Review: Mystery at Landscape Farm
Mystery at Landscape Farm
by Freidele Galya Soban Biniashvili, illustrated by Deena Weinberg
Menucha Publishers, 2025
Category: Early Chapter Book
Reviewer: Dena Bach
When Tova and Ari’s grandparents take the city kids out for a nice spring outing to Landscape Farm during Chol HaMoed Pesach, the intermediate days of Passover, they decide to begin their tour of the farm at the goat feeding. For Tova, Ari, Bubby, and Zeidy this turns out to be an exciting day at the farm when they learn that the farm’s prize baby goat, Gertrude, has disappeared. But after Zeidy slips and falls, he and Bubby need to sit down for a while, so the curious kids head off on their own in search of the missing goat. Ari and Tova follow clues, question the farm’s staff and visitors, and in the end, solve the mystery and find the goat. This book is the third in a series of books aimed at an Orthodox audience, that involves 9-year-old twins Tova and Ari, who solve mysteries while learning about Jewish values, traditions, stories from the Torah and Talmud, and in this book, a lot about goats.
The realistic spot illustrations often add information that helps explain or emphasize details, for example, muddy shoes and boots, ransom notes, and what an old-fashioned rotary phone looks like. The back matter contains a translation of the traditional Yiddish lullaby about a goat, “Rozhinkes mit Mandlen” “Raisins and Almonds,” and “Notes About Goats,” full of both Jewish and secular goat references and facts.
The Orthodox Jewish representation is authentic and is integral to the story. But with no glossary explaining the many Hebrew and Yiddish words, and Jewish concepts, phrases, and situations, those with little Jewish background might find the narrative difficult to decode. Readers who are looking for an Orthodox setting will feel most comfortable entering Tova and Ari’s world.
ARE YOU INTERESTED IN REVIEWING BOOKS FOR THE SYDNEY TAYLOR SHMOOZE? CLICK HERE
Reviewer Dena Bach is currently the illustration editor of The Shmooze. She’s also been a fine artist, author, bookkeeper, bookseller, calligrapher, illustrator, papermaker, and teacher of children from ages two to fourteen.
Thank you Dena for this thoughtful review. For readers' interests, the first two titles in the series are Mystery at Nightlight Resort and Mystery at Peasant's Inn. Each book, however, can be read as a standalone.
ReplyDelete