When the mayor approaches Shmulik the artist about painting a mural in the park for Yom Ha’Atzmaut, Israel’s Independence Day, Shmulik readily agrees to do it, but then cannot think of what to paint. Day after day he looks for inspiration, in the clouds, in the trees, at the grocery store, but nothing comes to him. The more he procrastinates, the more distracted he gets, so distracted that he doesn’t notice that his dog Ezra is a whiz with a paintbrush.
When Yom Ha’Atzmaut arrives, Shmulik goes to the park dreading the sight of an empty wall, but instead finds a beautiful mural covered with symbols of Israel such as pomegranates, date palms, menorahs, and the Israeli flag. The mayor loves it, but when Shmulik tries to give Ezra credit…well, “Everybody knows dogs can’t paint.”
Humorous illustrations use black lines and grayscale as a backdrop for Ezra’s brightly colored creations. This is a light-hearted and attractive book that can be used to supplement holiday collections in libraries and schools and can teach about Israel at home.
Recommended for ages 4 – 7.
