Our boggy-froggy home was gone.” Was there ever a more memorable sentence in a picture book? The Hula Painted Frog by Amber by A. Novak (Green Bean), with outstanding wildlife illustrations by Maya Gonen, offers a jaunty, pond perspective on life in Israel’s Hula Valley and a thought-to-be-extinct frog species that was rediscovered. We hear it from the frog’s own mouth. Is it a parable for the survival of the Jewish people? A paean to the Zionist pioneers? It certainly holds a powerful eco message. Age two to six. Riveting.
Artezans, the Last Spellbreaker by LD Lapinski (Orion), is the third in a magical trilogy fizzing with the energy of Scots language, wild Norwegian landscape and turbulent weather. Twins Elodie, who can hear thoughts, and Edward Crane, who has power over dreams, are trapped in different worlds and their parents’ minds have been wiped so they don’t remember having children. Elodie, best friend Laurie, and comically outspoken cat Mr Biscuits, must find the Last Spellbreaker to reverse the evil. A spirited brew of enchantment and adventure. Age nine up.
Rules for Liars by Debra Green and April Patten (Kar-Ben) opens with Rebecca telling God about her worries, from batmitzvah and bereavement to flat-chestedness and friendship trouble, à la Judy Blume. Nikki, a Christian 12-year-old, has problems too. Her mother has lost her job, which came with rich-kid perks and they have moved to Rebecca’s low-key apartment block, far from Nikki’s posh friends. Now Nikki is living a lie as she tries to maintain her glossy façade – and Rebecca is telling a few lies of her own. Can they become true friends? God and prayer have a strong presence in this engaging, believable coming-of-age story. Age nine up.
Lily wants to break her record for standing on one leg. And when it looks like fellow kindergarten pupil Hillel is going to balance for longer than her, she knocks him over. But then she makes a touching discovery – and that changes everything. On One Foot by Rinat Primo and Yael Albert, translated by June Amikam (Green Bean) is a feelgood (but true to playground life and non-preachy) tale, inspired by Ecclesiastes: “If one person falls, another can reach out and help. But someone who falls alone has no one to catch them.” Age two up.
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