Good Yontif: Book of Jewish Yr.

Beginning with the Jewish New Year, Rosh Hashanah, a boy and his family celebrate the holidays and festivals of the Jewish religion in this nearly wordless volume. Folk art-inspired paintings brimming with religious symbols do all the work here, as each holiday is introduced by only its English and Hebrew name. Younger children and their parents will enjoy locating such traditional items as Torah scrolls, shofars, challah bread, prayer shawls, menorahs and dreidels as they turn the richly detailed pages. Older children will likely want to pore over the scenes on their own. Feldman's bold use of rich colors and patterns compensates for her often misshapen or disproportionate human figures, and the overall visual effect is appealing. A lengthy notes section offers a bounty of information about the various celebrations and their significance. All ages. (Jan.)