The Matzo Ball Boy

by Lisa Shulman

Book Overview

On the morning of the Passover seder, a lonely bubbe decides to make a matzo ball boy to keep her company. Soon delicious smells waft from the bubbling pot, and when she lifts the lid to see if the matzo ball boy is done, out he jumps. "Oy " she cries. "And where do you think you're going?" "I'm off to see the world, bubbe, " he replies. Before long, a yenta and her children, a rabbi, and a fox are all on a mad chase to catch the matzo ball boy

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0142407690
• ISBN13: 9780142407691
• Release Date: January 2007
• Publisher: Puffin Books
• Length: 32 Pages
• Weight: 0.35 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.2" x 8.3" x 10.8"
• Age Range: 3 to 7 years
• Grade Range: Preschool to Grade 2

Customer Reviews

Matzo Ball-tastic!

I am a first grade teacher and every winter we teach "holidays around the world." I like to incorporate different cultures as much as I can. This book is hilarious, witty, suspensful, and full of Passover lingo. I love to use this book to practice comparing texts with my students. We make a Venn-diagram and describe the similarities and differences of The Matzo Ball Boy with The Gingerbread Man. Enjoy! Oy!

a great book for reading out loud

If you like using character voices when reading to your children, this is the book for you-- it even tells you how to pronounce the words if you're unfamiliar with them. Good illustrations, a fun twist on the old story, and I loved the ending.

Great for all ages

What a clever twist on an old classic. I was given this book as a gift and all three of my children (ages 4-13) thought it was great. We are not Jewish and really enjoyed the yiddish mixed in to the tale, very educational. This is a wonderful gift idea.

A tongue-in-cheek hoot!

This modern Jewish American take on the classic "Gingerbread Man" fairy tale is filled with funny plot twists, clever Yiddish-isms, and beautiful illustrations. The ultimate "thanks-for-inviting-us-to-your-Seder" gift!

Let all who are hungry... come and read

One day, the author, Lisa Shulman (author and a former classroom teacher), was making soup while her daughters read the Gingerbrad Man story. OY! BING! Inspiration. The Matzo Ball Boy was born. With lovely deep reds and oranges, chicken soup yellows, and forest greens, we read the story of a childless bube, who is preparing for a lonely Passover meal. A shanda. When, oy, her matzo ball comes alive. A Matzo Boy Boy is born. Boy, Shmoy he tells her. He is a man, and off to make his way in the world and not in a soup bowl. He runs and she gives chase. As do the tailor, the rabbi, the yenta, and a wolf that is not as smart as he thought. In the forest, the matzo ball boy gets tired and hungry; he meets up with a poor man who isn't interested in giving chase. Let all who are hungry come and eat, so the boy comes to the poor man's cottage. When the matzo ball boy leans over to check out the poor family's soup... This humorous tale is a must have for your seder table or bookcase. Includes not a "glass tea" but something better, a glossary of 14 Jewish words