• Age: 5 to 8
• Grade: k to 3

The people of Kugel Valley are proud of their klezmer band. Ten-year-old Shira knows the band well. Her father Yossie plays the clarinet, while his friends Benny and Isaac play the bass and fiddle. All her life, Shira has watched Isaac play the fiddle, dreaming of playing the fiddle in the band some day Then, on the night of the village Hanukkah party, Isaac gets a nasty cold, and Shira gets her chance. Everybody is doubtful, but Shira boldly takes Isaac's place on the stage, and lives her dream that night!

Richard Row's profile page

Joan Betty Stuchner has a head full of stories. Instead of playing the fiddle, she plays with words; on stage and on television, with students in a classroom, in poems and stories—which includes her book A Peanut Butter Waltz. She lives with her husband and son in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. Richard Row was not born with the ability to draw; he watched carefully, then practiced, practiced, practiced! He worked as a commerical artist for many years, then moved to books, illustrating versions of Anne of Green Gables and Heidi. He lives in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, with his wife and three children.

Joan Betty Stuchner's profile page

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