Sammy Spider's First Mitzvah - Tapa dura

"Everyone's favorite little spider is back, still spinning webs and still teaching children Jewish values in his delightful way. His latest adventure educates about the mitzvah of bikur cholim, visiting the sick to promote healing and to bring comfort and a sense of caring. Josh Shapiro isn't feeling well and Sammy watches family and friends try to help. When he sees an opportunity, he pitches in, as well, and manages, in his own way, to help Josh feel better. Once again, young children are enter-tained while absorbing wholesome lessons, Jewish concepts and Hebrew vocabulary. The colorful art appeals, entices and brightens, adding to the feel-good theme.

Highly recommended for ages 3-8." -- Jewish Book World

"Sammy Spider looked down at Josh who was lying on the couch in his pjs. 'A-c-ch-o-o-oo-o-oo!' Even Josh's teddy bear heard that sneeze. There was definitely something wrong with Josh and Sammy asked his mother what was wrong. 'He caught a cold, ' Mrs. Spider told him. Mrs. Shapiro had a spoonful of medicine for Josh, and Sammy wanted some too. 'Silly little Sammy. Spiders don't take medicine, ' his mother declared, 'Spiders spin webs!'

Moti, Josh's new neighbor, soon arrived with a big pot of chicken soup for Josh. It was sure to help him get better. Mrs. Spider told Sammy that 'When someone is sick, it is a mitzvah to visit them.' The sneezes kept coming and Moti exclaimed 'Labruit.' Of course that was the 'Hebrew word you say when someone sneezes.' Bringing that soup was Moti's mitzvah for Josh, but was there anything that Sammy could do for his own mitzvah? He began to think as he spun a web.

This is yet another Sammy Spider tale that young children will love. I've read many Sammy Spider tales and this one is a perfect one to introduce the bikkur cholim. Even the youngest children can visit someone who is ill or send a card and will learn just how important this is from Sammy. The ever-popular Sammy, along with Mrs. Spider, impart a lot of Jewish traditions. The artwork is the typical Sammy Spider, a mix of collage and gouache, that has simple appeal. In the back of the book is a brief paragraph describing bikkur cholim and the mitzvah.

Quill says: Young children will learn from Sammy an easy way to perform a mitzvah!" -- Feathered Quill

"Sammy Spider, whose adventures have described Jewish holidays and values for more than two decades, here explains the concept of mitzvot (good deeds) for young listeners. Sammy's human friend Josh has a cold. The young arachnid observes a human neighbor bringing chicken soup to Josh, and Mrs. Spider explains that it is a mitzvah to visit the sick. Obviously Sammy can't make soup, but he does spin a beautiful web that includes a get-well message, which cheers Josh immensely. By now preschoolers and their caregivers know what to expect from this series: a simple story introducing a single Judaic concept, sunny collage-style illustrations set against a white background, and one or two Hebrew words or phrases. (Here we learn that the Hebrew equivalent of gesundheit is labriut.) This makes a good read-aloud for families or religious schools. Pair with Elizabeth Suneby and Diane Heiman's It's a . . . It's a . . . It's a Mitzvah (2012), which introduces a wide variety of good deeds." -- Booklist Online