How Yussel Caught the Gefilte Fish

by Charlotte Herman Author, katya Krenina Illustrator

(From Amazon): Here is a story that beautifully combines the adventurous spirit of a father-son outing with the quiet inner joy of the Sabbath. Yussel loves gefilte fish—those large, delicious fish balls that Mama serves on Friday night at the Shabbos meal. Early every Friday morning, Papa leaves to catch the fish. And now, finally, Yussel is old enough to accompany him. At dawn they set off, and soon Yussel has caught a fat, gold-colored fish. "Nice and zaftig. It reminds me of your Aunt Goldie," says Papa. But since it's not round like a fish ball, Yussel is disappointed it's not a gefilte. And when he catches a trout (lively like cousin Hannah Rose) and a pike (stubborn like Uncle Harry), he's disappointed, too. What will they do without gefilte fish for the Shabbos meal? In this gently humorous story of wide reach and warm words, Charlotte Herman evokes that remarkable feeling of a child's growing participation in a family occasion. Katya Krenina captures Yussel's moods—and his final fuller understanding—with illustrations shot through with the light of early morning and of Shabbos candles.