Kibitzers and Fools:Tales My Zayda Told Me

With Kibitzers and Fools: Tales My Zayda Told Me , Simms Taback introduces readers to Yiddish wit, wisdom and tradition. The thirteen very short stories are playful and warm adaptations of well-known Eastern European tales. Each teaches a humorous lesson about what it means to be foolish or wise. The Yiddish words are woven into the stories, and there is a glossary at the back for easy reference. Taback is best known for his Caldecott Medal-winning picture book Joseph Had a Little Overcoat , and he is known for the bold, engaging colors of his artwork. Like Joseph had a Little Overcoat(2000), Kibitzers and Fools depicts life in shtetls, the small villages where Jews lived in Eastern Europe before World War II. That world is gone, but the culture lives on. This book is a wonderful stage for the expressiveness of Yiddish language. Children will laugh at the silly characters and their misunderstandings. Kibitzers and Fools an lively and humorous choice for the study of folktales and diverse cultures.


Lauren--Secondary English Teacher