Review
"Even as women’s participation in Yiddish cultural heritage is a well-researched problem, the relationship between children and Yiddish literature and the question of how children's literature developed in this language remain neglected topics. Thus, preparing a selection of children's literature translated from Yiddish into English is a daunting but valuable undertaking. Miriam Udel has performed the extensive research to assemble these texts into a representative volume." ― American Literary History
"Longing for tales from mamaloshen, but aren’t fluent in the Yiddish language? This collection of some 50 stories, fables, poems and more, translated into English, will likely make you smile." ― Intermountain Jewish News
"Honey On the Page presents Jewish fairy tales told by prominent and less well-known Yiddish writers in excellent English translations." -- Dr. Heidi Stern ― The Year's Work in Modern Language Studies
"This thematically arranged anthology of Yiddish children’s literature in translation brings to the readers of English an eye-opening array of often little known authors and their beguiling stories. If all you (or your students) know of Yiddish culture is 'Fiddler on the Roof' in this book you’ll discover stories, fables and folklore from New York and Latin America in addition to he expected shtetl tales. The book would be excellent for an intrepid younger reader, as well as a rich resource for educators and researchers." ― Tradition
"A modern classic of Jewish children’s literature. Miriam Udel has opened wide the treasure chest of Yiddish tales for the young, and parents and children of all ages are in her debt." -- Jeremy Dauber, Atran Professor of Yiddish Language, Literature and Culture, Columbia University
"There are many gems in this collection...Honey on the Page: A Treasury of Yiddish Children’s Literature is highly recommended for both children and adults." ― The Jewish Book Council
"An extensive collection of Yiddish literary texts for children translated into English, this anthology contains works from familiar as well as not so widely known Yiddish language writers... [A] comprehensive and valuable set of stories and poetry." ― Kirkus Reviews
"Honey on the Page is an expertly translated, whimsically illustrated selection of lesser-known Yiddish stories and poems for children. Like the best anthologies, it is an eye-opening work of literary history, gleefully introducing a sea of lightly known authors through both their work and meticulously crafted biographical sketches." ― Jewish Review of Books
"Parents will read stories from Honey on the Page aloud until their children can read by themselves, and most stories are simple, yet clever and subtle enough for every age." ― Atlanta Jewish Times
"Honey on the Page is an extraordinary collection, an enchanted time capsule that makes the richness of Yiddish children’s literature available to English readers as never before. It is a gift for all―one that will move, delight, and enlighten every reader." -- Rabbi Danya Ruttenberg, author of Nurture the Wow
"Miriam Udel, a scholar of German and Jewish studies at Emory University, has gifted the world with a treasure of a book that introduces readers of all ages to the wealth of little-known Jewish children’s stories by more than 25 early 20th century Yiddish writers, including Sholem Asch, Zina Rabinowitz and Mordkhe Spektor. The rich anthology, perfect for reading aloud, is a keeper to return to over the years." ― JTA
"There is much in this wonderful collection for Jewish parents who want to give their children a taste of Jewish folk culture. But what stands out are the tales emphasizing the radical Jewish heritage that is inseparable from the linguistic culture that is Yiddishkeit, the inflections of which are faithfully cap- tured in Udel’s translations: stories about Labzik, the proletarian puppy (by the great Khaver Paver); about a child whose willingness to sacrifice all his toys for the sake of peace convinces the ruler of his country to give up war (“A Boy and His Samovar”); and about birds who refuse to sing until all the caged birds in their city are freed (“The Birds Go on Strike”). Udel’s excellent introduction and her selections from out-of-print books and magazines published throughout the Jewish diaspora provide a fascinating survey of Yiddish children’s literature" -- Julia L. Mickenberg, author of American Girls in Red Russia
"A welcome and important addition to any home or school library...wonderfully translated and impeccably edited anthology of almost 50 Yiddish tales." ― Hadassah Magazine
"These stories are a delight! Udel’s translations bring them to life with verve, humor, and stunning lin- guistic resourcefulness. She skillfully modulates her English from story to story, poem to poem, creating a series of distinct, memorable voices―no mean feat with such a broad range of texts, authors, and moods. With this book in hand, no-one will feel “too little-kid-ish / To pick up a story / And read it in Yiddish”―or in this case, in Udel’s warm, sure-handed, joyful English-language renderings. Sheer pleasure for readers of all ages" -- Bill Johnston, Professor of Comparative Literature, Indiana University, and award-winning translator
"These twentieth-century pieces...range from magical holiday stories to wonder-filled ballads to silly tales featuring the fools of Chelm. A perfect resource for families or religious school read-alouds." ― Booklist
