Nicanor's Gate

by Eric A. Kimmel, Alida Massari (Illustrator)

Overview

Set in biblical times, the story of Nicanor's Gate—one of the entrances to the Temple in Jerusalem—shows how a man's faith is important to living a happy, fulfilled life. Nicanor, a wealthy merchant from Alexandria, is thrilled when King Herod calls on him to assist in rebuilding the ruined Temple in Jerusalem. Nicanor orders massive, beautifully intricate doors to be built, especially for the Eastern Gate of the Temple, but disaster strikes while the gates are being shipped from Alexandria to Jerusalem. To escape sinking, the ship must reduce its load, and one of the doors is pushed into the sea. But a miracle happens: the heavy door surfaces, is recovered from the sea, and installed as an entrance to the Temple area.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781541574526
Publisher:	Lerner Publishing Group
Publication date:	08/01/2020
Pages:	24
Product dimensions:	10.00(w) x 10.00(h) x 0.31(d)
Age Range:	6 - 7 Years

About the Author

Eric A. Kimmel has been writing for children for more than 40 years. His 100-plus titles include such classics as Anansi and the Moss-Covered Rock and The Chanukkah Guest. He lives in Portland, Oregon.

Alida Massari is an Italian artist specializing in illustration for children. Born in Rome where she studied illustration at the European Institute of Design, she finds inspiration for her work from folk traditions and ancient art. She has illustrated many books, collaborating with Italian, English, German, and American publishers. She lives in Rome, Italy.

Editorial Reviews

"This superb sto­ry is wor­thy of being read, shared, and reread often." — Michal Hoschander Malen, Jewish Book Council

From the Publisher

07/01/2020

PreS-Gr 2—A Talmudic story of a wealthy man who commissioned a famous gate for the second temple in Jerusalem is brought to life with beautiful new illustrations. Nicanor is a wealthy man, unhappy that the temple in Jerusalem is in disrepair, and then delighted when King Herod requests contributions to rebuild it. Nicanor commissions a beautifully wrought set of doors. Once they are completed, he sets sail to deliver them; but as they draw close, a storm kicks up, forcing the crew to push one of the heavy doors overboard. They are about to do the same to the second door when Nicanor throws himself upon it. The storm ceases, the boat docks, and the remaining door is unloaded. Nicanor is bereft until the lost door, despite its weight, washes ashore.The text is concise and clear, while the illustrations have a stylized, slightly still feel reminiscent of ancient art. Their textured backgrounds seem painted on wood, and the colors are in primarily earth tones, blues, and pinks. The storm is depicted in dark blues with curly textured waves that seem to rise up off the page. The scenes provide dramatic contrast for the straightforward text, clearly accessible to young readers. VERDICT Whether as folktale, Talmudic retelling, or a preschool course in miracles, this book will find a home in many school and public collections.—Amy Lilien-Harper, Wilton Lib., CT

School Library Journal

2020-06-16
Anyone looking for a definition of “miracle” could look to this picture book.

The miracle Nicanor witnesses couldn’t be more straightforward. He’s hired the finest artisans to build a gate for the Temple in Jerusalem, two colossal doors made of metal. But as soon as they’re placed on a transport ship, a storm begins. It sinks one of the doors—and very nearly the ship—to the bottom of the sea. But just as the precious cargo seems to be lost, the law of gravity appears to reverse itself, and the door is suddenly floating on top of the water. It would be difficult to find a clearer example of deus ex machina. But if the plot is unsurprising (at least to people who believe in miracles), the story still manages to convey a sense of wonder. This is due largely to Massari’s illustrations. The text describes the doors: “cast from Corninthian gold, a rare mixture of copper, gold, and silver that gleamed like the sun.” The colors in her pictures are so rich that the metal really does look like gold. (The characters’ skin tones are equally rich and varied shades of brown.) The marvels also contrast beautifully with the bleakness of the story. When hope seems lost, one character responds with both faith and resignation: “We do what we can. The rest is in God’s hands.” (This book was reviewed digitally with 9.75-by-20.5-inch double-page spreads viewed at 83% of actual size.)

This story will take away, and immediately restore, readers’ belief in miracles. (Picture book/religion. 4-10)

Kirkus Reviews