And Shira Imagined

As Shira and her parents travel around Israel, her parents remind her of the significance of each site, which she interprets in her own way: when told that busy, modern Tel Aviv was only sand and dust 80 years ago, Shira pictures herself and some toy-like creatures building sandcastles; when she hears that the old fortress, Masada, was the place where the Jews clashed with the Romans, Shira imagines a playful battle. A historical theme is not strictly adhered to; at one point her parents point out the Red Sea, saying, ``Just imagine, we'll be looking at thousands of fish and swimming with them.'' In the final frame, Shira envisions her bedroom back in America, where the cast of her imagination awaits herher toys. Black-and-white pictures of modern Israel alternate with the full-color fantasies. The language of the telling is simple and straightforward; this complements the elaborate pictures from Carmi's own fanciful imagination. Ages 3-7. (July)