In the Land of Happy Tears

Gr 4–6—In this collection, Stromberg introduces readers to a selection of little-known Yiddish tales. Unfortunately, it is uneven. The stories range from animal stories to folklore to everyday tales. There are stories of poor, virtuous sons making good, great rabbis teaching lessons, little boys being sent off to school, and even a slightly horrific tale of a boy who torments animals until he dreams that he is the tormented. While the best of the stories are well-written and gripping, many of them are vignettes, and the audience is unclear. Some stories have youthful appeal, but others seem more like curiosities intended for scholars or adults interested in Yiddish literature. An excellent introduction, clearly intended for adults, gives a sense of the history of the language of Yiddish and its literature. Several stories suffer in translation with confusing transitions or simply subpar writing.