Hershel wants to help his mother make the baked goods that she sells in the market in their shtetl, but he is blind, so she limits him to household chores. When an angel appears in the boy’s dream before Purim and encourages him to make what he sees when he closes his eyes, Hershel goes into the kitchen and produces the most beautiful hamantashen imaginable. Every last one is sold, and Hershel is recognised as a talented artist with the potential to become a baker.
It’s rare for picture books to include disabled characters, so we were delighted to choose this beautiful story which has a blind protagonist and the uplifting messages of appreciating difference, overcoming obstacles and following your dreams. With their warm, muted colours and comforting curved lines, we love the illustrations too
February 17, 2017