Publishers Weekly
11/24/2014
Gehl uses the framework of Aesop’s well-known fable to give readers a brief overview of some of Israel’s cultural and topographical highlights. After visiting the beach, the opera, and musuems, Hare and Tortoise stage a race to the Dead Sea. While Hare dashes ahead, Tortoise takes time to say shalom to passersby. “Want to share my falafel?” he asks Hare innocently, after catching up to him midway through the race. Working in a milky, muted palette, Goudreau’s crisply defined illustrations successfully capture Israel’s urban bustle, geographic diversity, and leisure attractions, including the friends’ dip in the Dead Sea afterward. “Slow and steady might win the race,” Tortoise admits, “but I’m hot and sore, too.” Ages 4–7. Author’s agent: Erzsi Deàk, Hen&ink. Illustrator’s agency: Advocate Art. (Mar.)
From the Publisher
"Anyone who knows 'The Tortoise and the Hare' probably remembers the moral: Slow and steady wins the race. This version of the story has a second moral: Go to Israel. In this picture book, the title characters are friends who live in Tel Aviv, and they're racing each other to the Dead Sea. Hare keeps getting distracted by the local sights. He stops by the shuk to buy dried apricots. He sits down in an oasis to enjoy tea and baklava. Readers will sympathize. Every page is full of so many wonderful distractions that the book feels like an ad for the Israeli tourist industry. If readers look closely at the artwork, they'll see a bear on top of a unicycle, juggling as it rides, and a cat floating in the water, reading the paper. Instead of teaching the value of slow and steady progress, this version of the fable says: Stop and look around; there are olive groves and persimmon trees. The book is full of mixed messages, but if the moral is confused, readers won't mind. There are animals everywhere: whales and ravens and swimming camels. They're made up of bold, geometric shapes in gorgeous pastel colors. If the story teaches any lesson at all, it's this: A short attention span can be a glorious thing, particularly in a place like this." — Kirkus Reviews
School Library Journal
03/01/2015
PreS-Gr 2—The age-old fable is retold with a modern Israeli setting. The tortoise and the hare race from Tel Aviv to the Dead Sea, allowing readers to glimpse at locations along the way, from the city of Jerusalem to an oasis in the desert. Instead of providing a "whirlwind tour" like so many picture books about Israel, the locales are well integrated into the story line, and the characters' actions flesh out their personalities. Cleanly stylish, slightly retro digital illustrations show an Israel populated by diverse people and animals. Hebrew signage adds local flavor. The final spread offers a stylized map showing the race route and reminding readers of the things the tortoise and hare encountered along the way. VERDICT A wonderfully unique approach to showcasing Israel for young children.—Heidi Estrin, Congregation B'nai Israel, Boca Raton, FL
Kirkus Reviews
2014-12-06
Anyone who knows "The Tortoise and the Hare" probably remembers the moral: Slow and steady wins the race. This version of the story has a second moral: Go to Israel.In this picture book, the title characters are friends who live in Tel Aviv, and they're racing each other to the Dead Sea. Hare keeps getting distracted by the local sights. He stops by the shuk to buy dried apricots. He sits down in an oasis to enjoy tea and baklava. Readers will sympathize. Every page is full of so many wonderful distractions that the book feels like an ad for the Israeli tourist industry. If readers look closely at the artwork, they'll see a bear on top of a unicycle, juggling as it rides, and a cat floating in the water, reading the paper. Instead of teaching the value of slow and steady progress, this version of the fable says: Stop and look around; there are olive groves and persimmon trees. The book is full of mixed messages, but if the moral is confused, readers won't mind. There are animals everywhere: whales and ravens and swimming camels. They're made up of bold, geometric shapes in gorgeous pastel colors. If the story teaches any lesson at all, it's this: A short attention span can be a glorious thing, particularly in a place like this. (Picture book. 4-7)
