Mendel's Accordion (Kar-Ben Favorites)
By Heidi Smith Hyde

From School Library Journal

PreSchool-Grade 2—This gentle, picture-book history of klezmer music may have difficulty finding an audience. Mendel plays the accordion and forms a traveling band, but when life gets difficult in the old country, he leaves for America. On the way, he meets other musicians and starts a new group. In New York, he marries

and has children and grandchildren, who love different kinds of music. Finally, his great-grandson finds the old instrument in the attic and has it fixed, and a new generation of klezmorim emerges. The text is unremarkable and lacks transitions in places; but the simple language is accessible and makes the complex story of

immigration comprehensible for a young audience. The attractive folksy watercolor illustrations move the story along effectively and capture life in the various settings. The characters are representative of Jewish culture without being caricatures; the joy of music is clear on their faces. An endnote discusses immigration, klezmer music and its resurgence, and the history of the accordion.