Books can help to prepare for a special occasion or collect memories from a recent event. For example, before a holiday, you can choose a book that speaks about it and discuss: Which events did you plan for the holiday? How can both parents and children prepare for it? In preparation for Purim, you can make a costume or mishloach manot together, and after the holiday, you can read the book again to help you remember the beautiful moments you have just experienced together.
Walk around the house and pick an item: a spoon, a plant, a ball or… a rug. Take turns describing a costume that includes the chosen item: Is the rug part of a rug seller’s costume? Or is it a flying carpet? Is the ball part of an athlete costume? Or a clown’s nose?
This book provides an opportunity to share Purim memories: Do you like dressing up, and if so, do you only do so on Purim? Did you, parents, enjoy dressing up while you were growing up? Which costume brings back good memories? You can find out who likes to dress up and who prefers not to, look at photos from the past and be reminded of special Purim moments.
Where in the book can you find an astronaut’s costume? And what about a Queen Esther, firefighters, police officers or Albert Einstein? You can look for the costumes in the illustrations. Which one is your favorite?
Who was Albert Einstein?
Albert Einstein [1879-1955] was a Jewish German scientist. The relativity theory he developed and other studies he conducted made a big impact on the world of science and on how the laws of nature, time and the universe are perceived. Einstein had a sense of humor and imagination, promoted peace and fraternity, and loved corresponding with children from all over the world. Einstein supported the establishment of the Hebrew University in Jerusalem, and the State of Israel in general.
This book is a gift that can accompany you as a family throughout the year: on festive holidays and in changing seasons, with the arrival of Autumn and in preparation for a birthday celebration. Choose the appropriate song for each coming occasion or holiday, read it together, look at the illustrations, sing and celebrate. Poems and illustrations Read the songs together and look at the illustrations. Which illustrations attract the children’s attention?
Many of the songs in this book were composed to music. You can take a cymbals, wooden spoons or lids of pots and pans, and accompany the singing by playing music and dancing. Once the children are familiar with the song, you can play a guessing game: starting humming the tune, and invite the children to guess the rest and join you.
Open the book randomly, or at a favorite song, and let each person in turn name an item that everyone else must look for in the illustration: Find in the illustration: Where is the house with a red roof? Where is the pomegranate? Where are the clowns?
You may want to look at the illustrations together, and look for the disguised animals mentioned in the story. Can your child recognize them all? Who, in your opinion, has the best costume? To whom would you have awarded the prize?
Make costumes and masks for your stuffed toys, set a table with fine food, and sing Purim songs together. Who will win the costume competition, and what will the jackpot be?
You may want to stop reading for a moment at the point where the animals argue, each one thinking it had the best costume, and ask your child to describe the decision-making process for which they would have opted. You could use this book as a platform for discussing achievements, competition, and the feelings associated with winning and losing.
You may want to discuss the fox’s behavior with your child. Did he deserve to win the costume competition? The fox is portrayed as cunning in many stories. Do you know any other books on foxes, such as The Fox and the Grapes, The Chickens and the Fox, or Fox Fables? You could search for them and read them together.
Do you remember a special childhood costume? You may enjoy sharing childhood experiences related to Purim and dressing up with your child. You could also look at family photo albums, and be reminded of parents’, siblings’, and children’s past costumes.
is the author and illustrator of many children’s books, among them: A Smile on every Corner, The Melody, and Oded Burla’s Big Book. You may want to look for more of his books at the library, and enjoy them together.
Masquerade
שְׁמִירָה
להציב באמצע החדר חפצים שונים ולדמיין שימושים שונים
In this special book, the illustrations tell most of the story, and were it not for them, the plot would have been incomprehensible. You may want to leaf through the book together, and have your child describe what the box turns into on each page. You could have a discussion on imagination and reality, and share your opinion with your child. Do you think the rabbit really thinks the box is a spaceship, robot, or mountaintop?
In this special book, the illustrations tell most of the story, and were it not for them, the plot would have been incomprehensible. You may want to leaf through the book together, and have your child describe what the box turns into on each page. You could have a discussion on imagination and reality, and share your opinion with your child. Do you think the rabbit really thinks the box is a spaceship, robot, or mountaintop?
You may enjoy looking at the illustrations, and noticing the colors used in each one. Which ones are used when the rabbit is spoken to? And which when the rabbit appears? You may want to ask your child for the reason why the author and illustrator chose to use colors this way.
You could draw a rectangle on a sheet of paper and ask your child to continue the drawing, and turn it into something else. Can you guess what your child drew? You may enjoy changing roles, so that each time one of you will draw a shape for the other to turn into something else.
Perhaps you would like to pick up an empty box from the local grocery store, and decide what to turn it into together. You could color or cut it, making it your very own creation.
