527 Empire Blvd.
Brooklyn, NY 11225
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The children of the Israeli town of Keshet are born with the ability to bend nature to their will and 13-year-old Jordan has just discovered his gift of the power to transform into water. All of Jordan’s friends have unique powers: Noam can alter cloud formations, Ellah can spin webs, and little Eden can create the strange animals she sees in her dreams. No one knows the source of these powers except, perhaps, Miss Sara, the mysterious town matriarch who helps the children find and control their talents using Kabbalah and other mystical teachings from Israel’s forgotten past.
However, someone has discovered the secret of the children of Keshet, and wants to use their powers for his own sinister purposes. To prevent such a disaster, Jordan and his friends must use their gifts to defeat an enemy who wields the power to erase the line between the living and the dead.
Incorporating Jewish mythology and referencing various practices of Judaism, this book is a tale of friendship and the power of teamwork in the face of adversity.
Written by Karen Goldman, illustrated by Rachel Moseley
ISBN 978-0983868521
From Hadassah Magazine:
"The story has fantastical and kabbalistic elements, but at its heart it is about a boy finding his inner strength and protecting his friends and family."
From The San Diego Jewish World:
"Jewish tweens and teens who enjoyed the Harry Potter series by J.K. Rowling may find themselees charmed by a nwe juveline fiction series launched by Karen Goldman about a village in the norther part of Israel where all the children have special powrs."
From Hillary Homzie, author of the Alien Clones from Outer Space series:
"Karen Goldman’s chapter book, Jordan and the Dreadful Golem, is a fast-paced mystery that will be sure to hook young readers. It’s both a mystery, an adventure and a story of self-acceptance, as 12-year-old Jordan learns the incredible truth about his gifts and his limitations. In the novel, Jordan and his friends must stop a monster from destroying his village. And not just any monster, a golem! Unlike the 16th century golem used to defend innocent people by the Rabbi of Prague, this golem is being used to destroy children in a contemporary village in northern Israel. Although this isn’t quite the Israel we all know, but a fantastical version where children in the village of Kfar Ksehet at around 12 or 13 discover a special ability. For example, Noam manipulates clouds. Eden creates from her dreams. Ellah has an ability with spiders, but Jordan, in the opening of the narrative, has not yet found his special ability. He feels sure that his gift will be flight. However, when Miss Sara, the wise woman in the village, reveals that Jordan’s gift is something else entirely, he must adjust his expectations and find creative ways to use his powers for good and stop the mysterious golem who seems to be hiding in plain sight.
Goldman writes with economy and spunk and weaves plenty of cliffhangers into her tale. The high-octane plot moves along through authentic kid dialogue and there is little embellishment. Goldman’s imagination is at full-force with descriptions of Eden’s dream animal zoo, full of dragons and even a strange ape-cheetah. This book, which should appeal to both boys and girls and especially to reluctant readers, is highly recommended."
Copyright 2015 Penlight Publications. All rights reserved.
527 Empire Blvd.
Brooklyn, NY 11225
ph: (718) 972.5449
fax: (718) 972.6307
info