A Sack Full of Feathers

by Debby Waldman Narrated by David Skulski

Overview

Yankel loves to tell stories, as long as they are someone else's.

He does not see the hurt that his stories cause, the way they spread and change. Then the rabbi hands him a bag of feathers and tells him to place one on every doorstep in the village. Yankel is changed by what happens and finds himself with his best story yet, one of his very own.

Editorial Reviews

Publishers Weekly

A boy fond of spreading gossip and rumors "other people's stories" witnesses the ripple effects of his actions in this entertaining, if somewhat lengthy, retelling of a Jewish folktale. Whenever he overhears a snippet of conversation or observes villagers engaging in any activity he deems interesting, Yankel can't wait to tell his friends, embellishing the anecdotes to make them even livelier. This practice results in lots of half-truths and potentially harmful information floating around town. Luckily, the local rabbi has been watching Yankel, and has a creative way to help him see the error of his ways. It involves delivering feathers to every doorstep, and then trying to collect them again. (This plot thread will be familiar to those who have read Mr. Peabody's Apples by Madonna, illus. by Loren Long.) Waldman's text retains all the hallmarks of a traditional tale, but the real spark here is Revell's chipper artwork. Zippy page borders and spot illustrations with unusual shapes are among the design elements that give her textured acrylics some oomph. A cast of (mostly) spotted cats and a jaunty Yankel springing through the pages number among the memorable character depictions. Ages 4-8. (Sept.) Copyright 2006 Reed Business Information.

School Library Journal

K-Gr 3
When the rabbi overhears Yankel spreading damaging rumors, he gives the boy a sack of feathers, instructing him to place one feather on the doorstep of each house in their village. When the child reports back to the rabbi, he's told to collect the feathers-an impossibility that illustrates the uncontrollable nature of gossip. Animated acrylic artwork amplifies the Eastern European shtetl setting of this folktale. Waldman's decision to use a boy as the careless blabbermouth instead of the customary old yenta may give this cautionary tale more immediacy for children than Joan Rothenberg's Yettele's Feathers (Hyperion, 1995). The flavor of the straightforward language, however, has little of the zesty humor that gives Rothenberg's picture book its sparkle.
—Miriam Lang BudinCopyright 2006 Reed Business Information.

CM Magazine

"Waldman uses rich language which brings life to the story…Children will enjoy this story as a read-aloud."

Jewish Book World

"A wonderfully illustrated book...The art warmly underlines the plot...Refreshing."

Booklist

"The fun in this retelling of a Jewish folktale is not in the lesson, but in the setting, the people, and the stories they tell."

The Jewish Independent

"Its moral and drawings are first class.

Multicultural Review

"A valuable addition to any library, this book is highly recommended to people of all ages and walks of life."

Booklist

"The fun in this retelling of a Jewish folktale is not in the lesson, but in the setting, the people, and the stories they tell."

Publishers's Weekly

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Product Details

BN ID:	2940175041768
Publisher:	Orca Book Publishers
Publication date:	02/01/2013
Edition description:	Unabridged
Age Range:	8 - 11 Years

Read an Excerpt

"I never saw a feather," Levi said. "If you wanted me to have a feather, why didn't you knock on the door and hand it to me?"
"The rabbi told me to leave it on your doorstep," Yankel explained.
"Why on my doorstep? What's this about a feather?"
"Not just your doorstep. Everyone's doorstep. I don't know why, but the rabbi said to do it, so I must. And if your feather is gone, then I must go too, for I have many feathers to find before the sun sets."

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