Sophie's Monster Goes to Shul

by Sandy Asher, Alexandra Colombo (illustrator)

"Why are you crying?" Sophie asks the imaginary monster in her closet. "You're not afraid of me anymore," the monster says. "No one else can see or hear me. I need a new job." He follows Sophie to breakfast, out to Bubbe and Zayde's car, and to the shul. At synagogue, Bubbe helps lead the service. "She's kvelling," Sophie says to the monster. "I want to kvell," he says, and they join in the singing. Then Sophie uses her imagination to write a story about her monster. Suddenly, he isn't scary anymore, and he's no longer sitting beside her. He's in the pages of her story and now everyone can see him.

Genres: Childrens

Kindle Edition

Published March 5, 2024

About the author

Sandy Asher, a playwright and children's author, is probably best known for her young-adult novels and other prose works for young readers. Drawing many of the ideas and characters for her writings from her childhood memories, Asher has earned critical praise and numerous awards for novels such as Just like Jenny, Things Are Seldom What They Seem, and Everything Is Not Enough. In addition to fiction, Asher has also edited the story collections On Her Way: Stories and Poems about Growing up Girl and the award-winning With All My Heart, with All My Mind: Thirteen Stories about Growing up Jewish, which collect works that address many of the same adolescent concerns Asher confronts in her fiction.

Reviews

[Matal “The Mischling Princess” Baker · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a really cute book. “Sophie's Monster Goes to Shul” shows young children how they can bring their imaginations to life. Written by Sandy Asher and illustrated by Alexandra Colombo, this story and the beautiful illustrations are perfect not just for Jewish children, but for gentile children who are interested in exploring other cultures and American subcultures.

Asher reveals that while imagination is great, kids can take that a step further by writing about it, thereby allow other people to enjoy your creation. This book was well done and I hope to see it in libraries everywhere.

[Julie Ditton · Rating 5 out of 5]

If your imaginary monster is no longer scary, he won't know what to do. Many children have a monster in the closet or under the bed. But what happens to that imaginary monster, once the child is no longer scared. Sophie's monster doesn't know what to do, now that she has outgrown her fear. She coaxes him out of the closet and into the world. When he follows her to religious school, Sophie uses her imagination to help him adjust. This adorable children teaches kids with big imaginations that they can share their stories with others. This sweet story is made even more special by the creative illustrations of Alexandra Colombo. Although Sophie is Jewish the story is one that any child can identify with. Thank you Kar-ben Publishing for an electronic review copy of this book. All opinions are my own and I can honestly recommend this book for any child with an active imagination.

[Rachel · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sophie has an imaginary monster living in her closet. Unfortunately, her monster is going through an identity crisis: he doesn’t have a job now that Sophie is no longer afraid of him. This leaves him crying, “Oy, oy, oy” and worried about finding a new occupation. In “Sophie’s Monster Goes to Shul” by Sandy Asher and illustrated by Alexandra Colombo (Kar-Ben Publishing), Sophie helps her monster by bringing him to religious school where the two of them have a wonderful time. Then, with the use of her imagination, Sophie finds the perfect place for him.
See the rest of my review at https://www.thereportergroup.org/book...

[Liza Wiemer · Rating 5 out of 5]

This creative picture book connects the joy of Sunday School with Sophie’s wild imagination. Her imaginary monster doesn’t want to be left behind when she goes to shul, so he joins her. They sing prayers, learn Israeli dances, and listen to a story. Each step of the way, the monster has a job, going from Sophie’s mind to the pages of a story she writes at Sunday School. Wonderful text and bright, fun illustrations will delight preschoolers to early readers.

[Shari (Shira) · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm a bit disappointed. I expected a book entitled SOPHIE'S MONSTER GOES TO SHUL, would seize the opportunity to explain what shul is, what happens there, and how to behave in shul and why. Missed opportunity...

[Taylor Kundel-Gower · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good representation, my kids will relate.