The Rabbi and His Donkey

  • Interest Level: Preschool - Grade 2
  • Reading Level: Grade 2

Hamor is not a handsome donkey, but he holds his head high. Every day, he takes Rabbi Moses Maimonides to the sultan’s palace, and he always listened to the rabbi’s musings. One day, a fine horse appears in the stable and announces that, to save time, he will be taking the rabbi to the palace from now on. Hamor sadly agrees that the fast horse will give the rabbi more time to write and think. The rabbi, however, soon returns to his old donkey whose slow ride was his only time for uninterrupted thinking all day. Hamor is quietly pleased to be reunited with the wise man. Could it be he taught his rider a lesson?

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Interest Level Preschool - Grade 2
Reading Level Grade 2
Genre Picture Books
Category SEL: A Self-Awareness, SEL: B Self-Management, Social Emotional Learning
Copyright 2023
Publisher Lerner Publishing Group
Imprint Kar-Ben Publishing ®
Language English
Number of Pages 24
Publication Date 2023-04-04
Text Type Fiction
BISACS JUV039220, JUV002090, JUV046000
Dewey [E]
Dimensions 9.25 x 11
Features Awards, Original artwork, and Reviewed

Author: Susan Tarcov

Susan Tarcov grew up next to the Bronx Zoo, a great inspiration for writing children’s books. She is married, has three children, and lives in Chicago. Her previous books include Maya Prays for Rain, Raisins and Almonds: A Yiddish Lullaby, The Rabbi and His Donkey, and Professor Buber and His Cats.

Illustrator: Diana Renjina

Diana Renjina was born in Riga, Latvia, a town with a mix of cobbled streets, pine forests, a cold sea, and Art Nouveau architecture, which has always been an inspiration for her. She is mostly self-taught, but has also studied design. She lives in Riga.

Awards

  • Sydney Taylor Book Award Picture Book Notable, Commended, 2024
  • Tablet Magazine's Best Jewish Children's Books of 2023, Winner, 2023

Reviews

Children's Literature Comprehensive Database (CLCD)

“The large and colorful illustrations make this picture book a perfect pick for classroom story time. . . a book that can help open up a medieval world of wonder.”—Children’s Literature

Kirkus Reviews

“This thought-provoking tale will be especially welcome as an introduction to Maimonides. A reminder that wisdom comes in different forms and from different sources.”―Kirkus Reviews

Sydney Taylor Shmooze

“Can appeal to those looking for a dive into Jewish history, Judaic scholarship, and Sephardic culture, as well as those looking for the more universal messages of the value of connections with animals and the natural world, and the importance of taking time out of our busy days for thought and reflection.”―Sydney Taylor Shmooze