Sally Freedman

This take on the Exodus story is a bit more nuanced than the usual slave narrative. It focuses on a middle-class (if one can call it that) Hebrew family living in a town far away from the Pharaoh's palace. The protagonist is a girl named Miriam. Her mother is a potter and her father oversees papyrus processing, both in the employ of the local Noble Lord. They know they are Hebrews, and Miriam is familiar with the stories of Abraham, Isaac, and Joseph. They are also somewhat assimilated into Egyptian society, as they live in an Egyptian neighborhood. They usually wear Egyptian clothing and pay lip service to some of the Egyptian deities (Miriam's favorite is Tawerti, a hippo goddess). The characters' status makes it easier for a modern child to identify with them; most of the target audience of young readers would feel sorry for a child born into slavery, but would not necessarily be able to imagine themselves in such a situation. Here we have a little girl, both of whose parents work, living in a not-exclusively-Jewish neighborhood. She has both Hebrew and Egyptian playmates. Whimsical line drawings show us more of her world. An American kid who knows the Shema and who can also sing all of the Christmas carols can relate. Portraying the family as relatively well-off also means that if they leave, they have more to lose. Because they do not live in a Hebrew enclave, they are subjected to the first nine plagues along with their Egyptian neighbors. They are hearing things about a Prince Moseh in the Pharaoh's palace, who, it is rumored, is a Hebrew himself, and who struggles for more religious freedom for his people. When word goes out that the Hebrews are to perform the paschal sacrifice and mark their doorways there is great excitement. The children are told they are going into the wilderness for a festival, not that they are leaving Egypt forever. Some guess the real plan, some don't. But there are definite mixed feelings about the throwing off of the trappings of Egyptian identity, and Miriam evinces unhappiness over the sudden changes. Some Hebrews stay behind, to the grief of their families. Miriam's mother bids a tearful goodbye to the family cat. These are issues the young modern reader can relate to, and this is of vital importance, since the Exodus story is something that is not just told, but something that must be felt by every Jew to be his or her own. Adults know that few decisions are clear-cut; there are risks and benefits with either choice. Some things have to be left behind in order to embrace a more authentic identity and a future that holds both freedom and danger. This story gives the young reader an example of the ramifications of making a firm, and ultimately correct, decision, and makes it easier for kids to imagine themselves in a similar situation.… (más)