This is a great story for kids because it illustrates how a person can make their own luck with hard work.

Can be difficult for kids who are not Jewish since the names can be confusing. ( )

Bright, colorful, animated illustrations enhance this delightfully entertaining story of Shlemazel who is so convinced that he is the most unlucky person in the world that he is afraid to get off his front porch. But when Moshke convinces him that he has the amazing, remarkable spoon of Pohost, Shlemazel learns the pleasure of a good day's work, finds a wife, performs a mitzvah, and discovers that he doesn't need luck to be happy. In an author's note, Stampler explains that as with her previous picture book, Something for Nothing, this story comes form her grandmother, a native of Pohost. The glossary also explains Yiddish terms like tsimmes, mensch, poretz and zlotys. A wonderful edition to folklore collections, the story will be enjoyed by both younger and older readers. REVIEWED BY RACHEL KAMIN (TEMPLE ISRAEL LIBRARIES & MEDIA CENTER, WEST BLOOMFIELD, MI) ( )