Ruth Bornstein

I tend to really like stories where things are passed down through family members. Those are really sweet. I especially liked this one because it was about the Seashell Rosie's grandmother found when she was a young girl. Very cute story with nice illustrations. =)

Little Gorilla is a favorite of mine. In this short story by Ruth Bornstein, we enter into the beloved life of "Little Gorilla." This book is a great way for young children to see how going through changes does not mean that you will be any less loved. "Little Gorilla" is loved by many members of his community, ranging from a hippo to a big boa-constrictor and more. This also shows the reader that other members in your community, even if they are completely different than you, can develop a show more loving and caring relationship for you that you can depend on. Overall, this is a sweet and simple story about Little Gorilla's birthday and how his community supports him as he grows up. show less

Both of my children LOVED/love this story. It was one of the first stories that prompted reactions from them...even at very young ages (beginning at around 8 months). It remains a story that is still being requested at three years of age. The illustrations of the gorilla as he grows "big" are adorable and never fail to elicit a giggle or two...or three. Bornstein is adept at building anticipation, even for the youngest of readers.

While Joseph is still a young boy living "in a poor village by the Baltic Sea," he sees "that all around him the world dance." One day, at the shore, he is approached by an old man who dances toward him and tells him, "I'm the Dancing Man and I have a gift for you." After he disappears, Joseph sees that he has left him a pair of silver shoes. When Joseph is old enough for the shoes to fit him, he goes dancing from village to village, bringing joy and laughter and relief from pain. Even show more though people want him to stay, he never does. He is rather like the Elijah of Jewish folklore, who never stays in one place for very long. Finally, when Joseph is very old, he sees a young boy by the shore; the story will continue with him.
Although there is nothing obviously Jewish about the story or the pictures, the people in the small villages that Joseph travels to are dressed in shtetl-ish clothing. show less