Rachel the Clever and Other Jewish Folktales

by Josepha Sherman

Overview

American Bookseller Pick of the ListsAlthough the 46 tales in this collection are as varied as their origins, nearly all of these stories have been passed on by immigrants to America. As a result, this collection is a world tour between two covers, but not at the expense of the unifying element common to these stories: their uniquely Jewish flavor of “…doing the right thing, on surviving by cleverness and kindness and on the need for keeping a good sense of humor." Sherman's collection includes magical tales; stories about clever folks; tales of ghosts, gilguls, and other strange things; fables that deal with doing the right thing; and stories about the delightfully silly Wise Men of Chelm. Entertaining and illuminating story notes give additional information on the origins and different versions of the tales.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780874833072
Publisher:	August House Publishers, Inc.
Publication date:	12/28/2005
Series:	American Storytelling Series
Edition description:	1st ed
Pages:	171
Product dimensions:	6.20(w) x 8.42(h) x 0.53(d)
Lexile:	690L (what's this?)
Age Range:	9 - 18 Years

About the Author

Josepha Sherman Bio: Josepha Sherman enjoyed success as a fantasy novelist, folklorist, and editor, who was a prolific writer. Her work ranged from adapting Star Trek novels to biographies of Bill Gates and Jeff Bezos (founder of Amazon.com) to folktale collections like Trickster Tales. Sherman was the winner of the prestigious Compton Crook Award for Best Fantasy Novel, and has had many titles on the New York Public Library Books for the Teen Reader List. When she wasn’t busy writing, editing, or gathering folklore, Sherman loved to travel, learned how to do “Horse Whispering”, and once had a newborn foal fall asleep on her foot.

Editorial Reviews

Sherman, author of A Sampler of Jewish-American Folklore (August House, 1992), has brought together a treasure of stories--46 tales from places as disparate as Poland, central Asia, and Morocco. All are one or two pages in length (perfect for reading aloud) and have been passed on by immigrants to their children. The stories are meant for children, but their freshness and clarity will find them an adult audience as well. The Jewish emphasis on doing the right thing, on surviving by cleverness and kindness, and on maintaining a good sense of humor at all costs is seen throughout the collection. There are magical tales, such as ``The Sorcerer's Apprentice'' and ``The Dancing Demons,'' clever tales such as ``The Slave Who Was a Dectective,'' and the title story, where Rachel the Clever outwits the the king. Sherman's retelling is masterful, making these delightful stories available to a new generation. Highly recommended.-- Molly Abromowitz, Silver Spring, Md.

Library Journal

Gr 4 Up-A lively and well-rounded collection of folktales, ranging from humorous to hilarious to ghostly highjinks. It is refreshing that Sherman has chosen to present such a diversity of folklore, rather than relying strictly on tales from Eastern Europe. In this slim volume, 46 stories from Spain, Iran, Central Asia, Poland, and Tunisia, among others, portray the variety of Jewish experiences in the Diaspora. Readers and listeners will be intrigued by the similarity of cross-cultural folkloric traditions, and will delight in the familiar old stories of the Wise Men of Chelm. The author's notes add the right historical flavor. A fine choice for storytellers, it is also a wonderful pick for reading aloud.-Sharon Grover, Arlington County Department of Libraries, VA

School Library Journal