Many children enjoy make-believe games. Has this book reminded you of an imaginative game you enjoyed playing? Perhaps an imaginary toy you liked to play with as a child? You may want to share such memories with your child.
You may enjoy sitting across from one another on the rug and make believe together. Take turns pretending to hold something (a hammer, bug, phone, cat, baby…), and let the other guess what it is. Next, pretend to pass the object on to the next player, and go on making believe and guessing.
You may enjoy looking together at Nachum Gutman’s special, 80-year-old illustrations. Have you noticed that all the characters in the book, even the horse, are children in costume? You could make simple animal costumes at home using paper or foam sheets to create ears, belts for tails, or any other similar idea. Now the kids can crawl on all fours and turn into neighing horses, barking dogs, bleating sheep and so on.
Do you know the tune to Purim Play? You may want to listen to the song, clap along to the music, or accompany it with your own instrument, and dance together.
Many children love to dress up, and not only on Purim! You can make costumes at home using clothes, colorful kerchiefs, and simple accessories found in every home. How about making paper crowns and tiaras, or clown’s hats, and having a family costume party?
Do you remember a particular Purim costume from the time you were a child? Did you also dress up as Mordechai or Esther? Have you saved photographs from previous years? You may want to share those with your child.
You could tell your child about the custom of sending each other Purim baskets of food. You may want to prepare such a basket at home, placing pastries, fruit or candy on a pretty napkin, and give it to your neighbor, friend, or favorite babysitter.
Levin Kipnis was one of the founding fathers of Hebrew children’s literature. He was born in the Ukraine and immigrated to what would later become the State of Israel in 1913, with the aim of studying painting at Bezalel. However, upon feeling that there were not enough holiday songs and stories in Hebrew suitable for young children, he decided to dedicate his life to enriching young people’s world. He wrote hundreds of children’s poems and stories, and even decorated and illustrated some of his own work. Kipnis set up and managed the first children’s theater in Israel, and also edited numerous journals, anthologies and text books. His collaboration with kindergarten teachers contributed greatly to the shaping of Israeli holiday traditions. Among his numerous works are well-loved songs and stories such as Svivon Sov Sov Sov (“Spin Spin Spin, Dreidel”) for Hanukkah, Saleinu Al Ktefeinu (“Our Baskets are upon our Shoulders”) for Shavuot, Eliezer Vehagezer (“Eliezer and the Carrot”), and Hamitriya Hagdola shel Abba (“Daddy’s Big Umbrella”).
Levin Kipnis was a particularly prolific author, and won many awards, including the Israel Prize in 1978, and the Hans Christian Andersen Award in 1988.
Nachum Gutman was a master painter, illustrator, sculptor, and author. He was regarded as a trailblazing children’s illustrator in Israel, having illustrated children’s poetry by Bialik, Tchernichovsky, and others. Gutman illustrated stories, poems, and articles in the children’s weekly magazine Davar Liyladim, and designed many stage sets. He even created the colorful figures and sets for the famous Tel Aviv Purim Parade (Adloyada). Nachum Gutman wrote books for both children and adults, such as In the Land of Lobengulu King of Zulu, An All Blue Donkey, and A Small City with Few People, describing the early days of Tel Aviv.
Gutman won many awards, including: the Hans Christian Andersen Literary Prize in 1962; the Fichman Prize for Literature and Art in 1969; and the Israel Prize for his contribution to children’s literature in 1978. The Nachum Gutman Museum, showcasing the artist’s original work, opened in the Neve Tzedek neighborhood of Tel Aviv in 1998.
תוכלו לספר לילדים על המנהג לשלוח מנות של אוכל בחג פורים. אתם יכולים להכין בעצמכם צלחת, לקשט אותה במפית יפה ולהניח עליה מאפה, פרי או ממתק, ולהעניק את המשלוח לשכ־ נים, לחברים או לשמרטפית אהובה.
כדאי לעיין בכריכת הספר, הדמויות באיור מציצות מתוך חלונות הארמון. תוכלו לקשט תיאטרון בובות או להכין ארמון מקרטון, עם פתחים מקומרים כמו בתמונה. כל ילד בתורו חובש כובע, כתר או מצנפת, מציץ מהחלון – וחבריו מנסים לנחש למי הוא התחפש.?
Purim Spiel (A Purim Play)
שְׁמִירָה
לצלם את הילדים מציצים מתוך הארמון ולהעניק את התמונה להורים יחד עם משלוח מנות שהכנתם עם הילדים.
