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Adventures of Hershel of Ostropol
Features stories about a clever man who lived by his wits as his pockets were always empty.
64 pages, Paperback
First published October 1, 1981
About the author
Eric A. Kimmel
145 books113 followersEric A. Kimmel is an American author of more than 150 children's books. His works include Caldecott Honor Book Hershel and the Hanukkah Goblins (illustrated by Trina Schart Hyman), Sydney Taylor Book Award winners The Chanukkah Guest and Gershon's Monster, and Simon and the Bear: A Hanukkah Tale.
Kimmel was born in Brooklyn, New York and earned a bachelor's degree in English literature from Lafayette College in 1967, a master's degree from New York University, and a PhD in Education from the University of Illinois in 1973. He taught at Indiana University at South Bend, and at Portland State University, where he is Professor Emeritus of Education.
Kimmel lives with his wife, Doris, in Portland, Oregon.
Kimmel was born in Brooklyn, New York and earned a bachelor's degree in English literature from Lafayette College in 1967, a master's degree from New York University, and a PhD in Education from the University of Illinois in 1973. He taught at Indiana University at South Bend, and at Portland State University, where he is Professor Emeritus of Education.
Kimmel lives with his wife, Doris, in Portland, Oregon.
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Displaying 1 - 24 of 24 reviews
July 26, 2025
Yes, I do very much appreciate that unlike with his 1989 picture book Hershel and the Hanukkah Goblins (which has very good background information on Hanukkah but nothing on the main protagonist, nothing on Hershel of Ostropol himself) for Adventures of Hershel of Ostropol (1995) Eric A. Kimmel does indeed provide a brief introduction to Hershel of Ostropol, how he is based on an actual person who lived in what is now the Ukraine in the first part of the 19th century, was by trade a schochet, was a person who served Jewish communities as a ritual slaughterer of livestock and that Hershel of Ostropol is in Jewish (in Yiddish) folklore an important and beloved trickster figure, represents someone who with cleverness and with wit but generally never with magic outsmarts the rich, the entitled, the miserly and always comes out on top so to speak, and yes indeed, even when Hershel of Ostropol faces death (a pretty decent and sufficiently informative author's note, to be sure, although I personally do wish that Kimmel would also not just point out that he gleaned his retold tales from one Yiddish and one Hebrew collection but also include their actual and original titles and would equally mention possible folkloric connections to other Eurasian trickster figures, as the stories featured in Adventures of Hershel of Ostropol do in my humble opinion very much and very closely resemble both the adventures of the German jester Tyll Eulenspiegel and also those of the Turkish trickster Nasreddin Hodja).
Now as to the ten tales Eric A. Kimmel showcases in Adventures of Hershel of Ostropol, they are typical trickster fare, they are humorous, with a quite a bit of social satire, and with Hershel of Ostropol outwitting greedy members of his own family, a bandit who tries to rob him, a local rabbi, an angel, a greedy count and getting revenge on a rival (and yes, that most of the tricks Hershel plays are actually rather justified and not just mean-spirited for their own sake). But just to say that although I have really enjoyed Adventures of Hershel of Ostropol for what the stories are and for what they represent, I do find it a trifle frustrating that albeit Kimmel points out in his introduction that Hershel of Ostropol is (or was) a Jewish Ukrainian trickster, there is at least in my opinion nothing textually included in any of those ten tales that feels all that specifically Ukrainian to me and that I would definitely enjoy and appreciate Adventures of Hershel of Ostropol a lot more if Eric A. Kimmel would include and present a more solid sense of geographic place (and perhaps also of historic time).
And combined with the fact that while I do consider Trina Schart-Hyman's accompanying artwork for Adventures of Hershel of Ostropol aesthetically adept and very nice, I do wish that Schart-Hyman's pictures were not black-and-white and equally so a bit more visually expansive, sorry, but although the combination of text and images for Adventures of Hershel of Ostropol works well together, the lack of specifically Ukrainian culture and geography in Kimmel's narrative, the absence of colour in the artwork and that I do really want and need a more detailed author's note, yes, this does mean that for me Adventures of Hershel of Ostropol can only rate with a rather low three stars (still warmly enough recommended, but Adventures of Hershel of Ostropol is definitely not all that spectacular and certainly could be oh so much better).
