In our continuous quest for new, inspiring Jewish children’s books, the PJ Library Book Selection Committee sometimes turns to Sifriyat Pijama, our sister program in Israel. As our committee studies Sifriyat Pijama’s book offerings, we occasionally come across a title, such as Nati Bait’s Everywhere Chair (titled A Chair Affair in Hebrew), that we just can’t wait to translate into English for other PJ Library families to enjoy.
Bait’s book is chock full of elements guaranteed to appeal to preschool listeners, no matter where they may live. The book contains a fun, rhyming text, stunning watercolor illustrations by Moran Barak, and a generous sprinkling of pretend play and vehicles -- two topics that preschoolers can’t seem to get enough of.
The story begins with one simple chair that a group of Israeli preschoolers transforms into a horse, train, and an array of other vehicles that transport them on an imaginary tour of Israel. Each double-spread page introduces a new location in Israel, gently familiarizing readers with the surprising geographic diversity of this small, beautiful country. The colorful illustrations teem with a wide assortment of animals, plants, buildings, and geographic locations (beaches, orchards, etc.) that kids can’t resist labelling and animatedly discussing. As a bonus, the book’s end pages contain photos of real locations in Israel. We hope families will love Everywhere Chair as much as we do, and that the book will inspire families to embark on numerous pretend journeys of their own.
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March 16, 2023