Miriam and the Sasquatch: A Rosh Hashanah Story

Eric Kimmel is a five-time recipient of the National Jewish Book Award, as well as a recipient of the Sydney Taylor Book Award. His many books for children include Shield of the Maccabees, Right Side Up: Adventures in Chelm, Big Sam: A Rosh Hashanah Tall Tale, and Little Red Rosie: A Rosh Hashanah Story. He lives with his wife in Portland, Oregon. Tamara Anegon illustrated Look Out, Leonard! and other books for children. She enjoys creating characters who accompany her on her experiences and become her best friends. She lives in Madrid.

This clever Rosh Hashanah story does an excellent job ofincluding holiday symbols and traditions while telling a unique, engaging tale.Miriam is excited for Rosh Hashanah. She heads into the orchard to pick applesfor the holiday and practice blowing her shofar, a traditional ram’s horntrumpet. In the orchard, she discovers a Sasquatch sitting in a tree munchingon apples. Upset that it might eat all the apples, Miriam attempts to scare itaway, first by blowing the shofar, and next by throwing apples at it. TheSasquatch returns fire, hitting a beehive and sending a swarm of bees afterthem both. When Miriam trips while fleeing, the Sasquatch backtracks andcarries her to safety. Miriam regrets her actions, befriends the Sasquatch, andinvites it to join Rosh Hashanah dinner. Kimmel’s text is clever andchild-centric with no wasted words. The premise will capture children’sinterest, and the well-written text will retain them. The illustrations have amixed-media feel: Miriam is depicted with brown, crayon-textured pigtails,oversized blue glasses, and large round eyes, while the huge, shaggy,brownish-orange, muppet-like Sasquatch sports a blue triangular nose and animpish smile. The slightly cartoonish style fits the amusing story well, andthe holiday table on the final spread is filled with traditional foods. VERDICTThough this won’t explain the holiday to newcomers, Jewish families willwelcome the engaging plot and simple lesson. This fun title would be a greataddition to any library wishing to expand its books on Jewish holidays. –AmyLilien-Harper, School Library Journal