Oy Feh So?

Gr 2–5—Aunt Essy, Aunt Chanah, and Uncle Sam visit each Sunday to sit on the couch and complain. They preface their negative comments with, "Oy," "Feh," and "So?" Exasperated, the kids stage riotous scenarios in the living room, from armed robbery to aliens landing, only to get the same tepid responses. When the siblings resort to mimicking their elders, they finally break through their apathy by making them laugh. Cheered up at last, the aunts and uncle share stories and bond with the younger generation. Readers may enjoy the increasing drama of the children's actions and the silliness of the adults' repeated complaints. However, it is the "Woody Allen generation" that will appreciate this story most fully, being familiar with the vocabulary and attitudes of Yiddish-speaking elders. The sketchy cartoons of the homely family suit the story; dress style and Uncle Sam's huge Lincoln Continental give it a late-20th-century atmosphere. The catchphrases are emphasized by large speech bubbles. One illustration feels out of place: when the kids stage a dragon attack, a live dragon is depicted, while the other scenarios are identifiably imaginary. A strong candidate for intergenerational reading programs or Jewish collections, this book may be considered an additional purchase elsewhere.—Heidi Estrin, Congregation B'nai Israel, Boca Raton, FL