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****Journeys with Elijah

Eight Tales of the Prophet

by Barbara Diamond Goldin

Paintings by Jerry Pinkney

Reviewed September 15, 2003.
Gulliver Books (Harcourt), San Diego, 1999.  77 pages.
Available at Sembach Library (J 222 GOL).

I loved this book of fables.  They’re beautifully told, and all have an uplifting, inspiring message.

The stories are taken from traditional Jewish tales of Elijah.  He never died, so folklore had him roaming the earth helping people and rewarding the godly.  The author set the stories all over the world to emphasize the way Jews have scattered all over the earth and how one might find Elijah anywhere.

My favorite was the first story, in which Elijah apparently rewards those who treat him badly and punishes those who are kind to him.  When the truth is known, we see that the curses were really blessings in disguise and vice versa.  The story simply and beautifully shows that God’s ways are higher than ours, telling that message much more effectively than a simple statement of the fact.

All the stories are nice tales of the value of doing what is right.  The beautiful paintings help make reading this book an uplifting experience indeed.

Related Reviews:
The Lion and the Mouse
Just Jerry
The Christmas Boot
Goin' Someplace Special

Copyright © 2005 Sondra Eklund.  All rights reserved.

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