Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
In this humorous tale, children learn from an unusual source the meaning of doing a mitzvah, an act of kindness, and the concept of one mitzvah leading to another. When Minnie Feinsilver spills the matzo ball soup she is making for her Shabbat dinner guests, she is distraught because knows she won't have time to cook another batch. A promise to visit a friend will keep her busy all afternoon, so her neighbors, a colony of helpful and lovable frogs, leap in to save the day. Working as a team, Sol Frog, an artist with an adorable beret, and his frog friends, who are "not just any frogs. Jewish frogs" (among them a fashionista and bubbe), find the recipe and use their myriad froggy talents to recreate Minnie's Shabbat soup. Parents can laugh along with their children at the imaginative story by Rosenthal, a debut author and documentary film producer. Sheldon's (Into the Deep) droll and clever images of frogs hopping to the rescue seamlessly complement the text. Ages 4-8. Illustrator's agent: Ronnie Ann Herman, Herman Agency. (Sept.) © Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.
Review by Kirkus Book Review
Amphibian neighbors come to Minnies rescue when she accidentally spills all the matzo-ball soup she has prepared for Shabbat dinner and doesnt have time to prepare more before sundown.Sol Frog, Mel Frog, Gilda Frog, Golda Frog, Dinah Frog and Barney Frog reside in a pond by Minnies house, and like the elves in the classic Grimms fairy tale The Elves and the Shoemaker, they decide to help the kindhearted woman while she is out helping a bedridden friend. With much fervor, jumping around and catapulting of ingredients into the soup pot, a fresh and tasty soup is prepared and ready when Minnie returnsa welcome surprise for her and her Shabbat guests. The lush greens of the anthropomorphic, bulging-eyed cartoon-style frogs dominate the palette and create a rollicking atmosphere for this celebration of the performance of mitzvoth. Kindness begets kindness, and one mitzvah leads to another as Jewish neighbors help one another in various ways. The storys amusing arc with its altruistic message culminates with a sculpted matzo-ball frog left as a floating clue in the soup, prompting one more mitzvah in grateful acknowledgment.A Jewish audience will appreciate the overall significance of the concept and context; Gentiles will get a kick out of the kind frogs. (Picture book. 4-6) Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
