Grandpa’s Gamble

Plot

From Publishers Weekly
As their parents prepare for the Passover seder, sometime in the era of Babe Ruth, a boy and his sister have to keep quiet, because Grandpa Sam is busy davening (praying). The children are convinced that Grandpa is utterly boring until he begins to tell them about his childhood in Poland and his emigration to America. Michelson (Animals That Ought to Be) departs from the now-familiar pattern of immigration stories by rendering young Sam's disillusionment with the promised land. When Grandpa first arrived in the slums of New York, times were so tough that, as Sam's cousin told him, "An honest man can't even make a living picking pockets anymore." Sam learns to cheat at cards and grows rich gamblingAuntil his young daughter's sudden illness prompts him to make one final, momentous wager with God. The author heightens the plot with his flavorful dialogue; unfortunately, Moser's illustrations drain the story of its color, literally and figuratively. Rendered in graphite and sepia on antique paper, the compositions will likely look drab to young readers, Moser's faultless draftsmanship notwithstanding. The artist seems to steer away from drama: to illustrate Sam's period of gambling, for example, he shows just a pair of hands shuffling cards; when Sam anguishes about his ailing daughter, he sits alone on a chair, hiding his face from the reader. The somber tone of the art threatens to reduce this vibrant tale to a lesson in piety, not in life. All ages.
Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc.
From School Library Journal
Grade 2-5Grandpa, a Polish Jew who fled the ghettos and pogroms and came to America early in this century, now lives with his grown daughter and her family. His two grandchildren yearn for a more exciting relative, but the man is always davening (praying) and cannot be disturbed. When the youngsters come across an old photograph, Grandpa Sam tells about his past. Once proud and handsome, he gambled his way into major wealth until one Passover eve when his young daughter became sick. Betting everything on Gods mercy, Sam vowed to pray every morning and evening for the rest of his life. Miracle of miracles, she got better. An authors note explains unfamiliar words (afikoman, yarmulke, etc.). Executed on handmade antique paper, Mosers full-page, realistic drawings in warm sepia washes are beautifully done. The book is handsomely designed with crisp white borders surrounding the ecru paper, highlighting its ragged edges. Because the pictures are basically monochromatic, they lack the richness one usually associates with this artist. The two children are drawn a little older than their comments in the text would suggest. Moreover, the grandson looks different in all three of his portraits. Minor points, but still flaws. The frontispiece, a picture of a fringed tallis or prayer shawl, is particularly fine and provides an entre into this familys life. A quiet, thoughtful piece with art that reflects the somber tone of the text.