The Hardest Word
By Jacqueline Jules
Illustrated by Katherine Janus Kahn
Do children ever say they’re sorry without being prompted by an adult? In this perfect Yom Kippur story for 5- to 6-year-olds and their parents, the enormous Ziz wreaks havoc with his klutziness. When he accidentally destroys the children’s vegetable garden, can’t fix it and doesn’t know what to do, God sends him on a mission to bring back the hardest word. The Ziz travels the world, bringing back words like ‘Rumplestiltskin’ and ‘spaghetti’, but each time God sends him on his way again, until, finally, the Ziz returns to admit defeat and inadvertently offers the very word God sent him to find.
The Hardest Word has gloriously, psychedelically colourful illustrations and gets the message of Yom Kippur just right for kids. It goes a step further too, by explaining that repentance (teshuvah) is important not just at Yom Kippur, but all year round. And there’s even more to explore here: the Ziz is a bird from Jewish folklore, and the story itself is based on a Hasidic legend.
October 4, 2016