MacLeod, Jennifer Tzivia. Baila the Klopper. Shirley Waisman, Illus. Kar-Ben, 09/2024. [32]pp. Picture Book. Trade $19.99. 979-8765603345. GRADES Preschool–3. ADDITIONAL.
Before there were alarm clocks, many small European villages would employ a klopper, a person who went to each home and used a small mallet to knock on the door and wake the residents to go to the synagogue to worship. In this charming story, a young girl named Baila has that job. Some resist waking up, so she works to share the responsibility and help those who have trouble due to a noisy neighbor or crying baby. Her resourceful resolutions to the problems are refreshing, showing how a young person can be a problem solver. The full-color illustrations appear to be created with colored pencil, depicting the small shtetl using a cartoonish style. An author’s note at the end gives more detail on this unusual custom.
Penny Peck—San José State University, iSchool