The Goblins of Knottingham: A History of Challah

by Zoe Klein, Beth Bogart (Illustrator)

Overview

“silly and appealing” – Jewish Book Council

Long ago, in the town of Knottingham, there were three little goblins.

Knotty was naughty, Knotsalot was no good, and Notnow was no good, no how, not then and not now!

More than anything else, these mischievous goblins liked to tangle children's hair! Find out how the children fought back, and how their tangled hair led to the unlikely invention of a braided bread called challah...

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781681155265
Publisher:	Behrman House, Incorporated
Publication date:	08/01/2017
Pages:	32
Product dimensions:	10.90(w) x 8.70(h) x 0.50(d)
Age Range:	4 - 8 Years

Editorial Reviews

"A silly and appealing picture book, this is the story of a classroom filled with children who are plagued daily by three goblins who love to tangle their hair. Finally one day they come up with a way to outwit the goblins and their solution leads to the “invention” of challah. Full of funny names and alliterative text, this would work well as a read-aloud. The full-page illustrations, whimsically created in water-color pastel shades in a style characteristic of the artist’s work in Highlights for Children, have lots of subtle, amusing elements for children to discover when they look at the book on their own. At the end of this bread-centered story, a letter to the children is included by the author, “Rabbi Zoe”, in which she invites them to think about “what gives challah its power” providing some “food for thought” about the beauty of Shabbat."

— Jewish Book Council

From the Publisher

08/01/2017
PreS-Gr 2—In the town of Knottingham, there are three little, green, and mean goblins named Knotty, Knotsalot, and Notnow who create mischief by tangling children's hair. Every night the children are miserable as their parents attempt to comb out their messy manes, so together they come up with a plan. Patty Punchitdown, Haley Honeydrizzle, Franklyn Frenchtoast and the others wear hats to protect themselves from the goblins. All except Ryan Raisin, who plops a piece of dough on his head instead. Thinking it's hair, the goblins dive in and get stuck. The children quickly braid the dough tightly so the goblins cannot escape. They threaten to bake them, but when the goblins promise to never again tangle hair, the children release them. The story concludes: "Every Friday since then, the people of Knottingham have made braided, sweet bread called challah to celebrate the end of another tangle free week of school." The text states that the story takes place "long ago," and the bright, whimsical, and expressive illustrations depict castles and towers. However, the children and adults are all dressed in contemporary clothes, attending a typical, modern school. The connection to the traditional rituals and customs of the Jewish Sabbath is the missing ingredient, preventing this challah tale from rising to the top. VERDICT While the author's note claims that the story builds on Judaism's rich tradition of goblin legends, the silly mash-up of Robin Hood, goblins, and Shabbat into a supposed "History of Challah" tale is too far-fetched. Strictly additional.—Rachel Kamin, North Suburban Synagogue Beth El, Highland Park, IL

School Library Journal

2017-05-31
Who knew? It turns out that mischievous green creatures are responsible for challah, that tasty staple of Jewish festivals. Three green goblins enjoy disrupting the lives of the schoolchildren of Knottingham by messing up their hair. The goblins, named "Knotty, Knotsalot, and Notnow," live up to their names on a daily basis and think that their actions are quite funny. Not so the children and their parents, who must unmuss the messy mops. Finally, the children, who have such bakery-related last names as Honeydrizzle, Tablespoon, and Goldencrust, concoct a recipe of squishy dough to foil the little green monsters, covering their hair with unbaked dough that traps the goblins. They are so eager to escape they promise "to never again tangle children's hair." And from that day to this, the families of Knottingham bake a "braided sweet bread called challah." The author's note pays tribute to the wonderful smell of challah as a sign that Shabbat is close. Unfortunately, there is no recipe nor explanation of why challah is actually such an integral part of the Friday night Shabbat festive meal, depicted in one of the concluding images. Readers unfamiliar with the bread will find this original tale puzzling, and those who imagine baking and eating that hairy dough will find it unappealing. And children will be mystified that anyone would consider this an effective way to keep hair from becoming knotted. The cartoonish illustrations are awash in greens and feature a mostly white cast of children (one child appears to be Asian and another black). Tear off a chunk of challah instead. (Picture book. 4-7)

Kirkus Reviews