Now as to the ten tales Eric A. Kimmel showcases in Adventures of Hershel of Ostropol, they are typical trickster fare, they are humorous, with a quite a bit of social satire, and with Hershel of Ostropol outwitting greedy members of his own family, a bandit who tries to rob him, a local rabbi, an angel, a greedy count and getting revenge on a rival (and yes, that most of the tricks Hershel plays are actually rather justified and not just mean-spirited for their own sake). But just to say that although I have really enjoyed Adventures of Hershel of Ostropol for what the stories are and for what they represent, I do find it a trifle frustrating that albeit Kimmel points out in his introduction that Hershel of Ostropol is (or was) a Jewish Ukrainian trickster, there is at least in my opinion nothing textually included in any of those ten tales that feels all that specifically Ukrainian to me and that I would definitely enjoy and appreciate Adventures of Hershel of Ostropol a lot more if Eric A. Kimmel would include and present a more solid sense of geographic place (and perhaps also of historic time).
And combined with the fact that while I do consider Trina Schart-Hyman's accompanying artwork for Adventures of Hershel of Ostropol aesthetically adept and very nice, I do wish that Schart-Hyman's pictures were not black-and-white and equally so a bit more visually expansive, sorry, but although the combination of text and images for Adventures of Hershel of Ostropol works well together, the lack of specifically Ukrainian culture and geography in Kimmel's narrative, the absence of colour in the artwork and that I do really want and need a more detailed author's note, yes, this does mean that for me Adventures of Hershel of Ostropol can only rate with a rather low three stars (still warmly enough recommended, but Adventures of Hershel of Ostropol is definitely not all that spectacular and certainly could be oh so much better).
August 8, 2019
Hershel of Ostropol, the trickster hero of Eastern European Jewish folklore who appeared in author Eric A. Kimmel and illustrator Trina Schart Hyman's marvelous holiday picture-book,
Hershel and the Hanukkah Goblins
, stars in ten stories in this collection. Outwitting his stingy Uncle Zalman, tightfisted innkeepers, and nefarious bandits, Hershel always finds a way to get what he wants: to feed his family, and sometimes, to aid the other poor people of his village...
Two of the selections in The Adventures of Hershel of Ostropol - "What Hershel's Father Did" and "The Bandit" - appeared in an earlier, more limited collection, Hershel of Ostropol , as did the introduction. Whatever their source (and Kimmel mentions a collection in Yiddish, and one in Hebrew, from which he drew), these tales are immensely humorous and entertaining, not to mention emotionally satisfying, as the reader gets to witness the cunning of a poor but clever man pitted against wealth and privilege. The accompanying artwork from Hyman is appealing, so far as it went, but I wished that there was more of it, given that it consists solely of small black-and-white panels at each chapter-header. Recommended to anyone who had read Hershel and the Hanukkah Goblins and wanted more, as well as to all folklore enthusiasts.
Two of the selections in The Adventures of Hershel of Ostropol - "What Hershel's Father Did" and "The Bandit" - appeared in an earlier, more limited collection, Hershel of Ostropol , as did the introduction. Whatever their source (and Kimmel mentions a collection in Yiddish, and one in Hebrew, from which he drew), these tales are immensely humorous and entertaining, not to mention emotionally satisfying, as the reader gets to witness the cunning of a poor but clever man pitted against wealth and privilege. The accompanying artwork from Hyman is appealing, so far as it went, but I wished that there was more of it, given that it consists solely of small black-and-white panels at each chapter-header. Recommended to anyone who had read Hershel and the Hanukkah Goblins and wanted more, as well as to all folklore enthusiasts.
May 3, 2021
I read voraciously as an adult, of course, and I have had the honor and privilege to pass this passion for the written word down to my three beautiful children. I don’t always review the massive number of books we read on a regular basis as they don’t always seem to capture the spark that others do, and the number is so high it is a fool’s errand to count each and every book in the mountain as worthy to count toward my yearly reading goals, never mind worthy of a review. Some of them just serve a purpose as an entertainment before bed, and that is it.
