A Caldecott Honor Book and a 1977 New York Times Outstanding Book of the Year,
It Could Always Be Worse by Margot Zemoch features exuberantly detailed illustrations that reverberate with the movement, noise and chaos of an overcrowded home. The Book Selection Committee chose this book as this month’s selection for four year olds not only because the book contains award-winning illustrations, but because this timeless tale engenders rich discussion and laughter, while exposing readers to the unique wisdom and setting of Yiddish folktales.
Readers will chuckle delightedly as they watch a poor unfortunate man bring more and more animals into his home as he struggles to live contentedly with his raucous family in a tiny one-room hut. As children try to understand why the man changes his attitude towards his home even though its size and number of residents remain the same, they will uncover important lessons in the Jewish value of
sameach b’chelko – being happy with what one has.
Because we know how much children enjoy comparing stories, PJ has sent out several versions of this tale over the past 10 years. Analyzing folktales strengthens children’s cognitive skills and leads to a deeper understanding of how folktales evolve over time. We hope your family will enjoy countless readings of
It Could Always Be Worse, discovering something new each time you read.
February 18, 2016