• Age: 3 to 5
• Grade: p to k
• Reading age: 3 to 5

In this retelling of a Jewish folktale, Jacob tries to stump Rachel with his best riddles but fails repeatedly.

When a young woman in need of help presents Rachel and Jacob with the trickiest riddles of all, they discover the only way to solve them is to work together.

Growing up in Utica, N.Y., Debby Waldman loved reading so much that she often fell asleep clutching a book. She wanted to write books when she grew up, but she detoured into journalism school at Syracuse University because journalism seemed a safer bet for earning a living.

Since graduating in 1982, Debby has been a newspaper reporter and a freelance writer. She also earned an MFA in creative writing from Cornell University in 1991, and has taught at Cornell, Ithaca College, St. Lawrence University, and Grant MacEwan College. Her writing has appeared in publications including People, Parents, Glamour, Sports Illustrated, Sports Illustrated for Kids, Publishers Weekly, Chatelaine, the Washington Post, and More Canada. She writes a bi-weekly family column for The Edmonton Journal.

Debby's picturebooks are based on Jewish folk tales. Her first, A Sack Full of Feathers, was short-listed for awards in Alberta, Ontario, and Saskatchewan and was named a 2007 Best Book for Kids and Teens by the Canadian Children's Book Centre. Her second, Clever Rachel, was published in October of 2009 and was one of Resource Links' "The Year's Best". Cindy Revell illustrated both books. Debby's third picture book, Room Enough for Daisy, written with fellow Edmontonian Rita Feutl, is scheduled for publication in October 2011.

Debby lives in Edmonton with her husband and two children. She is available for readings and to conduct writing workshops with students of all ages. When not working on one of her many writing projects, she enjoys reading, cycling, baking, attempting to make nutritionally balanced meals for her family, and ferrying her children to music lessons and sports activities. More information is available on her website: www.debbywaldman.com.

Debby Waldman's profile page

Cindy Revell planned on becoming an artist ever since her first taste of wax crayons during her childhood in Carrot River, a small town in Saskatchewan. After some very uncreative forays into the working world Cindy realized that she needed to get back to art and went to college receiving her diploma in Environmental Graphic Design. Cindy worked as a designer and illustrator eventually going on to become an award winning freelance illustrator.

Her illustrations have been used on billboards, wine bottles, books, magazines, calendars, furniture, packaging and numerous children's books all over North America. She was nominated in 2001 for a Governor General's award for children's book illustration (Mallory and the Power Boy). Some of her clients are: Adobe, L.A. Times, Washington Post, Harvard Business Review, Better Homes and Gardens, Cornell University, Penguin Putnam, Annick Press, Orca Book Publishers and Scholastic.

As well as being an illustrator, she is an accomplished oil painter. Several years of regular oil painting classes, numerous international and provincial workshops and traveling to view and learn from the old masters as well as her design and illustration training have helped her develop as a traditional realist.

Cindy loves the work of the Flemish oil painters and Spanish artist, Luis Melendez, while her illustration has been inspired by folk, medieval, and eastern art. Her oil painting and illustration are vastly different from one another, the oil paintings tending to be simple and elegant while the illustrations are full of pattern and whimsy. The common element in her oil paintings and illustrations is her use of colour which is always rich and lush.

Cindy is represented by Deborah Wolfe Ltd. See her work at http://www.cindyrevell.com.

Cindy Revell's profile page

• Short-listed, SYRCA Shining Willow nominee
• Commended, Resource Links "The Year's Best"
• Commended, PJ Library Selection

"This enchanting retelling of a Jewish folktale is laced with riddles that children will enjoy trying to solve...The warm acrylic folk art illustrations do much to enhance this delightful story that provides a glimpse of rich Jewish culture."

Puget Sound Council for Reviewing Children's Media

[Starred review] "The pairing of the author and illustrator to bring another Jewish folktale...to read-aloud format works wonderfully. The children in the story help solve many riddles and teach the reader about pride, wisdom, and teamwork. Sprinkled throughout are Jewish values and Yiddish terms that teach culture in an unimposing way. Highly recommended."

Library Media Connection

"[The] acrylic illustrations…are reflective of the warm, fireside setting of the story…Revell's characters have evocative, believable facial expressions which add detail and drama to the story."

CM Magazine

"The illustrations are bold and whimsical and the text is very entertaining with a feminist slant…There is even a page of riddles to test one's power of deductive reasoning at the conclusion of the book."

JWeekly.com

"Waldman writes with tongue-in-cheek, understated humour and includes riddles galore in her story...Facial expressions and body language are particularly clever and telling in Cindy Revell's full-colour acrylic illustrations...A sparkling collaboration between the Alberta-based author and illustrator. Bravo!"

Ottawa Jewish Bulletin

"A pleasure to read aloud. The main characters are made vivid by their rich language and inner thoughts…Children will be attracted to the folk-art vitality on every page."

Canadian Children's Book News

"A vibrant book that tells a story that will entertain and educate young children about cooperation and teamwork… Waldman maintains the beautiful flavour of the folktale using simple and colourful language… 32 pages of sheer delight."

Edmonton Jewish News

"A riddle wrapped in old-fashioned, homespun wisdom…Revell's folksy illustrations beautifully complement this simply told story…There is a whimsical, timeless quality to each sketch."

St. Albert Gazette

"Colourfully illustrated in acrylics…The lesson here is that while individual excellence should be encouraged, cooperation is the only path to wisdom."

Canadian Literature

"This book is absolutely charming and concisely written. It's full of the kind of Jewish values parents want their children to absorb from a very young age: work hard, do your best, cooperate…Any child old enough for a book with real pages will love this story and especially the page at the end with riddles they can use to stump their friends."

Cleveland Jewish News

"A delightful story in which readers will like figuring out the riddles with Rachel and Jacob."

Book Notes (Center for Children's/Young Adult Books, MSU)

"This would be a useful book to use during a multicultural or folktale lesson, or as a way to segue into the topic of riddles."

Resource Links