Editorial Review

“Hannukah is just one of 10 Jewish occasions that get the comic treatment in ‘Chelm for the Holidays’ (Kar-Ben, 68 pages, $15.99), a collection of new and old tall tales by Valerie Estelle Frankel. Set in Chelm, the ‘village of fools’ of Eastern European Jewish tradition, the stories feature oafs and blockheads with names such as Uri the Unwise, Fishel the Foolish, and Simon the Simpleminded. On the eve of Passover, for instance, some of these fellows get the idea that they can’t possibly make the perforated, unleavened bread known as matzoh without buying a supply of holes. ‘Could we use bagel holes?’ wonders Leib the Lackwit. ‘Of course not!’ the Elders thunder. ‘Too large.’ Fortunately, a poor couple’s empty flour sack supplies the missing ingredient in this slim volume nicely suited for short holiday read-alouds.” — Wall Street Journal