Snow in Jerusalem

by Deborah da Costa, Cornelius Van Wright (Illustrator), Ying-Hwa Hu (Illustrator)

Although they live in different quarters of Jerusalem, a Jewish boy and a Muslim boy are surprised to discover they have been caring for the same stray cat.

Genres: Picture Books, Jewish, Childrens, Israel, Middle East, Cultural, Muslims

32 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2001

About the author

Deborah da Costa was born in Jersey City, New Jersey and raised in Verona, New Jersey. Da Costa is a pen name she uses for children's books, though she claims it does have family significance. She attended Ohio State and then Columbia University's Teacher's College in New York. She is married with two grown children and two grandchildren and lives in Maryland with her husband, Warren, and three formerly stray cats. She worked as a teacher, but now works as an educational consultant, college professor, and full-time writer.

Reviews

[siriusedward · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lovely lovely book.
With such a heartwarming story.
Avi and Hamudi and the cat.
Their adventures, and their journey from difference to the similar and finding joy at the end.with a happy surprise there somewhere.

Beautiful illustrations and the theme, the idea behind the story is brilliant.
Loved it.
Need more books like this.
Thank you for the wonderful story and illustrations.

[Rebecca Owen · Rating 4 out of 5]

It tells the story of two boys, Avi and Hamudi, one Jewish and the other Arabic, living in Jerusalem, who unknowingly share a pet cat. When Avi one day follows the cat he discovers her with Hamudi and is immediately angry. While the boys fight over the cat, she runs off as snow begins to fall. The boys chase her together in fear of her freezing, and their joint fear momentarily overcomes their anger. When they finally catch up to her they discover she has four new kittens. They begin to fight over who will get the kittens when the cat begins to weave between the two boys and they discover “she does not want [them] to fight… she wants peace” (da Costa 26). So each boy takes two kittens and they decide they will share the mother as well. The two boys gain a friendship they ordinarily never would have formed. At the end, the author provides a note on the segregation that exists in Jerusalem and how there’s very little contact between the Jewish and Arab children. It makes that same hope for the children to be the answer for peace as well as pointing out the need for these children on either side to interact with each other. This would be best for second to middle school age children, and would work well with Samir and Yonatan.

[Lisa Vegan · Rating 3 out of 5]

I picked this up on impulse off the children’s picture book winter books shelf.

Well, if only it was so easy. I know this is supposed to be a kind of parable but it was too didactic and unrealistic for my taste. So, it’s about a white street cat that two boys, one Jewish and one Muslim, care for and share, at first not knowing of the other’s involvement.

I’ve never been to Jerusalem but I did appreciate the map and the illustrations, and the one author & two illustrators collaboration. I also was glad there was a glossary of Hebrew and Arabic words in the back of the book, even though the definitions of the words within the story should be clear to the reader as they’re reading.

I love cats so the main cat in this story was interesting to me.

I don’t know that I’d really recommend this one. I appreciate what it was trying to do though. It’s hard for me to say if I liked it or if it was just ok; I’ve decided to give it the benefit of the doubt.

[Crystal · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved this book and can not wait to share it. It deals with issues perfectly in ways to show children (and more importantly adults) that kindness and caring are the most important thing. I love that it didn't vilify any one over the other and the illustrations are beautiful and perfect for the book.

[Jenny Hartfelder · Rating 5 out of 5]

My 7yo: 5 stars. It was a nice book. I liked the cat. I think she knew that it was better for the boys not to squabble. It was kinda sad that they were fighting over the kittens, but it was a really nice book. It was a good lesson. It teaches us to share and to be kind and not to fight.

The Mama: 4 stars. I enjoy how this story gently presents the dynamics of Jerusalem as a divided city... and the simple things that can unite people. The illustrations are beautiful, realistic watercolors. I've read this book previously, but the first time I read it I hadn't realized that Jerusalem was divided into different quarters for the different people groups.

