Something from Nothing, Phoebe Gilman

Something from Nothing, Phoebe Gilman

When Joseph was a baby, his grandfather made him a shimmering blue blanket adorned with the moon and stars.
As the boy grows and the blanket wears out, the old tailor recycles it, in succession fashioning a jacket, a vest, a tie and, finally, a cloth-covered button.
But when Joseph loses the button, even his grandfather cannot make something from nothing.

With lovely repetition and internal rhyme, this thoughtfully presented Jewish folktale will captivate readers right through the ending, in which the boy discovers one last way of using what he has.

I especially love the art in this book, which shows a whole new layer of story that is not in the text, as the snippets of fabric fall through the cracks of the floor, helping the family of mice that live below.

This is a wonderful tale to read together, to give as a gift for a newborn and to share with older students as a Jewish fairytale.

• ISBN-10: 1443119466
• ISBN-13: 978-1443119467

 Ages 5-11.