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Summary: Fable of Jewish Self-Defense Against Persecution
Review: This book won the Caldecott Medal in 1997 for being the best illustrated children's book of that year. The book is filled with powerful two-page spreads that highlight the struggle between good and evil, love and hatred, and spiritual forces against human ones. The images are built from cut-outs turned into complex collages featuring primary colors that give a sense of the images racing across the page. You will feel like you are looking at an animated cartoon rather than an illustrated book. The golem is "a giant of living clay animated by Cabala (mystical teachings of spiritual power)" performed by Judah Loew ben Bezalel, chief rabbi of Prague, in 1580. Jews were under attack by their neighbors because of a false rumor (called the "Blood Lie") that during Passover the unleavened matzoh of flour and water was being mixed with the blood of Christian children. With the help of the powerful golem, the emperor sues for peace, and promises the security of the Jews. The golem is turned back into unanimated clay. This book is a pretty heavy duty look at how humans can be inhuman to other humans. Most children will not be comfortable with the message in this book until after they have learned about the Holocaust. Sensitive children will probably always feel uncomfortable with the story. When was the last time you learned a lot from a children's book? Personally, I was fascinated by the story. I knew a little about golems from having attended art exhibitions about them. I also have a number of golems in my collection. But this book taught me more about golems that everything I knew before I read it. There is an excellent note at the end that helps explain what the rabbi did in the fable in terms of its religious significance. For example, I would have thought that it was against Jewish law to animate clay (no images). The book explains that there is an exception available that was followed here. I also did not know that Frankenstein was inspired, in part, by this fable. I would have liked to know more about that. The story raises many interesting ethical questions. For example, why didn't the emperor protect his Jewish neighbors until his subjects were threatened by the golem? Why could the rabbi take life away from the golem, when the golem wanted to continue to live? What responsibility did the rabbi have when the golem lost control? Why did the rabbi observe Kaddish for the golem? A great use of this story would be to discuss some of these points with a rabbi available to help clarify the fable's meaning in terms of the Jewish religion. After you finish thinking about the story, I suggest that you extend your consideration to include ways that misunderstandings can be avoided that create violence. If this situation were to occur during Passover in Prague in 2002, what would good things be to do? Open your eyes, your ears, your heart, and your soul to love God and your fellow humans!
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Summary: A famous tale of Eastern Europe.
Review: This book, written and illustrated by David Wisniewski (for some reason, amazon.com neglected to list him as the author), is the winner of the 1997 Caldecott Medal for best illustrations in a book for children. It is a retelling of a legend about Rabbi Loew in an Eastern European city in 1580 who brings to life a "golem" who protects the Jews at that time. It is a stark and important tale that demonstrates the problems the Jewish people have had through the ages. Thus, the book can lead to some important discussions. However, it is not a book for younger children. It is probably best for children of age eleven or older. According to the author, this legend was a possible source for Shelley's monster.
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Summary: Kevin's Review of Golem
Review: This is definitely a great book and story that was well put together as far as pictures and writing. This book tells of a time when Jews were under heavy persecution, and one rabbi raised a creature called a "golem" to see if that problem could be solved. This book is one to be read over and over again for child and adult. For one in, or studying the Jewish faith, this bookis an excellent book to read, giving a classic Jewish story, giving a detailed report to explain the ideas and powers behind what a golem would be, and more. This book even has enough action in it to keep even the more high-key reader happy for a long while. Absolutely worth a read, and absolutely worth five stars.
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