Where do we choose our books? Of course, the local public library’s incredibly curated new arrivals and collection bundles, but also the spectacular work of PJ Library and the Harold Greenspoon Foundation’s mission to make sure a new book about love, heritage, and Mitzvah end up in our mailbox every month. Of course, we devour all of them, but I only occasionally use this opportunity to highlight a specific book that has truly captured the love and attention of my six-year-old. This one has for the past two years or so.
The Adventures of Hershel of Osterpol (Hershele Ostropoyler) is a new retelling/translation of the traditional Hershel character by Eric A Kimmel. Kimmel is best known for his storybook Hershel and the Hanukkah Goblins. The Adventures is a slim volume with only 64 pages, encompassing just ten Hershel folktales. Hershel was a real man in the late 18th century, but his exploits as a humorous trickster became legendary as the stories were told and retold through the vibrancy of Yiddish oral history. Kimmel’s retelling of these ten tales has a warm, silly joy to them, and his prose and ability to structure these tales lend the energy and comfort all great bedtime stories evoke. The illustrations are few. The writing carries it, and carries it well.
The true testament to how wonderful this book is, however, is that my six-year-old always puts it at the bottom of our reading pile, and at times, only insists on Hershel stories for bedtime. While there are only ten tales, we always start over again at the beginning when we finish it, and we have read this small book maybe thirty or forty times through. It just doesn’t get old to him, and I have always been surprised at how deep his love for this character and this book is. We may wear it out, and when we do, another will take its place. Kimmel’s book is a staple at bedtime, and regardless of what was pulling at his attention that day, winding down to a Hershel of Osterpol story is exactly what we need before drifting off to sleep. I only wish there were more volumes, or this collection was longer.
Where do we choose our books? Of course, the local public library’s incredibly curated new arrivals and collection bundles, but also the spectacular work of PJ Library and the Harold Greenspoon Foundation’s mission to make sure a new book about love, heritage, and Mitzvah end up in our mailbox every month. Of course, we devour all of them, but I only occasionally use this opportunity to highlight a specific book that has truly captured the love and attention of my six-year-old. This one has for the past two years or so.
The Adventures of Hershel of Osterpol (Hershele Ostropoyler) is a new retelling/translation of the traditional Hershel character by Eric A Kimmel. Kimmel is best known for his storybook Hershel and the Hanukkah Goblins. The Adventures is a slim volume with only 64 pages, encompassing just ten Hershel folktales. Hershel was a real man in the late 18th century, but his exploits as a humorous trickster became legendary as the stories were told and retold through the vibrancy of Yiddish oral history. Kimmel’s retelling of these ten tales has a warm, silly joy to them, and his prose and ability to structure these tales lend the energy and comfort all great bedtime stories evoke. The illustrations are few. The writing carries it, and carries it well.
The true testament to how wonderful this book is, however, is that my six-year-old always puts it at the bottom of our reading pile, and at times, only insists on Hershel stories for bedtime. While there are only ten tales, we always start over again at the beginning when we finish it, and we have read this small book maybe thirty or forty times through. It just doesn’t get old to him, and I have always been surprised at how deep his love for this character and this book is. We may wear it out, and when we do, another will take its place. Kimmel’s book is a staple at bedtime, and regardless of what was pulling at his attention that day, winding down to a Hershel of Osterpol story is exactly what we need before drifting off to sleep. I only wish there were more volumes, or this collection was longer.
September 1, 2025
Otra vez me encuentro en la posición de tener algo extraño entre manos.
Este libro son diez historietas sobre este legendario personaje del imaginario judío del este (Ucrania y alrededores) moderno. Hershel, un tipo pobre pero muy espabilado, se encuentra en todo tipo de situaciones que lo obligan a valerse de su ingenio para sacar provecho.
Es una cosa un poco rara. Primero, no creo que estas historietas ayudaran con los estereotipos antisemitas... pero bueno. Por otra parte tengo que investigar que, en una historieta, se hacen referencias a hechos imposibles (darle la vuelta a un lobo como a un calcetín, viajar tirando de su propia barba...) que puedo jurar que se ecuentran en Las Aventuras del Barón de Münchaussen (que ya leí en su día). ¿Casualidad? mmmm probablemente bromas comunes de la época o algo.