לכל דמות בספר יש כובע ייחודי משלה. בעקבות האיורים תוכלי להכין מצנפת )לליצן(, כתר של מלך )אחשוורוש(, כתר של מלכה )אסתר(, כובע מיוחד בצבע תכלת )מרדכי(, כובע מצחיק )המן(. כאשר שרים יחד את השיר, מחליפים את הכובעים בהתאמה למילות השיר.
תוכלי להכין עם הילדים משלוח מנות ספרותי: הילדים יכולים להדביק על צלחת תמונות עם דמויות מתוך הספרים שקיבלו השנה )החיות שמופיעות בספרים הקודמים וגיבורי “משחק פורים”(. מלאו את הצלחת במאכלים והוסיפו אליו את הספר כמתנה לחג.
Brownstripe envied the other animals in the forest. You might talk with your children about feelings of envy and jealousy, and share your own life experiences with them. Perhaps, when you were a child, you wanted to be like someone else? Do your children sometimes envy others? This is an opportunity to reinforce your children’s unique qualities and to encourage them to remain true to themselves.
You might talk together about the saying, “Who is rich? One who is happy with his lot.” What does it mean for you? Is everyone in your family happy with what he or she has? What do we, as a family, feel happy about?
People often say: “May all your wishes come true.” When Brownstripe gives voice to his wish, his wish is realized! You could ask your children if they, too, have wishes, or if they ever wished for something that came true. While the fulfillment of some wishes is not within our power, we can fulfill others. You can play a game together: each one takes a turn and makes a wish out loud. Be sure to focus on wishes that can be fulfilled (for example:” I wish I had a comfortable pillow under my head,” or “I wish I could curl up under a cozy blanket”). It’s natural to want things, and it also feels good to make someone else’s wish come true!
You can put on a skit based on the story. Create a tail, antlers, wings and fins using fabric and simple props. Your children can pretend to beBrownstripe, who envies the other animals; you, the parents, can play the parts of the other animals. At the end of the show, you can have a great time playing the mother bear who hears and sees Brownstripe through his costumes. Be sure to share a great big “bear hug” as a finale!
Brownstripe wants to have body parts that aren’t suitable for a bear. Each of our body parts has an important function. Together with your children, you could examine the illustrations throughout the book. Do your children know what the purpose of a lion’s tail is? Why do deer have antlers, and fish have fins? You can also go over our own human body parts and discuss the function of each.
The book “Brownstripe” is one of many children’s books that deal with the desire to be like someone else – for example, “The Fish that Didn’t Want to Be a Fish” by Paul Kor (in Hebrew), “The Mixed-Up Chameleon” by Eric Carle and “A Color of His
Many children like to dress up, and not just on Purim! You may enjoy making costumes using clothes, scarves, and other accessories found at home, and have a family costume party.
Do you remember any special childhood costumes? Perhaps you also got dressed up as a king or queen? You may want to share those memories with your child. You could look through old photo albums, and be reminded of costumes worn by parents, siblings and children.
There are many children nowadays who also need Purim costumes. Do you have any costumes you no longer need at home? You could donate them or have a give ‘n’ take second-hand costume fair in your school or neighborhood.
Malka discovers artists practicing various kinds of art at the Bezalel building: weaving, jewelry-making, and painting. What kind of arts does your child enjoy engaging in? In the story, each painter paints Malka a little differently. You may want to make portraits of your own family members. Do you also find it difficult not to move? Do you recognize yourselves in the portraits you painted?
You should encourage your child to dream, and dream big! You may want to ask your child what their dreams are, and share with them a dream that you have made come true, or perhaps in one you still hope to make true someday. Perhaps, like Malka and Boris, your dreams will also come true!
The streets of Israel have undergone many changes since Bezalel Art School was first opened. You may want to look at the illustrations together, and compare them to this day and age: are we still allowed to wander around outside on our own? Do you live in an area where there are still walkways without cars or traffic lights? It would be advisable to speak to your child and emphasize the fact that this story is an imaginary one. You could explain that books, as well as movies, are often unlike reality, and that in truth children must never take a walk with a stranger.
After you have read the story, you may want to visit a nearby art museum or gallery with your child. You could also go online and look at images from art exhibitions across the globe.
Bezalel Art School is well-known in Israel today, but few know the name Boris Schatz. Many people have done great things but are not remembered for them. Try to think of a person in history that you have heard of or know about, whose story you would like to share with your child. You could create a short book about this person and send it to us.
Nevo’s Mask 
Masquerade 
Not a Box 
Purim Spiel (A Purim Play) 
Brownstripe the Bear 
Festive Flavors 
Malka, a Queen in Jerusalem 
הַעֲשָׁרָה
מִשְׂחָק
כְּלָלִי
סִרְטוֹנִים
שֵׁמַע
שִׂיחָה
חֲגִיגָה
יְצִירָה
הַשְׁרָאָה
