, full-spread illustrations in collage and acrylic paint warmly depict the Eastern European shtetl setting with expression and dimension. Fans of the original will be thrilled to see this title back in print; the shortened text and new art will introduce this wonderful holiday story of courage and imagination to a new generation of readers.—Rachel Kamin, North Suburban Synagogue Beth El, Highland Park, IL