Nina's Busy Week
Emily Lambert author Yana Kozak illustrator
Format:Hardback
Publisher:Behrman House Inc.,U.S.
Published:3rd Nov '26
Currently unavailable, and unfortunately no date known when it will be back
Nina's boundless energy and limitless imagination must come to a pause in this Shabbat book for modern families.
Meet Nina: She’s energetic, bright, and full of creativity. Her exuberance can not be contained. A race car driver on Monday, a pilot on Tuesday, a construction worker on Wednesday, Nina does not stop moving or creating worlds around her. Nina’s imagination is so busy that she sometimes doesn’t even hear her parents. That all changes on Shabbat when Nina enjoys quieter activities like long walks, naps, and simple conversations. Resting on Shabbat helps her connect with her family and recharge for a new week of creative fun.
"Onomatopoeia, enticing visuals, and valuable backmatter . . . combine for a tale that will have young listeners happily driving and flying . . . and maybe even resting by story’s end." —Kirkus Reviews
"Thoughtful . . . Quirky illustrations blend a child's imagination with reality." —Foreword Reviews
"A very active child must power down for Shabbat.
Energetic Nina immerses herself in imaginative play with homemade cardboard props and a pet cat sidekick. Her inner life takes shape on the page in warm, digitally created illustrations with funny touches and a palette that supports her changing moods. Nina’s parents encourage her creativity but are not quite as enthusiastic about the ensuing noise and mess. Each day of the week, Nina adopts a new occupation: On Sunday she’s a 'motorsport master' in a cardboard box car; on Monday she’s an 'ace aviator' in the same box—now a plane. When Friday arrives, can she shift gears for Shabbat, the Jewish day of rest? Nina does slow down—as much as she can—to enjoy a laid-back day with her family and community. But once Shabbat is over, it’s time for another busy week! Onomatopoeia, enticing visuals, and valuable backmatter (with guidance on mediating and instructions for making a car out of a cardboard box) combine for a tale that will have young listeners happily driving and flying . . . and maybe even resting by story’s end. Pair with Shoshana Nambi’s Slow Down, Shoshi! (2025) for another tale of a child in a hurry. Nina and her father have light skin; her mother is brown-skinned.A solid Shabbat storytime offering for a general audience. (Picture book. 3-6)"
—Kirkus Reviews
"A girl discovers the value of rest in this thoughtful picture book. Tearing around in a cardboard race car to scanning for pirates across an imagined sea, Nina has a busy week. As the sun sets on Friday, her parents remind her of the Jewish tradition of Shabbat, a day of rest; Nina enjoys a refreshing break before blasting off again. Quirky illustrations blend a child’s imagination with reality, as with dolphins leaping around a cardboard-box boat."
—Foreword Reviews
ISBN: 9781681157238
Dimensions: unknown
Weight: unknown
32 pages