Nachshon, Who Was Afraid to Swim: A Passover Story

by Deborah Bodin Cohen, Jago Silver

Overview

For generations Nachshon’s family has been enslaved by the Egyptian Pharaoh. Nachshon is afraid it will be his destiny too. Then Moses confronts the fearsome Pharaoh, and Nachshon’s dream of freedom begins to come true. But soon he has to overcome his own special fear. The story of the brave boy who was the first to jump into the sea will inspire young and old alike.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781512491784
Publisher:	Lerner Publishing Group
Publication date:	01/01/2009
Series:	Passover
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	32
File size:	11 MB
Note:	This product may take a few minutes to download.
Age Range:	4 - 8 Years

About the Author

Rabbi Deborah Bodin Cohen is the author of many award-winning children's books including Papa Jethro and Nachshon Who Was Afraid to Swim. She lives in Maryland with her husband and three children.
Jago has illustrated more than forty books in the United States, the UK, Europe, South Korea, and South Africa. He lives in Cornwall, UK, with his wife and two children. Find him online at www.jagoillustration.com.

Editorial Reviews

According to rabbinic lore, Nachshon was the first Israelite to enter the sea when Pharaoh's army pursued the fleeing slaves. Cohen (The Seventh Day) and Jago (Fig's Giant) offer a backstory to this legend, portraying Nachshon as a boy brave enough to defy his taskmasters yet unable to overcome his fear of water. Inspired by Moses ("Real freedom means believing in yourself"), Nachshon discovers that redemption means being "free from slavery and free from his fears." Although the themes of self-actualization land rather heavily (Moses sounds like a disciple of Oprah), Cohen succeeds in transporting the Exodus story to a personal scale without robbing it of significance. Jago's highly stylized digital pictures are handsome and heartfelt: his gold-hued palette and mural-like compositions convey the heat and oppressiveness of Egypt, while his elaborately textured (and seemingly handmade) surfaces make the pages feel burnished by the forces of history and faith. Ages 3-8. (Feb.)

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Publishers Weekly

Gr 1-4

Not much has been written about the biblical figure believed to be the first to step into the Sea of Reeds during the Israelite's exodus from Egypt. However, Cohen has successfully fictionalized the scant biblical account and embellished the midrash to create a child-friendly picture book about overcoming fear, trusting in God, and believing in oneself. As a boy, Nachshon earned his reputation for bravery by smuggling cool drinking water to his father and brothers in the quarries, spying on Pharaoh's royal courtiers, and venturing out into the darkness of the ninth plague to check on his neighbors. But despite these courageous acts, he was terrified of the water and refused to venture into the Nile. Yet when the Israelites finally fled and stood on the banks of the Sea of Reeds, it was Nachshon who led the way. Remembering what Moses had taught-"Real freedom means facing your fears and overcoming them"-he stepped into the water and the level reached his lips before the sea miraculously parted, allowing the Israelites to escape from the advancing Egyptian army. The digitally prepared, mixed-media illustrations utilize muted yellow, orange, and brown tones to depict the sweltering heat of the desert and bright blue and green tones to illustrate the celebration of freedom. They complement and enhance the text marvelously. A wonderful, unique addition.-Rachel Kamin, North Suburban Synagogue Beth El, Highland Park, IL

School Library Journal

"Brave Nachshon," afraid only of swimming, and his family have been slaves in Egypt for generations. Then Moses speaks of freedom, a dream Nachshon has had all his life. At the "Sea of Reeds," which sits between the advancing Egyptians and escape, Nachshon is the first to step in, emboldened by the great man's words of encouragement. It is when he is almost completely submerged that the sea parts and Moses leads his people across. This is a stirring tale of courage and faith, and it reads aloud well. An author's note provides background for the tale, from brief references to Nachshon from the Torah to a more fully developed story from the Midrash. Jago's stylized art supplies his characters with Egyptian profiles atop slender bodies; the predominant oranges, yellows and browns, then blues and greens, befit the desert and watery settings, respectively. Knowledgeable readers will miss a recounting of all the plagues visited on the Egyptians as well as the miracle of the waters washing over them. Still, a good addition to the holiday canon. (Picture book/religion. 6-9)

Kirkus Reviews