Ella's Trip to Israel

June 1, 2011

PreS-K-A young girl travels to Israel with her parents and shares her experiences with her stuffed monkey, Koofi. Together they enjoy mango juice on the plane ride, place a message in the Western Wall in Jerusalem, visit Tel Aviv, taste falafel, swim in the Dead Sea, and milk a cow on a kibbutz. Each time Koofi gets torn, dirty, or spilled on, the Hebrew phrase Eyn ba'aya, meaning "no problem," is repeated in a larger, pink font. The cartoonlike, gouache illustrations of smiling characters with enlarged oval heads are idyllic and cheerful but don't capture the sights, sounds, and unique essence of the country. Unfortunately, the bland text also fails to give readers any sense of Israel's location in the world; the people who live there; the languages spoken; or the country's customs, religions, rich history, or cultural diversity. Sylvia A. Rouss's Sammy Spider's First Trip to Israel (Lerner/Kar-Ben, 2002) and Charlotte Herman's First Rain (Albert Whitman, 2010) provide more substantial and authentic introductions for young children.-Rachel Kamin, North Suburban Synagogue Beth El, Highland Park, IL

Copyright 2011 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

May 1, 2011
Preschool-K Preschooler Ella and her parents travel to Israel accompanied by her stuffed monkey, Koofi, who endures much abuse along the way. Mango juice spills onto his face, a young boy accidentally rips his tail, lunchtime tahini drips on his fur, Ella covers him with Dead Sea mud, and milk from a kibbutz cow sprays into his eyes. As each disaster occurs, Ella is told, Eyn baaya. No problem, and an adult does his or her best to remedy the situation. Back home, Mom wryly notes that Koofis fur is like a photo album, with each spot recalling a portion of their trip, but Ella still loves Koofi just the way he is. Newmans simple story (with its frequent Eyn baaya refrain) will appeal to young listeners, and Gutierrezs pastel, cartoon-style illustrations are well suited to the laid-back, yet upbeat, story. Although the books audience may be somewhat limited (preschoolers traveling to Israel), Newman does a good job pointing out travel highlights (the Wailing Wall, the Dead Sea, a kibbutz) infused with cultural details and simple Hebrew.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2011, American Library Association.)