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Using Literature to Build Jewish Values in Your Children
Let's go "Beyond the Book" with A Very Special Gift.
Ages 3-6
This book does not tell the historical story of Purim. Rather A Very Special Gift tells the story of a "child of today" in a "today's world." Therefore, it can be read year round. The plot centers on a child, Gali, who wants to give her mother a gift for Purim. She wants to use her own money that SHE works for and saves. Through her hard work and good planning and the kindness of a storekeeper her dream becomes a reality. The gift will be a plate that she decorates for her mother's hamentashen.
To go beyond the book with a "A Very Special Gift" means feeling the depths of despair, that a child feels and that all of our children feel at some time in childhood. Maybe no vacation because someone gets sick, or the birthday party is poorly attended because of a sudden storm. Adults say it is just a party-you will have another one, and you'll get over it-it's not the end of the world. Sound familiar? That's what was said to us, remember?
To go beyond the book is to focus on how this "tragedy" is resolved -it is truly brilliant! Gali picks up the pieces of the plate and puts them into a jar-presto -a great noisemaker is born. The purpose of a "gragger" (noisemaker) on Purim is to drown out the sound of the name of the evilest of men. The reader must say the name Haman, but we react by sounding our "graggers"-drowning out the sound of inhumanity.
Isn't that the ultimate lesson in life- to react by picking up the pieces, just as Gali did and give them a positive spin.
Buy the book!
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