Sussman, Joni Kibort,
ed. My First Yiddish
Word Book. Illus. by Pépi
Marzel.
Similar to My First Hebrew Word Book, also published by Kar-Ben, this book has both positive and negative aspects. The editor, Joni Sussman, is to be commended for introducing some basic Yiddish vocabulary to children, and perhaps even to adults. Each double-page spread deals with a different theme, like city, supermarket, or school. The watercolor illustrations are attractive in a muted way. One large illustration fills the page, with smaller segments on the bottom margin, along with the word in Hebrew letters, transliteration, and English translation. An English-Yiddish word list is included at the back of the book.
However, this book has a number of shortcomings: The themes should be better organized. For example, bathroom and bedroom should be in the section about the house, rather than after four other sections—school, playground, city, and grocery. Another puzzling aspect about this book is the question of audience. Nowadays, the majority of Yiddish-speaking children are Orthodox. Although the illustrations depict modest dress for girls and women, none of the boys wear a “kippah.” If this book isn’t for the Orthodox, then why are the clothes so unlike those of secular Jewish kids? Not one pair of jeans is in sight!
Beyond
problems of organization and audience, the question arises: Where’s the pizzazz?
Why would a child, or indeed an adult, want to look at these many lists of
words? The book lacks the humor, liveliness, and imagination like the best of
Richard Scarry, Marie-Louise Gay, or Phoebe Gilman. Aside
from pedagogic and perhaps nostalgic appeal, My First Yiddish Word Book has little merit. This is an optional
purchase.
© Anne Dublin.