Cakes and Miracles: A Purim Tale Book

Young Hershel is blind, but he still wants to help with Purim. Hershel's mother doesn't have much faith in her son's ability to make the special cookies and cakes of the holiday. After an inspiring dream, Hershel believes he can see what the treats will be, yet his mother still doubts him. Yes, her disbelief in her son is disappointing. So, when Hershel sneaks down to the kitchen at night and bakes his heart out to produce the loveliest cookies, his triumph is delightful.

Overall, Cakes and Miracles is a gentle story that should have been billed as a folk tale. The long-ago setting and antiquated traditions of Purim distance the reader, but there are many nods to Jewish folklore (dreams, angels, etc.) that were perfectly attuned to that genre.