Horn Book Review
On Erev Rosh Hashanah, an African American soldier leaves a tarnished horn with an antiques-store-owning white Jewish family for safekeeping; as the once-struggling family does good deeds, they prosper and the horn glows brighter. Despite its modern-feeling setting, this fable maintains the tone of a classic Elijah tale. Glowing, gold-tinged illustrations fit the story well. An appended note discusses Kimmel's inspiration. (c) Copyright 2017. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Booklist Review
In this updated version of The Samovar, a short story from Kimmel's Days of Awe (1991), a uniformed stranger appears at Gabriel's door just before Rosh Hashanah. The soldier presents Gabriel with a tarnished French horn, asking that his family keep it safe until he returns. Curiously, the horn cannot be polished; mysteriously, the family's dire financial straits are completely reversed; and miraculously, each time the family shares their new prosperity with others, the horn shines more brightly. Seven years later, the soldier returns and allows Gabriel to keep the horn because his family has been so generous. Set in a contemporary urban neighborhood, Surducan's richly colored illustrations make good use of lighting and shadows to convey moods and highlight particulars. Small details also offer clues to the story's origins: the soldier (who is Elijah the prophet in disguise) sports a name tag labeled Tishbi, the reputed home of Elijah. This heartfelt story will be welcome in Judaica collections and by religious classes learning about tzedekah, or helping those in need.--Weisman, Kay Copyright 2016 Booklist