Este libro son diez historietas sobre este legendario personaje del imaginario judío del este (Ucrania y alrededores) moderno. Hershel, un tipo pobre pero muy espabilado, se encuentra en todo tipo de situaciones que lo obligan a valerse de su ingenio para sacar provecho.
Es una cosa un poco rara. Primero, no creo que estas historietas ayudaran con los estereotipos antisemitas... pero bueno. Por otra parte tengo que investigar que, en una historieta, se hacen referencias a hechos imposibles (darle la vuelta a un lobo como a un calcetín, viajar tirando de su propia barba...) que puedo jurar que se ecuentran en Las Aventuras del Barón de Münchaussen (que ya leí en su día). ¿Casualidad? mmmm probablemente bromas comunes de la época o algo.
March 23, 2026
Thank goodness for the archives at openlibrary.org.
Hyman & Kimmel & a trickster - what a combination!
And yes, it is best to think of Hershel as akin to Anansi, Coyote, etc. Thinking of him as a person who won't work or practice thrift is not conducive to empathy. (Although if Kimmel wanted him to be a person, he could have written of 'bad luck' or other obstacles that got in the way of Hershel's ability to care for his family.)
"What does God think of money? Look who he gives it to."
"Better to eat black bread then dream of challah."
Hyman & Kimmel & a trickster - what a combination!
And yes, it is best to think of Hershel as akin to Anansi, Coyote, etc. Thinking of him as a person who won't work or practice thrift is not conducive to empathy. (Although if Kimmel wanted him to be a person, he could have written of 'bad luck' or other obstacles that got in the way of Hershel's ability to care for his family.)
"What does God think of money? Look who he gives it to."
"Better to eat black bread then dream of challah."
March 29, 2018
A fantastic collection of Eastern European Jewish folktales, centered on one Hershele Ostropoler, or Hershel of Ostropol. Hershel is a prankster, and many of these short stories are very humorous. There wasn't as much of Trina Schart Hyman's incredible illustrations as I'd like, but I still loved this book. Also check out Hershel and the Hanukkah Goblins, a full-length picture book by the same team.
October 9, 2020
This was entertaining. I could get my rabbi’s voice when reading these stories ;)
Not sure how appropriate or relatable the stories are for younger readers despite seeming to be marketed to younger readers.
Not sure how appropriate or relatable the stories are for younger readers despite seeming to be marketed to younger readers.
December 31, 2022
Big fun with Hershel, the Jewish trickster. All of these stories are delightful and charming. Kimmel delivers them at a quick pace with lots of personality. My favorite might be "An Incredible Story," but really all of them are great.
December 7, 2018
This book is a good book because it starts out with a story of Hershel’s so you are able to understand why he is far from home.
December 9, 2019
A collection of funny, classic Jewish stories.
June 18, 2020
Herschel outsmarts just about everyone. I like the Herschel's Sayings at the back of the book. My favorite is: Better a whole lie than a half truth.
January 18, 2023
Very funny. Acerbic wit.
January 22, 2025
Fun guy.
March 2, 2016
Title: The Adentures of Hershel of Ostropol
Author: Retold by Eric A. Kimmel
Illustrator: Trina Schart Hyman
Genre: Legend
Theme(s): Friendship, Character and Values
Opening line/sentence: No collection of Jewish folklore is complete without at least one story about Hershel of Ostropol, or Hershele Ostropolier, as he is called in Yiddish, the language of Eastern European Jews.
Brief Book Summary: This book contains 12 retold stories of a famous Jewish folk hero Hershel of Ostropol. He is a poor man who is either talking his way out of or into tricky situations through out his entire life.
Professional Recommendation/Review #1: Kimmel, Eric A. and Hyman, Trina Schart The Adventures of Hershel of Ostropol 64 pp. Holiday ISBN 0-8234-1210-5 (2) 4-6 series. Kimmel retells ten stories about Hershel of Ostropol, a Jewish folk hero who lived during the first part of the nineteenth century. A man quick with a humorous saying or jest, Hershel lived by his wits, traveling from town to town in Eastern Europe. Each story is illustrated with humorous black-and-white drawings.
