The Blessing of the Animals

By Michael J. Rosen

Book Overview

Should a Jewish boy's dog receive a Catholic blessing? Jared is looking forward to the Blessing of the Animals on St. Francis's feast day at the church across the street. He plans to go with his friend Ian and take his dog, Shayna, to be blessed. But when he brings the subject up with his mom, she doesn't think its such a good idea. Why? Well, they're Jewish. Jared doesn't see this as a problem, but he agrees with his mom's suggestion to poll four people on the subject, and she'll do the same. Jared approaches his great-grandfather, his father, a Holocaust survivor, and a rabbi, all of whom give diverse opinions on Jared's prospective attendance. Its ultimately up to Jared to decide, and readers, while perhaps differing in their views on his ultimate decision, will cheer Jared for making up his own mind in a thoughtful and deeply personal way. This story for middle-grade readers is enhanced by hand-designed chapter titles and full-page pictures by the author.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0374308381
• ISBN13: 9780374308384
• Release Date: September 2000
• Publisher: Farrar, Straus and Giroux (BYR)
• Length: 96 Pages
• Weight: 0.50 lbs.
• Dimensions: 7.8" x 0.5" x 5.3"
• Age Range: 8 to 12 years
• Grade Range: Grades 3 to 7

Customer Reviews

great for kids

Not only are the illustrations fantastic in this book, but the issues that are dealt with are done in a way that are sensitive to all sides of the dialogue. Religion is a hard thing to question, especially as a child, and Rosen creates a story that sensitively gets right to the heart of a child's concerns about belief. I believe this book encourages kids to contemplate their faith in a very healthy way. I highly recommend it!

blessing o f the animals

the blessing of the animals is a delightful story about a boy and his dog and his predicament regarding the dog's religious affiliation or lack thereof. Does a child's pet take on the religion of the child and family? Or can the pet share another religious affiliation by virtue of the fact that it is indeed an animal and is viewed "differently"? Or does the pet have a religion at all? These are the questions that the boy in the book needs to answer before making a final decision.