Winter's Silence: A Chanukah Story With Heart

By Stephanie Silberstein

CHILDHOOD ISN T EASY... ...especially for Emily Horowitz. As the only Jewish child in her neighborhood, Emily s spirit bears a peculiar burden. On the first night of Chanukah, she marches grimly home,... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0981645909
• ISBN13: 9780981645902
• Release Date: June 2008
• Publisher: Narrow Path Publishing
• Length: 130 Pages
• Weight: 0.40 lbs.

Customer Reviews

Wonderful story for all ages.

Wonderful story written from the heart. I highly recommend this book for all ages and types of readers. It's well written from the viewpoint of a six year old dealing with issues no child should have to worry about. Even my Husband, who's not a big reader, enjoyed reading it.

The world through two bright, young eyes

Winter's Silence is a window into the imaginative world of a six year old named Emily. We see the events of her life through her eyes, complete with commentary and daydreaming. She's a very bright young girl, and though she doesn't understand all the problems her family is facing, she's catching on to more than her mother and father might think. Emily's creative side dominates large portions of her day. She'll become a robot-soldier running from some unseen foe, or pretend that Joey (one of her classmates) is trying to cast a magical spell over her. It's probably for the best--finding convenient escapes--because no one seems to ever have time for her. And Winter's Silence has some darkness to it: Emily's family is Jewish and some of her classmates give her trouble because of that fact. The theme of selfishness also rears its ugly head throughout the story. Emily's teachers and her friends all seem self-absorbed--a reoccurring problem in the real world, as well. Stephanie Silberstein has fashioned a truthful story that will resonate with anyone and everyone. You will find something to relate to, because the characters are so heavy and rounded and `3D'. It's clear that Ms. Silberstein is a writer by nature and she's gifted with an abundant talent for story telling. She has infused her characters with a deep thoughtfulness that is impossible to fake. I don't normally read this sort of story--I'm a child of fantasy, and other-worldliness--but I don't regret giving Winter's Silence a chance. It's a carefully, cleverly blended family tale full of personal struggle and drama. It was convincing enough for me to start experiencing the same emotions as the characters, empathizing with them. There is an energy present in these pages that you won't find often in stories similar to it. In a business with more than enough competition, Stephanie Silberstein and her Winter's Silence stand out. What more do you need really?

A Thoughtful and Relevant Story

Winter's Silence by Stephanie Silberstein is a well-written novel that deals with timeless issues such as family life, prejudice, and religious discrimination. In Winter's Silence, a young Jewish girl named Emily Horowitz staunchly refuses to sing Christmas songs for a school play, and as a result, is ostracized by both students and school administrators alike. Emily is both confused and frightened by the severity of the cruel treatment she receives and seeks the comfort of her parents. But her parents, who are battling their own demons, largely ignore Emily which only increases her distress. I found myself moved by not only the unwarranted and cruel bigotry that Emily suffers during the course of the story, but also the way that the grown ups in her life, most tragically, her parents are dismissive of Emily and her problems. This book does a wonderful job at underscoring the importance of family, especially in the role of nurturing a young child. This fact is made more poignant in Emily's case, for through her young and innocent eyes we are privy to how discrimination makes growing up an even more excruciating and challenging problem. I recommend Winter's Silence to anyone who enjoys a thoughtful, well-told story with an underlying message. The autobiographical quality of this book, along with its intimate look into the life of a young Jewish girl and her family makes this a memorable and worthy read.

the book is awesome

for being one the first few people to get the book i was lucky to say that i loved the book and didnt know how hard it was for jewish people growing up with being different. I learn a lot from formly dating the author of the book for 6 months and if you ever get a chance to meet her or talk to her i recommend you do since she will in lighten you on the books subject and will bring joy to all that meet her in person so i recommend buy the book and bring a smile to your kids faces when you take the time to read it to them.

A thoughtful novel

I received Winter's Silence today, and absolutely LOVED it! It was so riveting that I finished it within a few hours of receiving it. As a teacher, I can identify with young Emily and how she feels because I encounter prejudice and misunderstanding among children quite a bit. I thought that Ms. Silberstein accurately captured the feelings that a young child would experience when encountered with not only peer problems but problems at home. As a Christian, I did not realize the struggle that many Jewish Americans feel on a daily basis: the struggle, the ridicule, and the misinformed opinions against them. This book showed me what other people with a differing religion go through, and I feel I learned how to handle this if I ever encountered this situation in the classroom. Again, what a wonderful, insightful book!