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HONI'S CIRCLE OF TREES
illustrated
by Mim Green
(revised
edition of
Honi and his Magic
Circle,
illustrated by Shay Rieger, 1979)
Jewish
Publication Society, 1994
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* New York Public Library
Best Book, 1979
*
Russian language paperback
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| From
the
book jacket: |
From the hills of ancient Israel comes a tale with a
modern message: preserve the earth for future generations. Honi, a
magical Jewish folk prophet, plants carob seeds for “those who come,”
the future generations who will enjoy the fruit of those trees.
Honi is a wanderer and a doer of good deeds.
In fact, legend has it that Honi can talk to the Lord whenever he draws
a circle on the ground and steps into it. He is known as Honi Ha-Me’aggel, the circle maker.
One hot day, after planting carobs, Honi takes
a nap--only to awaken seventy years later.
Children will appreciate the ecological
message, reinforced with delightful illustrations of a lovable Honi,
surrounded by birds and animals, and, of course, trees.
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| A little
about the book: |
Honi and his Magic
Circle was my first published children’s book and was based on a
Talmudic story my father-in-law told me. May Garelik, a children’s book
author herself, edited the text and gave me hope and encouragement as a
writer. When the book went out of print, JPS decided to come out with a
new version, a little shorter and with new illustrations. My mother,
the artist Mim
Green (in earlier days, Miriam Dimondstein), submitted
art samples for consideration. At the time, color illustrations were
too costly for the small independent publisher to produce, so black and
white drawings were used instead. Here, “published” for the first
time, are some of Mim’s watercolor illustrations of the man who
fell asleep and woke up seventy years later to see his trees bear fruit:
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Honi planting
carob seeds in the land of ancient Israel.
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Honi standing in his
magic circle, praying for rain.
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Celebrating the
sabbath.
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Honi
resting in the shade...
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and
sleeping--for seventy
years! |
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When
Honi wakes up, his beard is long and white.
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The
carob seed he planted before his nap is now a tree!
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No
one believes he is really Honi. He stands in his circle and asks the
Lord, "Why did You let me live beyond my time?"
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then the joyful truth comes to him. "You have given me a gift few
receive. You have allowed me to see my trees bear fruit!" |
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From the reviews: |
“With the simple eloquent message of its words
and charming illustrations, Honi's Circle of Trees reminds us all,
children and adults alike, of what is truly eternal--the great circle
of life and love that embraces all creatures as one generation passes
into another." Wilderness Magazine
"An old Talmudic story shows surprising
parallels to Johnny Appleseed and Rip Van Winkle in the form of the
legendary Honi, who wanders through Israel sowing seeds of the carob
tree....The telling is smooth; the drawings are simple....Since most
Jewish lore for children is based in an East European Yiddish setting,
this will be a welcome change of pace.”
Booklist
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