Picture Book Review: Almost a Minyan
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Publisher: Sociosights Press Facebook Twitter
What a sweet story accompanied by gorgeous artwork! Almost A Minyan is as much the tale of a tween’s coming-of-age in her Jewish community as it is a heartwarming tale of love, family, tradition and life coming full circle.
I’m not Jewish and a quick glance at the book told me we would need the included glossary, so that’s where my daughter and I started. The Yiddish and Jewish terms added a richness to the story and shouldn’t stop those not familiar with the terms consider this book. Instead, it provided a look into another religion and culture, and was a great jumping off point for conversation with my daughter.
The story is told in rhyming verse from the perspective of an un-named tween and manages to capture so many emotions: respect, devotion, sadness, joy and pride. The rhythm of the tale would lend well to reading aloud – and for this, I’m a long-standing fan of print editions. This is a book that I would want to hold in my hands and turn the pages slowly as we explore the words and tie them to the images.
And speaking of the images: the illustrations are simply beautiful. Artist Simon provides richly colored pages that capture both the joy and sadness in the tale. The faces are beautifully rendered, the scenes simple but with enough detail to invite you to look more closely.
In a world where we all could use a little more understanding of each other, I would recommend this book for those not of the Jewish faith; for those of the Jewish faith, I think this book is a lovely homage to a huge moment in coming-of-age.
Thank you to Lone Star Book Blog Tours and Sociosights Press for providing me with an electronic advanced reader copy in exchange for my honest opinion.
Lori Sales Kline heralds from Squirrel Hill in Pittsburgh, PA, which hosts a wonderfully rich Jewish community that fueled her love for Jewish tradition, ritual and practice at home and at, “the shul.” Following her undergraduate and graduate work at the University of Texas in Austin, Lori chose to make Austin her home, largely due to the spiritual connection she felt in the close-knit Austin Jewish community. In her spare time, Lori enjoys camping, celebrating Judaism with her husband and son, and friends. She previously authored the children’s picture book, Josiah’s Dreams.
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Susan Simon’s illustrations feature expressive children, humor, sweetness, and imaginative whimsy. She has illustrated seventeen children’s books. Susan lives in the Sonoran Desert of southern Arizona, with the saguaro cactuses, the coyotes, the Catalina mountains, and her husband, D.B., a music theory professor at the University of Arizona.
As a very young child, Susan both learned from and fell in love with the goodness and beauty readable in some children’s book illustrations. Without having words for it, she understood very young the power of a picture to inform deeply. When she’s not trying to give her all to share with children that kind of quality in her own work, she enjoys walking her two beloved rescued mutts – Oatcake and Peach – riding her giant green bicycle, and playing her growly old accordion.
She is a member of the Graphic Artists Guild, and is currently active in the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrator, serving as Co-Illustration Representative for Arizona.
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