An embroidered version of the etiological tale from the book of Genesis, with a multicultural cast.In the cartoon illustrations two children—one pale-skinned and red-haired, her friend darker of both skin and hair—front a similarly varied population that shares "one beautiful language." Having moved from an overcrowded valley to found a new city, all pitch in to build a tower tall enough to "hold up the sky and stay above the waters," should another Great Flood come along. As the children eat tower cakes and put on tower hats and play tower games, the structure rises so high that the proud builders decide to make war on God and "take the heavens as their home." (Except for the tower itself, all of this is invented detail.) God sighs in disappointment and sends angels down in the night. The next morning, "Joseph woke up as José," "Rachel" as "Rachelle," and all of the people and animals speak different languages, from Spanish or Chinese to Cow or Chick. Samples of each in appropriate script, with an identifying label and (for non-English) a translation, fill a crowd of dialogue balloons in the final scenes. Calling out variations on "Let's go this way!" in Spanish, Urdu, Russian, Hebrew, and other tongues, the humbled folk gather into groups and disperse, leaving the still-standing tower behind. Even with the additions, the story still feels bare-bones. (Picture book/religion. 5-7)

Gr 2–5— The story of the Tower of Babel is told in Genesis 11:1–9. This picture book retells and fleshes out that brief incident. Remembering the recent flood (of Noah's Ark fame), the people use their universally shared language to coordinate the building of a tower so tall that it will hold up the sky and keep them safe. Their success breeds hubris, and they start to think of warring with God in order to take over the heavens as their home. God cannot allow such arrogance, sending angels to erase the old languages from the people's heads and give them each a new, different language. Unable to communicate, they remember "that they [are] small and the world [is] so very big," and they scatter. While the source material itself has problematic gaps in logic, this is a beautiful repackaging of the tale. The text has an appropriately formal tone, yet the storytelling remains clear and straightforward. Motivations and emotional responses are supplied through the narrative and the illustrations. Uncited midrash (rabbinic commentaries) supply some of the additional material, while other details appear to be original. The well-executed pencil and watercolor illustrations make this book a standout. The limited palette gives a classic feel, and the dominance of brick red reinforces the prominence of the tower. A sense of movement and perspective emphasizes the growth and height of the edifice. The expressive faces of the characters help to tell the story. White skin dominates the crowd scenes of this Middle Eastern tale (and of the 10 angels, all are white with blond or orange hair). Eurocentrism is also evident in the very limited sampling of Earth's languages, leaving entire continents unrepresented. Despite problematic elements, the lyrical storytelling and dynamic illustrations will attract readers. VERDICT With a dearth of other picture books on the Tower of Babel, this handsome retelling will be in demand in religious libraries and schools.— Heidi Rabinowitz, Congregation B'nai Israel, Boca Raton, FL