Hardest Word: A Yom Kippur Story

by Jacqueline Jules

Illustrated by Katherine Janus Kahn

 

The Ziz, a wonderful bird who lived long ago, is so big and clumsy that he can't keep from bumping into things. When a tree he knocks over destroys the children's garden, he seeks God's help to fix things. "Bring me the hardest word," God instructs him and the Ziz flies off to search. He brings back "good night" (a word children find hard to hear), "spaghetti" (a word children find hard to pronounce), and words like rhinocerous, rock and Rumplestiltskin, but none is acceptable, until.... A classic folktale that illustrates the important of forgiveness. With brilliant pictures sure to make the Ziz a classic folk hero.