“A short narrative poem with devastating impact, beautifully illustrated and accompanied by a helpful glossary contextualizing references to historic rabbis, cities, and concepts, including that of the niggun, a mystical song that one rabbi called ‘the pen of the soul.’ ”
—Jewish Book Council
“The tale and its lesson are classically Wiesel. Human and beautiful, it empowers the powerless. It’s traditional for Jews to place stones on graves; this story, based on several examples from history, places a pebble on an already insurmountable pile of rocks. The Tale of a Niggun is, of course, a Jewish book, but also not a Jewish book. Jewish stories, even in the present tense, are ancient stories, and the question and lesson central to the book are as present now as they’ve been since Eve left Eden . . . Frequent Wiesel illustrator Mark Podwal’s watercolor paintings are lovely.”
—New York Journal of Books
“Accompanied by Mark Podwatil’s quietly haunng full-page illustrations, Wiesel’s spare language cuts to the heart of human loss while the rhythms of the poetry capture the sad, endless march of inhumanity through history. At the same time, this poem sings out the power of belief and community and love.”
—Kirkus Reviews
