Everybody Says Shalom

PreS-Gr 2—Following the author's Everybody Bonjours! (Random, 2008), this title presents a friendly look at Israel. A tourist family visits the famous sights, meeting smiling people of various ethnicities wherever they go. A note tells readers that "shalom is how people say hello. Shalom is also how people say goodbye. But its first and most important meaning is 'peace.' It's a little word with a lot to say!" The brief rhyming text is pleasant, if a bit vague in its descriptions of the sights; a note at the back provides additional information about the things seen in the pictures. The watercolor-style digital illustrations are detailed and invite slow examination (especially if readers wish to spot Gili the Gecko, who is hidden in the spreads). While both text and illustration are skillful, the combination of short, punchy rhymes spread over page turns and detailed, searchable illustrations make the book difficult to pace. Ultimately, it will need to be read quickly for the rhymes and returned to for a slower reading to examine the illustrations. The whirlwind tour is the most common type of children's book about Israel. This book does not break new ground but is a solid addition to the category. While there is no story line, this title makes for pleasant armchair travel. Jewish educators, in particular, will happily welcome this book to their shelves.—Heidi Estrin, Congregation B'nai Israel, Boca Raton, FL