The virtues of taking a break and of being thankful are extolled in the gentle story of a stubborn ox, an impatient farmer, and a day of rest.Long ago, in the hills near Jerusalem, lived a young ox. For six days each week, she and her owner would toil in the fields, and on the seventh day both would rest. Then it came to be that this young ox was sold. For six days, she toiled in her new owners fields, and on the seventh day the farmer brought out the yoke and plough, expecting to spend another day hard at work. But Shoshi the ox had a different idea. In a warm, friendly narrative and vivid, humorous art, author Caryn Yacowitz and illustrator Kevin Hawkes bring to life a tale drawn from the ancient Jewish stories known as the Midrash, a story as relevant today as it was long ago. Its a tale of encountering other cultures and learning from them, of paying attention to the world around you sun, breeze, animals, people and above all, of learning to slow down and take a break.

 

 

This book has been graded for interest at 3-8 years.

There are 48 pages in this book.

This is a picture book. A picture book uses pictures and text to tell the story. The number of words varies from zero ('wordless') to around 1k over 32 pages. Picture books are typically aimed at young readers (age 3-6) but can also be aimed at older children (7+).

This book was published in 2022 by Walker Books Ltd .

Author Caryn Yacowitz lives in Palo Alto, California. She has published eleven children's books, including her Native American Series, and her poetry and plays have appeared in several anthologies. She holds a master of arts degree in creative writing from San Francisco State University and an undergraduate degree in history/political science from Rutgers University. Ms. Yacowitz teaches writing at several colleges and universities in northern California. Her picture book Pumpkin Fiesta was named to the California Collections in 2005. Ju Hong Chen is a self-taught artist who grew up in Communist China. Purposely avoiding the "official line" training of China's art schools, he worked as an art designer in a factory. He moved to the United States in the 1980s, and his first picture book, The Magic Leaf, was named a Parents' Choice Honor Book for illustration soon after his arrival. His first book with Pelican, The Jade Stone, received a starred review from Kirkus and was named a best picture book by the San Francisco Chronicle and Book Links. Some of the book's art was included in the textbooks Stories on Stage: Scripts for Reader's Theater and Junior Great Books Series 2. Chen resides in Beaverton, Oregon. Paul Fleischman is the award-winning author of many books for children and young adults. His book "Joyful Noise: Poetry for Two Voices" won the Newbery Medal. Paul lives in California, USA. Kevin Hawkes is the illustrator of a number of popular books for children, including "Weslandia" for which he was Commended for the Kate Greenaway Medal. He lives with his family in Maine, USA.