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July 13, 2001/Tamuz 22, 5761, Vol. 53, No.40
Young characters bring Depression-era novel to life
BETH OLSON
Staff Writer
"Two Cents and a Milk Bottle" by Lee Chaiàh Batterman, illustrated by James Wattling (Alef Design Group, $15.95 hardcover)
At the heart of every great children's novel is a main character who readers can identify with. In "Two Cents and a Milk Bottle," this character is 12-year-old Leely Dorman, a girl whose determination and good heart make her the type of person any child would want to have as a friend.
Leely lives in Brooklyn, N.Y., in 1937, along with her 15-year-old sister, Evy, 7-year-old brother, Arnie, and her Russian immigrant parents. Due to the poor economy, the Dorman family is forced to frequently move their kosher butcher business. When the Dormans move to Brooklyn, the children are quick to make friends in their new neighborhood.
One of Leely's new friends is a local boy, Philly, who teaches Leely how to ride a bike - on the brand new bicycle he received for his bar mitzvah. During her first lesson, Leely has an accident, which results in a broken taillight on the bike.
Leely is determined to earn the money to replace Philly's taillight. She starts by delivering meat orders for her father and expands to delivering orders for other merchants, babysitting and other odd jobs to earn the money. When Leely is finally near her goal, the money is stolen from her bedroom. Although devastated, she is determined to buy the taillight and continues working - ultimately reaching her goal.
An interesting side story is Leely's desire to become the first bat mitzvah at her local Conservative synagogue.
This book is full of genuine characters and realistic dialogue - especially her parents' use of Yiddish and occasional (and humorous) misuse of English. Leely is an amazing girl who charges into life with diligence, devotion and a desire to succeed, all the while maintaining her sense of compassion for those around her.
There are several ideas addressed in the book that would lead to interesting parent-child discussions, including keeping promises, gender roles, honesty and compassion.
This novel is recommended for ages 8-12.
"Torah: The Growing Gift" by Steven E. Steinbock, illustrated by Timothy Granger Smith (UAHC Press, $8 paperback)
This book is a great introduction to the study of Torah for elementary-aged students. Each chapter contains a Bible story, followed by several activities that help make the stories meaningful to children's lives.
For example, the story of Joseph is followed by an "interview" with Joseph, in which the child answers the questions as Joseph would. Other activities include children interpreting the dreams presented to Joseph, acting as reporters for the "Torah Times" and filling in missing information from a news story.
The book is laid out in a workbook-style format and contains black and white illustrations.
This book is recommended for ages 9-12.
"Lemuel the Fool" by Myron Uhlberg, illustrated by Sonja Lamut (Peachtree Publishers, $15.95 hardcover)
This picture book, based on an old Jewish folktale, tells the story of Lemuel, a fisherman in search of an enchanted city. When Lemuel's boat gets turned around in a storm, he ends up home, all the while thinking he has arrived at his destination. He comes to the conclusion that life is the same wherever one travels and decides to "return" to his family.
This story has a great message about appreciating what you have in life.
This book is recommended for ages 3 and up.
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