Rosenfeld, Dina H., Leonid Pinchevsky, and Eliyahu Meshchaninov. The Very Best Place for a Penny. Brooklyn: Merkos L'Inyonei Chinuch, 1984.
The most intriguing aspect of the book as I read this story is the narrator’s voice. This books narrator is a penny and readers follow the penny’s journey around a young boy’s room until it is properly placed in the perfect spot. I enjoy the animation and human characteristics the penny takes on as it tries to find “the best place for a penny” (Rosenfeld, 7). The author uses personification as the penny talks to the paper clip, holds items with its hands, walks using legs and dances in the Tzedakah box with all his “many friends there, dollars, quarters, nickels and dimes” (Rosenfeld, 23). The author creatively uses objects found in a small child’s room as characters throughout the story. Young readers can relate because the objects used such as bouncing balls, paper clips, and rubber erasers are things children can associate with using.
If not for the illustrations within this children’s book as well as the last page of text I would not have associated it with being a Jewish American literature book. The author, Dina Herman Rosenfeld writes this book to be read and appreciated by everyone of different races, religions, and cultures. The book has an extremely positive message and shares with children the importance of giving what is called Tzedakah in the Jewish religion but more commonly referred to as giving charity. What appeals to me the most about this book is the fact that the message is so meaningful to everyone around the world and shares with children such an important and positive meaning. Although the children in the book wear kippot, a small cap many Jewish people wear to show their respect for G-d and the boy’s room is filled with pictures displaying Hebrew letters and Jewish ritual objects the story reflects the universal topic of giving charity. The story is in no way over bearing with its usage of terms such as Tzedakah and Mitzvah, both of which are defined in the glossary at the end of the story. This Jewish American book teaches a significant concept in today’s world as well as shining a positive light on the Jewish religion. While reading this book I begin to associate Jews with the act of giving charity because it is a concept looked so highly upon within the religion itself. Dina’s insider perspective allows her to share knowledge about the Jewish religion and the importance of giving Tzedakah as well as making the story appeal to all readers.
I enjoyed the overall message of the book and would therefore use this in a classroom setting. I feel as though doing a “mitzvah, a good dead. One of the 613 commandments in the Torah” (Rosenfeld, 25) shares such a hopeful message and teaches children the importance of giving. I don’t know if I would particularly use this specific book to share that lesson because there may be more children’s books out there that deal with all the things charity can go for.
In my future classroom I feel as though setting up a small jar for any type of donation and charity is extremely beneficial. Working as a class, the kids can bring in spare change whenever they want or whatever they have to donate and we can learn about the different charities and people that would benefit from this money. Showing how our spare change can help so many different people around the world will only motivate kids to continue to contribute to society as they grow up.
If not for the illustrations within this children’s book as well as the last page of text I would not have associated it with being a Jewish American literature book. The author, Dina Herman Rosenfeld writes this book to be read and appreciated by everyone of different races, religions, and cultures. The book has an extremely positive message and shares with children the importance of giving what is called Tzedakah in the Jewish religion but more commonly referred to as giving charity. What appeals to me the most about this book is the fact that the message is so meaningful to everyone around the world and shares with children such an important and positive meaning. Although the children in the book wear kippot, a small cap many Jewish people wear to show their respect for G-d and the boy’s room is filled with pictures displaying Hebrew letters and Jewish ritual objects the story reflects the universal topic of giving charity. The story is in no way over bearing with its usage of terms such as Tzedakah and Mitzvah, both of which are defined in the glossary at the end of the story. This Jewish American book teaches a significant concept in today’s world as well as shining a positive light on the Jewish religion. While reading this book I begin to associate Jews with the act of giving charity because it is a concept looked so highly upon within the religion itself. Dina’s insider perspective allows her to share knowledge about the Jewish religion and the importance of giving Tzedakah as well as making the story appeal to all readers.
I enjoyed the overall message of the book and would therefore use this in a classroom setting. I feel as though doing a “mitzvah, a good dead. One of the 613 commandments in the Torah” (Rosenfeld, 25) shares such a hopeful message and teaches children the importance of giving. I don’t know if I would particularly use this specific book to share that lesson because there may be more children’s books out there that deal with all the things charity can go for.
In my future classroom I feel as though setting up a small jar for any type of donation and charity is extremely beneficial. Working as a class, the kids can bring in spare change whenever they want or whatever they have to donate and we can learn about the different charities and people that would benefit from this money. Showing how our spare change can help so many different people around the world will only motivate kids to continue to contribute to society as they grow up.
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