Professional Recommendation/Review #2: Jan Lieberman (Children's Literature)
Meet Hershel of Ostropol, a fool or a wise man? That's for you to decide when you read these rich, witty stories. Hershel's sayings explain him best of all: "God must love poor people. Why else would He make so many of them? Better a whole lie than a half-truth. How to get rid of someone for good: If he's rich, ask to borrow money. If he's poor, lend him some." Add some merriment to your life and your children's--read a story a day. You don't have to be Jewish to appreciate Hershel; he is universal. 1995, Holiday, $15.95. Ages All. (PUBLISHER: Holiday House (New York:), PUBLISHED: c1995.)
Response to Two Professional Reviews: I did not think these reviews were helpful at all. I think that they both lacked detail of what the book actually consisted of. For example, they should have explained that the book consisted of about 10 mini stories that told different tricky situations that Hershel of Ostropol gets into and then has to use his wit and wise thinking to get out of. This book contains a lot of life lessons that children may need to read between the lines to figure out but they are there. Also children can learn a handful of important aspects from this book from chronological order to how to predict what is going to happen.
Evaluation of Literary Elements: After reading this entire book I think that the Literary Elements that are in this book make this book very appealing to children. It has a strong plot in each story that gets children interested since it has a lot of action and the characters throughout the book are life like. The plot in each story also includes conflict with Hershel of Ostropol in each one so the children are constantly trying to figure out what is going to happen next.
Consideration of Instructional Application: I would use this classroom in my book in order to teach my students about chronological order and predictions. I would first explain what predictions were and how we make them in a situation or during a story. I would then read half of each of the stories to the children and create a list of all of the predictions the children came up with. This would be carried out for each story that is included in this book. Lastly, to teach the children chronological order we would go over as a class what chronological means. Lastly, we would dissect each story and list the events in chronological order as a class so I knew that each student understood. Finally, I would have students pair up and give them a mixed up pile of events that happened through out one of the stories and they would have to put it in the correct chronological order. This will have them exercise their ability to put things into chronological order along with allowing them to recall what they read.
Author: Retold by Eric A. Kimmel
Illustrator: Trina Schart Hyman
Genre: Legend
Theme(s): Friendship, Character and Values
Opening line/sentence: No collection of Jewish folklore is complete without at least one story about Hershel of Ostropol, or Hershele Ostropolier, as he is called in Yiddish, the language of Eastern European Jews.
Brief Book Summary: This book contains 12 retold stories of a famous Jewish folk hero Hershel of Ostropol. He is a poor man who is either talking his way out of or into tricky situations through out his entire life.
Professional Recommendation/Review #1: Kimmel, Eric A. and Hyman, Trina Schart The Adventures of Hershel of Ostropol 64 pp. Holiday ISBN 0-8234-1210-5 (2) 4-6 series. Kimmel retells ten stories about Hershel of Ostropol, a Jewish folk hero who lived during the first part of the nineteenth century. A man quick with a humorous saying or jest, Hershel lived by his wits, traveling from town to town in Eastern Europe. Each story is illustrated with humorous black-and-white drawings.
Professional Recommendation/Review #2: Jan Lieberman (Children's Literature)
Meet Hershel of Ostropol, a fool or a wise man? That's for you to decide when you read these rich, witty stories. Hershel's sayings explain him best of all: "God must love poor people. Why else would He make so many of them? Better a whole lie than a half-truth. How to get rid of someone for good: If he's rich, ask to borrow money. If he's poor, lend him some." Add some merriment to your life and your children's--read a story a day. You don't have to be Jewish to appreciate Hershel; he is universal. 1995, Holiday, $15.95. Ages All. (PUBLISHER: Holiday House (New York:), PUBLISHED: c1995.)
Response to Two Professional Reviews: I did not think these reviews were helpful at all. I think that they both lacked detail of what the book actually consisted of. For example, they should have explained that the book consisted of about 10 mini stories that told different tricky situations that Hershel of Ostropol gets into and then has to use his wit and wise thinking to get out of. This book contains a lot of life lessons that children may need to read between the lines to figure out but they are there. Also children can learn a handful of important aspects from this book from chronological order to how to predict what is going to happen.
