Review: Teensy Weensy

Teensy Weensy

by Vered Lebber, illustrated by Kinneret Gildar, translated by Gilah Kahn-Hoffmann

Green Bean Books, 2025

Category: Picture Books

Reviewer: Esty Schachter

 

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Israeli import Teensy Weensy tells a tender story about a girl who nurses a hatchling to health. Gildar’s illustrations are engaging, delicate, and quite beautiful. The quotes the author chose to begin the book are lovely, especially this one by Aviva Zornberg: “Chesed is not just kindness… It is also courage and imagination.” Efrat, the little girl, shows strength, caring and determination, all things I love to see in a main character. She persists, even when others express doubts. 

 

All that said, the science of the book unfortunately doesn’t hold up. A child could not nurse a hatchling to health on her own, and the things she does in the book would in fact be harmful (and also illegal in the U.S. according to the Migratory Bird Treaty Act of 1918.) The adults in the story offer the correct guidance (we don’t know what we’re doing; let’s get Teensy Weensy to a rescue) but she rejects it, and the message of the book is essentially that she’s true to herself and her caring intentions and it all works out. The missed opportunity seems clear – after receiving solid advice from her parents and grandparents, they could find a rescue for the tiny bird, with Efrat being the loving bridge to getting Teensy Weensy the care it requires. Teensy Weensy can be seen as an imaginary tale of warmth and kindness, but when a living thing is involved, science needs to come before all else.

Jewish content includes explorations of the meaning of chesed and details such as a mezuzah on the door in illustrations. 

 

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Reviewer Esty Schachter is the author of PICKLED WATERMELON, WAITING FOR A SIGN, and ANYA'S ECHOES, and is a clinical social worker in the Boston area.