Nina Jaffe

A biography of the folklorist and novelist who recorded the traditional songs and stories of the people of Haiti, the Hopi Indians, and black communities in the South, connecting the African-American traditions to the cultures of Africa.

Includes background information and retellings of traditional tales from Jewish folklore and legend related to major holidays, such as Yom Kippur, Sukkot, Hanukkah, and Purim.

Captured and kept inside a sack by a strange little man, a young girl is forced to sing, until her mother hears her song and knows that it is not the sack that is singing.

The night before Christmas: Clement C. Moore's classic poem about a visit from St. Nicholas. In the month of Kislev: A rich, arrogant merchant takes the family of a poor peddler to court and learns a lesson about the meaning of Hanukkah. Seven candles for Kwanza: describes the origins and practices of Kwanzaa, the seven-day festival during which people of African descent rejoice in their ancestral values. Too many tamales: Maria feels very grown-up...