Tikvah Means Hope

Patricia Polacco strikes again, in this deeply moving picture-book about a group of neighbors caught up in the terrible Oakland Firestorm of 1991, in which twenty-five people perished, and close to 3,400 homes were destroyed. As Mr. and Mrs. Roth prepare for Sukkot - the Jewish harvest festival that usually falls some time in late September, or October - their young neighbors, Justine and Duane, aid them in the building of a sukkah, a temporary hut in which the holiday is celebrated. But when a terrible fire descends upon their neighborhood, destroying everything in its path, it seems as if there is no longer anything for which to give thanks. And then, sifting through the ruins of their homes, an amazing discovery is made! Not only did the sukkah somehow miraculously survive the inferno, but the Roth's cat, Tikvah (which means "hope" in Hebrew) did as well!

I'm somewhat surprised to realize, after taking stock, that Tikvah Means Hope is only the fourteenth Polacco picture-book I've read (she's written fifty-three!), as I feel like a real veteran by now. I'm also surprised, as always, by this author's ability to reduce me to a sniffling mess, since I should - by now - be prepared for the poignancy of her stories! It's a tribute to her skills as a storyteller and illustrator that, despite being forewarned, I was moved to tears, when reading this. Highly recommended to all Polacco fans, as well as to anyone looking for a good picture-book dealing with the Oakland Firestorm, or the holiday of Sukkot. ( )

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The book was inspired by the true events of a devastating fire in Oakland in the early 1990's, where 25 people died and 3400 homes were destroyed. But the focus of the book is on the Sukkah which was built and used right before the fire broke out. Several days later, when the people could return they saw that the Sukkah miraculously did not burn down, so they celebrated altogether the festival in it. The other miracle, referred to in the title was the survival of a cat called Tikvah, the word meaning hope in Hebrew. According to the author's website (http://www.patriciapolacco.com/books/tikvah/tikvah.html) the book is aimed for children between 4 and 8, but I would recommend reading it for the upper end of the spectrum.

Inspired by fire that raged on a hot October day in Oakland CA. Includes some details on building a Jewish Sukkah and the idea of thankfulness. Great story of community rallying together, comforting one another. ( )