The Littlest Mountain

God realizes that the people of the world need rules to live by, and decides to speak to them from a mountaintop. Beautiful Mount Carmel, tall Mount Hermon, and majestic Mount Tabor all vie for the honor of being chosen. But little Mount Sinai is silent. Which mountain will God select?

"This contemporary fable, based on a rabbinic legend in the Midrash, explains why God chose to deliver the Ten Commandments on Mount Sinai. While an early illustration depicts human domestic activity and violence, inset against mountain backdrops, the majority of Hall's (Every Second Something Happens) full-bleed, pastel-hued paintings portray the singular beauty and identifying physical characteristics of each mountain vying to be God's choice location. Rosenstock's (Fearless: The Story of Racing Legend Louise Smith) story unfolds as the mountains boast of their merits; Mount Tabor proclaims, 'God will choose me. Remember, I kept my head above water during the great flood, ' while the corresponding image shows a green mountaintop emerging from vast waters. In contrast, the narrator records that 'little Mount Sinai, ' stands back from the crowd, until called upon by God. In a rhythmic narrative formula, God hears from each mountain and then responds, assessing the spiritual characteristics underlying the boasting, before rewarding the humblest mountain with the greatest honor. A predictable but satisfying tale." --Publishers Weekly

"This pourquoi story about why God chose Mount Sinai as the location for giving the Ten Commandments has its roots in Jewish legend. Various mountains in the land of Israel list their best qualities and argue over which should be chosen. In the end, God picks humble, faithful Mount Sinai, who says, 'Whichever mountain You choose will be the best.' This is a lovely tale, but a few points in the story require some suspension of disbelief. Talkative, mobile mountains are a bit of a stretch, especially as the illustrations are realistic rather than anthropomorphic. Also, God plans to give the people 'laws to follow so that the world will finally know peace.' The statement feels anticlimactic, since even young readers know that this goal was not achieved. That said, kids will get a kick out of the folktale feeling and the talking mountains, caregivers will like the lesson on the value of being humble and faithful, and Jewish educators will be thrilled to have a great read-aloud for the holiday of Shavuot, which commemorates the receiving of the Ten Commandments. The story can easily be adapted for performance as reader's theater, a puppet show, or a stage play. The pastel-colored illustrations are very soft, perhaps a bit on the gentle side for a tale about rocky peaks, but they are well executed and do enhance the fairy-tale atmosphere. A solid choice for Judeo-Christian collections that may be enjoyed in secular settings as well." --School Library Journal

"For kids ages 3-8 The Littlest Mountain by Barb Rosenstock, illustrated by Melanie Hall ($7.95 pb) offers up the story of Mount Sinai, and why God selected it over all the mountains as the place to give the Ten Commandments.

Not tall, not bold, not lush or majestic, humble Mount Sinai was God's choice.

The lesson derived from this is just right for youngsters." --Chicago Jewish Star Magazine

"When asking a Jewish child what his/her favorite holiday is, the answer is never Shavuot. Shavuot, the Jewish festival honoring the giving of the Torah at Mount Sinai, is often overlooked by children despite its commemoration of the pivotal event in Jewish history. Amongst the loud ruckus of Purim, the drama of the Passover Seder, and the present-laden festival of Chanukah, the more modest Shavuot gets cast aside.

Jewish writer and teacher Barb Rosenstock's new children's book, The Littlest Mountain (Kar-Ben Publishing, $17.95 hc; $7.95 pb; ages 3-8), will not only increase youngsters' appreciation for Shavuot, but teach them a fundamental life lesson. The Littlest Mountain tells the story of Shavuot in a child-friendly manner with beautiful, heartfelt art by Melanie Hall.

When G-d realizes that the people of the world need rules to live by in order to have peace, he decides to speak to them from a mountaintop. Upon hearing of this, nearby mountains begin ferociously competing to become G-d's chosen mountain. Vying for attention with good looks, impressive strength, and loud voices, these mountains let selfish desires to win surpass trust in G-d. One quiet, little mountain called Mount Sinai keeps his faith in the forefront by standing away from the superficial competition. Mount Sinai's modesty and peacefulness proves that he trusts G-d, and is therefore deserving of being named the chosen mountain.

The story teaches children the importance of looking past surface traits, in favor of deeper meaning. Understanding this, children can begin to view themselves and others from the inside out. In a world polluted with materialism and vanity, the heartfelt message of The Littlest Mountain gives Jewish families a vital resource to help children stay grounded and aware of what is real." --Jewish Woman