By
– August 6, 2012
By counting backwards from ten to one, this simple story shows a little boy’s pennies being used for tzedakah. As the kipah-wearing child goes about his day doing things typical of children of his age, like playing with his train, painting at his easel, and building with blocks, various members of his family take pennies and drop them into his tzedakah box. When only one penny is left, the boy happily puts it in the box himself, exclaiming “So many mitzvos, and one that’s just for me!” Short verses tell the story, and bright, realistic but pedestrian pictures add details. Paired with The Very Best Place for a Penny (Dina Herman Rosenfeld, Merkos, 1984), this will convey the mitzvah of tzedakah to young children in a manner they will enjoy and understand. Recommended for ages 2 – 4.
Linda R. Silver is a specialist in Jewish children’s literature. She is editor of the Association of Jewish Libraries’ Jewish Valuesfinder, www.ajljewishvalues.org, and author of Best Jewish Books for Children and Teens: A JPS Guide (The Jewish Publication Society, 2010) and The Jewish Values Finder: A Guide to Values in Jewish Children’s Literature (Neal-Schuman, 2008).