Estie the Mensch

September 19, 2011
Estie would rather be a turtle, dog, tiger, or seagull than a person. "People hogged the best toys at school. People pushed on the train. People wore smelly perfume and asked her questions she didn't know the answer to." But when she crawls under the table and sniffs her family's feet, puts shells in her mouth at the beach, and monkeys around at the market, her mother, father, and grandmother use a Yiddish expression to urge her to change her behavior: "Be a mensch, Estie" (in other words, be a personâa good person). She finally finds an approving audience in chatty Petie, who thinks that it's hilarious when she imitates the animals at the zoo. Kohuth spends most of the book on Estie's animal antics, firmly establishing her heroine's contrarian streak, which makes Estie's last-minute demonstration of mensch-worthy generosity feel like something of an afterthought. But Litzinger's chalky illustrations have a tender, earnest quality, and Estie's red hair and green eyes give her animal impersonations pep in an offbeat story of gentle misbehavior, budding friendship, and close-knit family dynamics. Ages 3â8.

December 1, 2011

PreS-K-"Oy, Estie. Be a mensch" is a phrase all too often repeated by her parents and grandmother when the young girl pulls her coat over her head to hide like a turtle, crawls under the dinner table to hang out with her dog, and pretends to be a seagull, a monkey, a fly, and a tiger during various family gatherings and outings. While the literal translation of the Yiddish word "mensch" is "person," it is understood to mean a good person-a person of integrity who acts with compassion and kindness. When Estie's grandmother takes her to the zoo with her friend and her friend's grandson, Petie enjoys Estie's animal antics. But when his ice cream falls on the ground, Estie shares hers, finally winning the praise of her grandmother as a "real mensch." In the end, Estie realizes that it's not so hard to be a mensch, but she wishes she could be a mensch and a moose. There is a disconnect between the grown-ups' desire for Estie to act, literally, like a person and the conclusion of the story where Estie proves that she can be a real mensch and still use her imagination and creativity. Readers can only hope that the adults came to understand this as well. The illustrations are cheerful, animated, and expressive but some modern Jewish grandmothers might be dismayed by the depiction of elderly gray-haired, bun-wearing bubbies with dowdy clothes and sensible shoes. The pleasant illustrations and Yiddish gimmick can't make up for the slight story line and poorly executed message.-Rachel Kamin, North Suburban Synagogue Beth El, Highland Park, IL

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