Written by Erez Hadad
Illustrated by Menahem Halberstadt
Price: £10.99 / $13.99
Pages: 32
Format: Paperback
ISBN: 9781805001959
Highlights
- A clever, thought-provoking tale about the harm that hurtful words can have, and the importance of owning up to our mistakes when we are in the wrong
- Also teaches children about the importance of forgiveness and the power of friendship
- Based on the Jewish idea of lashon hara
- Beautifully illustrated by Menahem Halberstadt
Description
Speedy is the fastest animal in the forest, and always loves a challenge and a chance to show off his skills. But one day, while getting ready for an archery contest, Speedy finds himself facing his biggest challenge yet – to run faster than the words that came out of his mouth.
Frustrated and letting his temper get the better of him, Speedy says something unkind about his best friend Ellie the Elephant that he immediately regrets. Will he make it across the forest and catch up with his words before they reach Ellie’s ears and hurt her feelings?
Based on the Jewish idea of lashon hara, this thought-provoking tale shows the harm that unkind words can do and offers lessons on the importance of honesty, forgiveness and friendship. Menahem Halberstadt’s charming illustrations bring this story to life on the
page, making for an engaging, educational tale that young readers will both thoroughly enjoy and learn a lot from.
Author Details
Erez Hadad is a married, father of four. He is a screenwriter and director, and author of the picture book The Machine.
Reviews
‘Speedy is the fastest rabbit in the forest. But one day, he set himself his biggest challenge ever – to outrun the harsh words he’s let out of his mouth. Erez Hadad’s Speedy and the Race Against Sound is a new, child-friendly parable about lashon hara (bad-mouthing someone) and the difficulty of taking back unkind words once they have entered the world. Menahem Halberstadt imaginatively depicts Speedy’s angry words as an arrow-shaped tangle of stripy tubes. A thrilling chase with a well-integrated moral. Age three up.’ — Angela Kiverstein, The Jewish Chronicle
‘Speedy and the Race Against Sound is based on the Jewish prohibition against speaking negatively of others, known as lashon hara, which is an enduring theme in Jewish literature. The book illustrates the importance of cautious, kind, and tactful speech and of asking a wronged friend for forgiveness and understanding — lessons that can be learned by both children and adults alike.’ — Michael Hoschander Malen, Jewish Book Council