Sholom's Treasure: How Sholom Aleichem Became a Writer
- Book Review,
by Erica Silverman
From School Library Journal
Starred Review. Grade 1-4–This enchanting picture-book biography is an affectionate ode to the iconic Yiddish writer, presenting his early life as a series of stories laced with both humor and pathos. One of 12 children growing up in a small Russian village in the mid-19th century, young Sholom watched intently as his beloved father charmed the neighbors with humorous tales. The youth concluded that laughter and stories had the power to overcome worry and bring genuine happiness to the listener. Bored with his lessons and looking to create his own laughter, Sholom became the class clown, and dreamed of the treasures he could bestow upon his parents, whose life in the shtetl grew increasingly difficult. Yet even the displacement of his family and the death of his mother from cholera could not dampen Sholom's interest in the power of words. He used both his keen sense of observation and his notable intellect to accumulate experiential treasures that later informed his writing, including a fascinating array of insults thrown at him by his shrewish stepmother. Silverman's text combines a storyteller's narrative with dialogue based on Aleichem's own words, resulting in a biography that often reads like a folktale. Gerstein's energetic watercolor-and-ink illustrations bubble over with humor as the mischievous young Sholom mimics and mocks, his expressive face a constantly changing barometer of life's ups and downs. The result is a seamless collaboration that presents not only the life, but also the world, of a literary giant.–Teri Markson, Stephen S. Wise Temple Elementary School, Los Angeles Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
From Booklist
*Starred Review* K-Gr. 3. The name Sholom Aleichem may be familiar to only a few children, but the story of this young imp, who was determined to do his father proud, will strike a chord with many. Born Sholom Rabinowitz, he was 1 of 12 children living in a Russian shtetl. One of his earliest memories was listening to his father read humorous stories aloud. But life wasn't funny or easy for the family--his father's business failed, and his mother's death led to the presence of an unpleasant stepmother. Yet the boy found fun in just about everything. A clown, a reader, and, eventually, a talented writer, he used the people and places he knew as a basis of his popular stories. Silverman keeps her focus on the things about Aleichem's life that will appeal most to young readers: his sense of the absurd, his railings against life's injustices, and his determination to follow his dreams. Caldecott winner Gerstein's ink-and-watercolor paintings appear as full-page art and strips of illustration, both of which are equally adept at capturing the pathos and absurdities of everyday life. As in Aleichem's own stories, there's a universality here that transcends the borders of time and place. Ilene Cooper
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved
Review
"The story of this young imp, who was determined to do his father proud, will strike a chord with many. Silverman keeps her focus on the things about Aleichem's life that will appeal most to young readers. As in Aleichem's own stories, there's a universality here that transcends the borders of time and place." -- Starred, Booklist"Silverman's text moves quickly, using dialogue adapted from Aleichem's own memoir. Gerstein's loose lines and bright colors bristle with energy and humor, presenting a wide-eyed boy who nevertheless possesses a wicked sense of fun. Most in the audience...will identify with the child's dual wishes to please his father and excel." -- Kirkus Reviews"Sholom Aleichem's own story is told here with the wit and compassion for which he was himself known. The heartiness of the text...gives this biography an attractive warmth. Heavy shading and touches of white point up such focal points as faces and eyes...intensifying the viewer's emotional involvement in the story." - The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books"Mischievous Sholom's spirited personality comes alive both in Gerstein's drawings and Silverman's fluent text. An author's note, an afterward, and a bibliography round out this engaging portrait." - The Horn Book"Silverman and Caldecott Medalist Gerstein make an ideal pairing. Silverman's accessible prose keeps a narrative dense with incidents and people moving along briskly. Gerstein's fluid, exuberant pen-and-ink and watercolor wash illustrations...literally illuminate the story." -- Publishers Weekly"Enchanting...a seamless collaboration." -- Starred, School Library Journal
Book Description
The boy whose stories became Fiddler on the Roof
Sholom Aleichem's favorite childhood memory may have been listening as his father read stories aloud on Saturday nights and a roomful of adults burst out laughing. Sholom wanted to make people laugh, too. At school he became the class clown. At home he imitated even his pious grandmother. But Sholom was also thoughtful. In Russia in the 1800s, life was especially difficult for Jews, and Sholom longed to help his father by finding a legendary hidden treasure. It turned out that Sholom Aleichem's destiny was to give his father a different kind of treasure - one of words and tales that to this day bring laughter to readers around the world.
This taut, focused biography of the young Sholom Aleichem is animated with the artist's quick, brilliant line and richly toned watercolors.
About the Author
Erica Silverman is the author of Raisel's Riddle, illustrated by Susan Gaber. She lives in Los Angeles, California.
Mordicai Gerstein, a Caldecott Medalist, is also the creator of Sparrow Jack. He lives in Northampton, Massachusetts.
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