Evaluation of Literary Elements: After reading this entire book I think that the Literary Elements that are in this book make this book very appealing to children. It has a strong plot in each story that gets children interested since it has a lot of action and the characters throughout the book are life like. The plot in each story also includes conflict with Hershel of Ostropol in each one so the children are constantly trying to figure out what is going to happen next.
Consideration of Instructional Application: I would use this classroom in my book in order to teach my students about chronological order and predictions. I would first explain what predictions were and how we make them in a situation or during a story. I would then read half of each of the stories to the children and create a list of all of the predictions the children came up with. This would be carried out for each story that is included in this book. Lastly, to teach the children chronological order we would go over as a class what chronological means. Lastly, we would dissect each story and list the events in chronological order as a class so I knew that each student understood. Finally, I would have students pair up and give them a mixed up pile of events that happened through out one of the stories and they would have to put it in the correct chronological order. This will have them exercise their ability to put things into chronological order along with allowing them to recall what they read.
April 27, 2026
I learned of Hershel of Ostropol through a newspaper article: "If They Want it, They’ll Take It (December 26, 2000 Ha'aretz, by Yoel Marcus). Or at least I thought I did. It turns out I read another book about Hershel of Ostropol by Eric A. Kimmel many years ago: *Hershel and the Hanukkah Goblins*, also illustrated by Trina Schart Hyman. (This is also a wonderful book BTW.)
In his article, Yoel Marcus recounts the tale of Hershel telling an innkeeper that if the innkeeper doesn’t feed him, Hershel is going to do what his father did. Scared, the innkeeper feeds him. After Hershel eats his meal, the innkeeper asks him what it was that his father did. Hershel replies, "He went hungry!"
This is probably the best known story of Hershel of Ostropol. The book contains nine other tales, and they’re all pretty good. I read the book on the internet archive, and sadly only the cover picture is in color. Having really enjoyed the illustrations for *Hershel and the Hanukkah Goblins* I looked around for a print edition, which, once I found one, I promptly ordered it. I am looking forward to receiving it!
In his article, Yoel Marcus recounts the tale of Hershel telling an innkeeper that if the innkeeper doesn’t feed him, Hershel is going to do what his father did. Scared, the innkeeper feeds him. After Hershel eats his meal, the innkeeper asks him what it was that his father did. Hershel replies, "He went hungry!"
This is probably the best known story of Hershel of Ostropol. The book contains nine other tales, and they’re all pretty good. I read the book on the internet archive, and sadly only the cover picture is in color. Having really enjoyed the illustrations for *Hershel and the Hanukkah Goblins* I looked around for a print edition, which, once I found one, I promptly ordered it. I am looking forward to receiving it!
January 16, 2011
Hershel is a poor man with a family, getting along mainly by his wits and his talent at trickery. The stories are funny, clever, and I always enjoy Kimmel's conversational style. Yet I feel a little ambivalent about the message they send. Hershel's victims are often as poor as he and he never suffers a single consequence for his behavior. In other trickster stories, like Anansi and Brer Rabbit, the victims usually have it coming and that is also true in some Hershel stories, but not the majority. But as Logan thought they were hilarious, I feel it needs at least 3 stars.
July 9, 2012
Jewish folktales, many of which are very funny and, in trickster tradition, will be appealing to children who want to see the common guy with quick wits fool the robber and rich man. Illustrations are line drawings, although very complex and richly detailed. Some of the drawings make more sense after reading the story.
February 25, 2011
"Funny, good read. Not really any pictures but a good storybook to introduce to kids if they enjoy the other Hershel picture book "Hershel and The Hanukkah Goblins". Not scary like the other might be but good fun enjoyable reading. Mr. Kimmel did another great job!"
June 11, 2024
Hershel has some fun adventures. Not especially beneficial as far as morality goes or orthodox Jewish theology. Hershel is just a character to laugh at as he seeks to be lazy for long stretches of time to be interrupted with brief exertions of effort for some zany scheme.
February 6, 2012
I used to read this when I spent summer's at my grandmother's house. It's just as good as it was back then.
August 25, 2012
One of my favorite collections of stories. These adventurous and comical tales make for great bedtime stories.
December 22, 2015
Hershel was kind of a dick.
August 23, 2024
Good book
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July 30, 2009JE398.2-Kim
Displaying 1 - 24 of 24 reviews