Joey’s parents receive a delivery in a giant box, and when it is empty, Joey loves to play inside it. It provides lots of scope for imagination and is a source of great fun. But the box is too big to take up permanent residence in Joey’s home, and his parents tell him it has to go. Then Joey sees a box like it at a local store, which is used for collecting food donations for a food pantry. This gives Joey an idea. His box can be used for a mitzvah, too! He brings it to school and enlists the help of his class to undertake a similar project for the Star of David Food Bank. An important age-appropriate lesson about helping others is learned while participating in a fun team project.
There are two food pantries in this story, the general one that gives Joey the idea for the class project and the Jewish one his class participates in when they collect on their own. Donating food to the hungry is both a particular Jewish mitzvah and a universal value, and the two separate food drives in the story might be confusing to a young child.
Nevertheless, this book reflects good values — both Jewish and general — accompanied by a plan of action. It has a charming plot and great illustrations, and Joey is a likable character who is easy to identify with and learn from. It is recommended for ages 4 – 8.