#passportaroundtheworld #middleeast

[Dan · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really like this book. I think this book has great illustrations. It touches on Arab and Jewish relations. It also uses some Hebrew and Arabic. From an educational perspective it touches on stray cats in Jerusalem and the four quarters of the Old City of Jerusalem. It also touches on snow in Jerusalem as a rare thing. It also touches on the importance of peace. Care of animals is touched upon. It also raises questions of why are these cats being cared for versus the other cats? How was this ownership claimed? How is this ownership shared? From a practical and safety standpoint one should be cautious with strays though. Lots of powerful messages that are made in this book.

[Ari S Gans · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a children's book i found in the school where I work's library. Honestly, I think everyone should take a minute and read it. It shows an Muslim boy and a Jewish boy searching for a cat together on a cold night in Jerusalem. Sadly, we may never see something like this ever again, and I would recommend this to teachers everywhere, to show that even the most unlikely friendships are possible.

[Chris · Rating 4 out of 5]

I didn't realize there are four ethnic/cultural sections in Jerusalem - Jewish, Muslim, Christian, and Armenian. In this story, two boys from different cultures - Jewish and Muslim - find common ground because of a stray cat who "befriends" them both.

[Melissa Namba · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good book that actually covers a whole lot more than one might expect. I love how it doesn't go into the discussion between the divide between the two cultures, but examines it at a micro level. While I don't find the solution realistic at all, I like the intent.

[Kayla · Rating 3 out of 5]

I loved the illustrations. I also liked how the plot was simple, this way I can draw attention to the illustrations to show what other regions and cultures are like.

[Lydia Theobald · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautiful illustrations, sweet story. It does a good job including but gently treating the complex conflicts in Israel right now. I especially loved it because of my own time spent in Jerusalem.

[Leen Turki]

Snow in Jerusalem is a book about two boys who live in Jerusalem; Avi lives in the Jewish quarter and Hamudi lives in the Muslim quarter. This book is a historical fiction, has a good storyline, and includes a problem solution. This book is age appropriate for middle-elementary, and the illustrations capture accurate visuals of the Jewish and Muslim quarter. I chose to add this book, because it is a common misconception that all Jewish and Muslims hate each other, because they are fighting over the same land. This beautiful white cat represents the land, Avi represents thee Jewish quarter, and Hamudi represents the Muslim quarter. After fighting over the beautiful white cat they decide to stop fighting and share. This book gets the children thinking about concepts like peace and friendship. Deborah da Costa is an outsider who lived in New Jersey all her life, nonetheless I think she is well educated on both cultures and there are no negative stereotypes.

[Pamela Powell · Rating 4 out of 5]

Beautifully illustrated story of how a simply stray cat brought together two young boys from very different areas of Jerusalem...and maybe started a bit of understanding.

[Hannah · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent for showing the difference between Jews and Muslims and also how they are alike.

[Noa Gafni · Rating 5 out of 5]

So good, so relevant, so great for inspiring compassion and empathy in young readers

[Shoshanna · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautiful story of two Jerusalem boys who both love a beautiful white cat, as an allegory for Jerusalem!

[Sandy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Two boys from different sides of town, share the same stray cat. A cute way to describe commonality to children.

[Elizabeth · Rating 2 out of 5]

In Snow in Jerusalem, by Deborah da Costa, a snow-white cat shuttles between the Jewish Quarter and the Muslim Quarter of Jerusalem’s Old City. The cat is being fed and cared for by boys - one from each side of the city. One day they both see her and follow her into the Armenian Quarter of the city. An argument ensues – whose cat is this after all? When they discover she has a litter of kittens, they acknowledge that it is too dangerous for the kittens to be left on the streets, “they could be killed by mean dogs or bad people.” So the boys decide to each take two kittens and let the mother cat continue crossing through the city to care for them at each boy’s house. Didn’t the author read the tale of King Solomon and the baby? Splitting the babies in half is not a good solution; the poor mother cat is still left on the streets to fend off mean dogs and bad people. The text hints at friendship between the boys once the kittens have been divied up, but it seems as unrealistic as snow falling in Jerusalem. (I know it’s meant to be a parable full of hope for peace, but it’s all a bit of a stretch for me). The illustrations by Cornelius Van Wright ad Ying-Hwa Hu are lovely though.

