Yussel's prayer: A Yom Kippur story

by Barbara Cohen

A cowherd's simple but sincere Yom Kippur prayer is instrumental in ending the day's fast.

Genres: Picture Books, Jewish

32 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1981

About the author

Barbara Cohen (1932-1992) was the author of several acclaimed picture books and novels for young readers, including The Carp in the Bathtub, Yussel's Prayer: A Yom Kippur Story, Thank You, Jackie Robinson, and King of the Seventh Grade.

Reviews

[Kira Nerys · Rating 5 out of 5]

Certainly very religious, but also a touching, sweet story. Might work better as a lesson for conservative Jewish children than an educational book for others.

[Emma Horn · Rating 4 out of 5]

My favorite thing about this story was the clear moral at the end. The illustrations were black and white which made the reader focus on the text more than the pictures. The theme of innocence and purity in this story could be applied to many situations and stories.

Ideas
Word choice

LEXILE: N/A
ATOS: N/A

[Marrin]

Nah. Beautiful photos, but story’s a little intense and a little theistic for me.

[Sharron · Rating 5 out of 5]

I use this book every year, originally for second graders, but now first grade. It's a traditional story, and it's got a lesson that applies all year to any service, not just Yom Kippur.