Rachel's Gift

Richard Ungar (author)

Tundra Books, USA: 2003

ISBN: 0887766161

Genres: allegory, picture book, religion

Issues:  community, values

It is Passover in the village of Chelm and Rachel's family are preparing for the feast that follows the fasting. Everything is being cleaned and polished and Rachel carefully arranges sticks in a vase, pretending they are the summer roses she loves so much.

Her parents are hoping that this year the prophet Elijah will visit their poor home and bestow good fortune on them. When Rachel's grandmother sends her famous recipe for matzo ball soup, the family is sure that it will be their house Elijah visits this year.

As the soup is prepared it attracts the neighbours with its wonderful aroma. Each has a suggestion to make about a little something that could be added to make the recipe ‘just right' and soon the house is full of people happily preparing the meal that will tempt the prophet to visit. One visitor is the herring vendor, Samuel, who has stopped to rest a little on his journey home. Rachel notices that his shoes are wet and full of holes and tries to make them more comfortable for him while he rests. Her simple loving act brings a reward that is meaningless to her family until Rachel shows them a new way to look at it.

The brilliantly coloured watercolour and coloured-pencil illustrations of this picture book will grab the attention of all readers, as they are filled with movement and emotion. There is a distinct feeling that as soon as the reader looks away, the characters that fill the pictures will move rapidly about their business. The use of colour is reminiscent of Kandinsky and others of the Fauve School of post-impressionism, as well as Chagall's brighter works. They truly capture the vibrant life of a community drawn together by a common celebration and encourage the reader to put aside their material desires and value what they have.

Same Author: Rachel Captures the Moon