The Tall House and the Short House

The main character in this book is moving temporarily to a rural area. “There is nothing here”, she says, and her mother encourages her to take a closer look. As the days and evenings go by, the young girl notices more wild animals approaching her backyard. She leaves food and water out for them, and patiently helps them to get used to her presence. Caring for animals gives her a sense of meaning and strength to cope with the challenge presented by her new reality.

A new person, when setting foot in a new place in a foreign land, is like a swimmer in unfamiliar waters. First you must look around, and see where you are in the world.
(Wandering Stars / Sholom Aleichem / K.A. Bertini, in the Ben Yehuda Project)

About the author
Nurit Zarchi (1941) is a poet and author, and a Israel Prize laureate in literature and poetry. She has published dozens of well-loved books for both children and youth. Her books for children typically depict a rich imaginative world, blurring the lines between imagination and real life. Zarchi uses direct language in her writing that is clear and authentic, and is unafraid to discuss complex issues such as loneliness, grief, and otherness. Among her books are Misada Biktze Hakotev (The Cooking Penguins) and Tanina, and among her songs are Kilafti Tapuz (I Peeled an Orange) and Isha Beavatiach (A Woman in a Watermelon). Which of Nurit Zarchi’s works do you know? Can you find books by Nurit Zarchi at home or in the local library?