[Margaret Klein · Rating 4 out of 5]

Update: I used this book this weekend, snowy in Illinois, to once again talk about peace. Is it possible? Is it a pipe dream? Can the children lead us to it? Can an Arab boy and a Jewish boy really become friends?

Two boys from different backgrounds living in the Old City of Jerusalem each find a stray cat. The same cat. They both feed the cat. Both mothers yell at the boys for feeding the cat. The boys argue over who "owns" the cat. Then it snows, a rarity in Jerusalem, and the two boys follow the cat and find a surprise. A short book with many twists and turns, as befits one set in Jerusalem, with an important message. I've used this book in Jewish settings and in interfaith settings to talk about peace.

[Matthew · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book taught me a lot about the division that exists in Jerusalem. The division of the city into isolated quarters really drove the plot of this story. The cat, that traveled freely between the different quarters of the city brought a small sense of unity between two boys from different quarters who were unknowingly caring for the same cat. The text and pictures are both exceptional here. I really enjoyed the watercolor illustrations.

[Liz · Rating 5 out of 5]

At first I was pessimistic towards reading this book. However, it turned out to a great book. I definitely learned to not judge a book by the cover. This book would be great for young students to relate to other children around the world. Also, the book teaches students to get along and work together. I might have students write to pen pals somewhere around the world to see what they have in common and learn about differences. It would be a fun writing assignment.

[Alice · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a very nice book about getting along. The Stronger tone,is that a Jewish Boy and a Muslim boy, both love the same stray cat, and then they come together and decide to share the cat. Also, the rarity of snow in Jerusalem is a parallel of getting along in a place where there should be peace but rarely is...I thought it was a very nice book...and if nothing else...if you don't want to take the social and politically theme...it is about a cute cat... :-D

[Kara · Rating 4 out of 5]

Avi and Hamudi are (Jewish and Arab) boys living in separate parts of Jerusalem and unbeknownst to them, both taking care of the same cat. When the cat takes them through the streets of Jerusalem the boys follow it crossing through many boundaries in the city. As snow begins to fall, they discover the cat has four kittens and they realize their friendship through a shared love for this cat and kittens despite their many other differences.

[Tiffany Tilton]

This is a wonderful book to use if introducing children to other cultures and trying to teach that other children in other countries have similarities to children in America. This book also is good to use if teaching about the Middle East. Hopefully this book will help fight the current discriminations Middle Eastern people are fighting today.

[Katie Logonauts · Rating 3 out of 5]

This modern parable of a story is set in the Old City of Jerusalem, where a stray white cat sets in motion the unlikely meeting of two boys, Avi who lives in the Jewish Quarter and Haumudi who lives in the Muslim Quarter. The two boys must overcome their differences and distrust in order to help the cat they have both come to care about.

[Claire · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is about two boys, one Jewish and one Islamic, growing up in Jerusalem. Through the love of a stray cat they find out that they have much more in common than either would have guessed.

Ages 6-8

[Marla · Rating 4 out of 5]

Having lived in Jerusalem, and even having seen snow there, I appreciated some things about this book. If only it was this easy to bring peace. Even so - a reminder that politics is personal - and a lot of things can be made simpler if we take the time to listen to one another.

[Sheila · Rating 3 out of 5]

I like the idea behind this story. But I wasn't crazy about the illustrations, and that poor momma cat is going to be tired going back and forth to keep the kitties fed!

[Maryc · Rating 2 out of 5]

young children's book - was expecting more - it was ok

[Hester Rathbone · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a sweet book...if only we could work out the Middle East problem as easily...
Maybe we just all need more kittens!