reviews - Jewish Book Council

Monika Schroder
Front Street, 2009. 163 pp. $17.95
ISBN: 978-1-59078-701-4
The Dog in the
Wood
The Dog in the Wood is a fictional story
focusing on the Soviet occupation of
East Germany beginning in 1945. It was
inspired by the life of the author’s father and
by her 1989 visit to the village of his birth.
She reminds us that not all victims of the
German war machine were Jews, and certainly
in the aftermath of the war, many German
children endured great hardship. This book
tells the heartbreaking story of nine-year-old
Fritz, a boy who lives with his mother, sister
and grandparents on a rural German farm.
Fritz’s life is thrown into chaos when the
Soviets arrive. His grandfather is a staunch
Nazi supporter who commits suicide in the
barn when he realizes the Germans have lost
the war. Russian soldiers move into the family’s
home, steal the cows, and eventually dispossess
the family of their farm. The narrative
relays the many disappointments Fritz
endures as he leaves the home and garden he
loves and moves in with relatives. Just when
She reminds us that not all
victims of the German
war machine were Jews.
he thinks life can get no worse, the Soviets
accuse his mother of breaking the law and
they march her away at gunpoint. An
author’s note informs the reader that there
were ten “special camps” run by the Soviets
(some of the same ones used to imprison
Jews) where many innocent Germans suffered
and died. The unrelenting narrative of sad
events may make the book more appropriate
for older teens, as only the rare Russian soldier
shows any kindness to the family. The
reader does come away enlightened about the
aftermath of the war and how difficult it was
for ordinary Germans to simply survive. This
riveting debut novel could serve as an additional
read for those already familiar with
Holocaust themed literature who would like
to learn more about its aftermath. For ages 12
and up. LK
CHILDREN’S REVIEWS
Fox Walked Alone
Barbara Reid
Albert Whitman & Company, 2009. 30 pp. $16.99
ISBN: 978-0-8075-2548-7
Fox wakes one morning feeling that “there
was something in the air.” He notices pairs
of animals marching by in a hurry and joins
the procession without quite knowing why.
After a long journey, including a night when
“tooth and claw and fur and feather...lay
down to sleep together” and a detour to free
a pair of caged doves in an abandoned city,
fox finds a she-fox waiting for him and they
enter Noah’s Ark together. The rhyming text
is serviceable, although there are few awkward
moments as in the forced rhyming of
“thought” and “not” and the sudden shifts
from couplets to monorhyme. The internal
logic is a little shaky as well: it’s odd that all
the other animals, including the female fox,
know what is going on while the fox does not.
Noah’s appearance at the end of the story is a
surprise to the fox, and the significance of the
ark is not explained in the text. Reid has supplied
a springboard from which the religious
content can be supplied by readers who bring
their own background knowledge with them.
This book is best used as a supplement to
more Torah-traditional retellings, rather than
as an introduction to the Noah story. Despite
the weaknesses of the text, Barbara Reid’s signature
plasticine art elevates this book to a
“must have” level. The bright colors, the variations
in texture, the intricate detail, the
changes in perspective, and the touches of
silent humor all make this a book to pore over
again and again. For ages 4–8. HE
Hoppy Hanukkah!
Linda Glaser; Daniel Howarth, illus.
Albert Whitman and Company, 2009. 24 pp. $15.99
ISBN: 978-0-8075-3378-9.
Two small bunnies, Simon and Violet, do
not remember previous Hanukkahs, but
are old enough this year to help their parents
place candles in the menorah. They are excited
to hear about the customs of Hanukkah from
their parents, and enjoy both smelling and
eating grandma’s latkes. Grandpa successfully
teaches them to play dreidel, and also is
depicted wearing a blue kippa while lighting
the hanukkiah. There is enough introductory
information for a young reader with little or
no Jewish background, while the book is also
satisfying for the reader who knows what holiday
customs to expect. This is a holiday story
filled with sweetness and family love, written
for pre-schoolers. Illustrations are charming
and colorful and are totally appropriate to the
juvenile text. For ages 2–5. SF
Simone Elkeles
Flux, 2009. 264 pp. $9.95
ISBN: 978-0738718798
How to Ruin
Your Boyfriend’s
Reputation
i, my name is Amy Barak-Nelson. My
“Hmom is a Nelson and my dad is a
Barak and just in case you were wondering,
I’m aware I have two last names. If you don’t
know me, I’m a seventeen year old American
teenager with red, white, and blue blood running
through my veins. You’re probably wondering
why right now I’m on a bus in Israel
on my way to an Israeli boot camp.”
In Simone Elkeles’ third book of her
“How To” series, How to Ruin Your Boyfriend’s
Reputation, you don’t have to wonder long.
Amy Barak-Nelson—drama queen—holds
nothing back. This Chicago princess has
signed up for one week of Israeli boot camp
in order to see her boyfriend, Avi, who is stationed
there. Accompanied by her friends,
Amy deals with the heat, her hair, the language,
and the unexpected discovery that her
boyfriend has kissed another girl behind her
back. The Israeli boot camp experience provides
challenges for the Americans, but no
real danger. Although the tone of the narrative
is always fun and light-hearted, this book
offers themes that include friendship, loyalty,
forgiveness, as well as pride in Israel. Some
readers might find Amy shallow or superficial,
but all will find her fun loving, and when
it counts, able to pull it together. Chick lit
readers will love this series. The humorous
tone and content is suitable for readers 12
and up. SA
www.jewishbookcouncil.org Spring 5770/2010 Jewish Book World 63