"Brimming with magic and wisdom, Honey on the Page is brilliant not only for its lyrical translations but also for its broad collection of tales. Discrete sections guide the reader back in time through myriad aspects of Jewish life, from glittering holidays and heroes to secular and observant experiences. The twists and turns of morality and history are revealed not only in these incandescent stories but also through Udel’s meticulous research. The biographies of each author are gems in their own right that shine as bright as her translations" -- Rachel Barenbaum, author of A Bend in the Stars
"Miriam Udel’s essential, rich collection of Yiddish tales revives the appealing stories that early twentieth century Jewish children were told as introductions to their history and tradition." ― Foreword Magazine
"This rightly named treasury, Miriam Udel’s Honey on the Page, features almost fifty literary works, ranging from folktales to poetry, and from an entertaining story about the angry alef-beys to fascinating historical accounts and the adventures of Khaver Paver’s Labzik the clever pup...[O]ne of the most impressive books I’ve read in a long time." -- Laura Watkinson, In Geveb
From the Back Cover
"Brimming with magic and wisdom, Honey on the Page is brilliant not only for its lyrical translations but also for its broad collection of tales. Discrete sections guide the reader back in time through myriad aspects of Jewish life, from glittering holidays and heroes to secular and observant experiences. The twists and turns of morality and history are revealed not only in these incandescent stories but also through Udel's meticulous research. The biographies of each author are gems in their own right that shine as bright as her translations" ~Rachel Barenbaum, author of A Bend in the Stars"A modern classic of Jewish children's literature. Miriam Udel has opened wide the treasure chest of Yiddish tales for the young, and parents and children of all ages are in her debt." ~Jeremy Dauber, Atran Professor of Yiddish Language, Literature and Culture, Columbia University"These stories are a delight! Udel's translations bring them to life with verve, humor, and stunning lin- guistic resourcefulness. She skillfully modulates her English from story to story, poem to poem, cre- ating a series of distinct, memorable voices--no mean feat with such a broad range of texts, authors, and moods. With this book in hand, no-one will feel "too little-kid-ish / To pick up a story / And read it in Yiddish"--or in this case, in Udel's warm, sure-handed, joyful English-language renderings. Sheer pleasure for readers of all ages" ~Bill Johnston, Professor of Comparative Literature, Indiana University, and award-winning translator"There is much in this wonderful collection for Jewish parents who want to give their children a taste of Jewish folk culture. But what stands out are the tales emphasizing the radical Jewish heritage that is inseparable from the linguistic culture that is Yiddishkeit, the inflections of which are faithfully cap- tured in Udel's translations: stories about Labzik, the proletarian puppy (by the great Khaver Paver); about a child whose willingness to sacrifice all his toys for the sake of peace convinces the ruler of his country to give up war ("A Boy and His Samovar"); and about birds who refuse to sing until all the caged birds in their city are freed ("The Birds Go on Strike"). Udel's excellent introduction and her selections from out-of-print books and magazines published throughout the Jewish diaspora provide a fascinating survey of Yiddish children's literature" ~Julia L. Mickenberg, author of American Girls in Red Russia"Honey on the Page is an extraordinary collection, an enchanted time capsule that makes the richness of Yiddish children's literature available to English readers as never before. It is a gift for all--one that will move, delight, and enlighten every reader." ~Rabbi Danya Ruttenberg, author of Nurture the Wow
About the Author
MIRIAM UDEL is associate professor of Yiddish language, literature, and culture at Emory University, where she studies the Jewish encounter with modernity. She holds an AB in Near Eastern Languages and Civilizations from Harvard University, as well as a PhD in Comparative Literature from the same institution.
Professor Udel's academic research interests include 20th-century Yiddish literature and culture, Jewish children's literature, and American-Jewish literature. In 2019, she was ordained a rabbi at Yeshivat Maharat.
In Honey on the Page, Udel delivers to students of Jewish history and literary culture a rich resource of Yiddish stories from around the globe, selected and translated by the author. She offers to Jewish families, educators, and librarians a treasure trove of Yiddish tales for children of all ages that will illuminate their religious, cultural, and ethical heritage.
"This project represents a convergence of my work as a teacher and as a mother," said Udel. "I sought authentic Yiddish materials that my students could tackle after just a semester of language instruction and at the same time, I was intrigued at the idea that Yiddish civilization had produced a textual legacy that I would wish to share with my own children."
Udel is the author of Never Better!: The Modern Jewish Picaresque (University of Michigan Press, 2016), winner of the 2017 National Jewish Book Award in Modern Jewish Thought and Experience. She is currently working on a critical study of Yiddish children's literature that will serve as a companion to Honey on the Page.
Udel lives in Atlanta where she is the self-described"playful parent to three feminist boys" who provided a focus group for the book. At ages four to 16, they span the developmental stages being addressed by the stories and poems in the volume. In addition to weight-lifting, she loves to dance, especially salsa with her husband, as well as tap, hip hop, and reggaeton.
