Joyful Song: A Naming Story

PreS-Gr 3–In a book whose pages sing with rainbow smudges, swirls of watercolor, and crowds of ebullient folk on their way to a Jewish naming ceremony, readers meet narrator Zachary’s family. He has a newborn baby sister, two moms with different shades of brown skin, and they are leaving their cozy digs to stroll over to the synagogue. Neighbors playfully pry for the baby’s name: Miss Fukumi, watering her roses, side-eyes Zachary, and he almost answers. “Little Babka,” his mother supplies for him. As other neighbors in this multicultural community join this momentous walk, more names are put forth, each one unique: Shayneh, Maideleh, Snuggle Bunny. All of them agree on one fact: that babies are precious. At the synagogue, the name is revealed; there are mazel tovs to go around as well as an adios or two as the neighbors return to their homes and family. Gal’s art leads with joy, too, for every spread shows a different aspect of a community, from parks and green spaces to apartment buildings of a small scale. Everyone is overflowing with good will and happiness. This should be a story-hour favorite, but more, it sets a standard for inclusivity that highlights the invisible ties that bind people to one another.