Happy Perfect Picture Book Friday, dear friends! I’ve always loved folktales…and today’s featured book, SHOSHI’S SHABBAT by Caryn Yacowitz, is a retelling of an old Jewish tale that has an important message for all of us today.

Shoshi’s Shabbat (Candlewick Press, October 2022), illustrated by Kevin Hawkes, was named among the Best Jewish Children’s Books of 2022 by Tablet Magazine and was included in the Association of Jewish Libraries Fall Holiday Highlights 2022.

It’s a story based on midrash (ancient Jewish tales) that speaks to the joys of a day of rest. Hawkes’ delightful illustrations bring out the humor in the story as Shoshi, an adorable but stubborn young ox, teaches her master an important lesson.