People Are Like....

by Michael Zedek

Reviewed by Eileen Quinn Knight, Ph.D. Profiles in Catholicism

I have 6 grandchildren from 18 months to 11 years; they are happy and full of energy. This would be an inspiring book for them. The author Rabbi Zedek has provided us with delightful, curious and playful stories that help us to use our imagination in knowing others in a different way.

The Rabbi takes a specific animal such as a rabbit or porcupine and describes their activities throughout the day. He tells us how many times a porcupine gets pricked, backs off and again tries. The Rabbi states that the porcupine uses the quills for protection and we sometimes carry "stuff" that says we're mad or hurt or angry. The defenses become excuses for getting closer to another. And yet we need connections. We want hugs and the warmth of another person to snuggle up with who is caring for us. Hugs don't hurt.

The next story is about two dogs: Zip and an older dog who become friends over a fence in the backyard. They figure out that their happiness is in the tail. You don't have to catch a tail. It's impossible to tail. It follows you. It wags when you are happy. Happiness is not something you can chase or catch. it is often something special we do for others like doing something they want to do so we show we care.

Caring makes a difference. When we show we care, we make a difference in the world. when we show we care, we make a difference in other people's hearts. The next story is about two fish: Jenny and Jerry. They enjoy swimming in stream where they live. They are trout that likes to move super-fast and prefers cold water. Jerry has been hooked or caught by a fishing pole before. You get closer and closer and then, all of a sudden, you feel something weird in your mouth. Something you've never felt before. It hurts. You are being pulled out of the water and up in the air! Jerry didn't like the idea of being out of the stream. That is her home. Like all fish, she needs to be in water to breathe. Every time that happens to me, I am able to escape, or the hook is removed and I get thrown back into the water .Sometimes people seem upset, angry or even scared. Maybe that's not the whole story. We don't see that they have, like a fish, something that feels like a painful hook in their mouth. For people it is not a real hook. It's feeling sad or scared or angry or hurt because of something that happened to them before. All we see is how they behave in the moment. It is about how they hurt inside.

The next story is about Susan and Betsy and how they bonded together. They lived five houses away from each other. They both played with lots of toys at home but these were their special ones. Susan told her Mother about Betsy and the broken doll. She needed a friend, Susan said. It's too bad you couldn't fix the doll or her. I know But I could stay to cry with her." Sometimes just being with someone who is hurting and sad helps them get through a tough time. someone might feel a little better because another person took time to stop and care.

The next story is about very precious things to us and what we can do with them. The last story is about a group of monkeys who lived by themselves. We can learn from the monkeys. They teach us a way to make things better for people. If 99 monkeys can teach all the monkeys on an island to do something, imagine what just a small group of people might accomplish by working together.

This book is illustrated in a way that invites the children reading the book to engage with the reader. It is wonderful for all age groups and is beautifully done in word and picture. A great Christmas gift!