Big Dreams, Small Fish
- Downloads：8491
- Type：Epub+TxT+PDF+Mobi
- Create Date：2022-02-27 01:21:34
- Update Date：2025-09-06
- Status：finish
- Author：Paula Cohen
- ISBN：1646141261
- Environment：PC/Android/iPhone/iPad/Kindle
Reviews
Debbie Zapata
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Shirley is an adorable girl considered too little to help with the family store。 But this little wonder has lots of big ideas to help the store become faster， prettier and more modern。 Paula Cohen's beautiful digitally colored pencil drawings creates a voice that is authentically from a child's point of view。 The yiddish words add a fun layer。 I can't wait to try the delicious recipe for gefilte fish shared in the backmatter。 This makes a wonderful book for readers who believe in young people wi Shirley is an adorable girl considered too little to help with the family store。 But this little wonder has lots of big ideas to help the store become faster， prettier and more modern。 Paula Cohen's beautiful digitally colored pencil drawings creates a voice that is authentically from a child's point of view。 The yiddish words add a fun layer。 I can't wait to try the delicious recipe for gefilte fish shared in the backmatter。 This makes a wonderful book for readers who believe in young people with big ideas！ 。。。more
Jennifer Brianne
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This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers。 To view it， click here。 After reading Paula Cohen’s debut picture book， Big Dreams， Small Fish， I closed it and my first thought - I love it！ It’s a beautifully illustrated by Paula and between the almost animation-movie-style drawings and sweet story， this book is super cute and lovely。 I mean that fully and not in the “bless your heart” sort of way。“Shirley’s family had big dreams for their new store in their new neighborhood。”Yes， they did！ One of their big dreams is to sell their small fish - gefilte fish。 I know， After reading Paula Cohen’s debut picture book， Big Dreams， Small Fish， I closed it and my first thought - I love it！ It’s a beautifully illustrated by Paula and between the almost animation-movie-style drawings and sweet story， this book is super cute and lovely。 I mean that fully and not in the “bless your heart” sort of way。“Shirley’s family had big dreams for their new store in their new neighborhood。”Yes， they did！ One of their big dreams is to sell their small fish - gefilte fish。 I know， stick with me here， I’ve heard all the “yuck” stories about this notorious fish。 Paula， or really Shirley， may have you think otherwise…like me。Shirley is your confident child。 She knows what her family wants， she fully believes in gefilte fish， and she knows how she can get the neighborhood customers to love it just as much as she does。She tries creating her own advertisements and even gets the cat involved。 Nothing works， but also her family thinks she’s too little to help and in the way。 Until one day， they have no choice but to trust her。 “‘Mrs。 Gottlieb is here’， said Uncle Morris， ‘And Shirley can help。’”I include the quote above because the illustration for this spread and the next two made me laugh aloud。 I don’t know who Mrs。 Gottlieb is， but she’s in the store and is basically used as a prop by Shirley！ It’s probably my favorite part of the whole book。 Shirley is left to man the store and she has a big idea。 A big， wonderful， great idea！ When you read this book make sure you read the illustrations as well because they keep the story going。 Without giving Shirley’s idea away， I’ll just say that she manages to get each customer to leave with gefilte fish。 Her family is so proud！“‘The gefilte fish is gone！ Shirley sold ALL of it！’ said Mama。”However， the small fish wasn’t exactly sold and there are consequences for Shirley。 The next morning arrives and brings redemption for Shirley - all the customers from yesterday are back again today！ For more gefilte fish！ Overnight， Shirley has become an entrepreneur and her family gifts her an apron with her name on it and her very own sign， “Try Shirley’s Gefilte Fish！”The backmatter in Paula’s book is just as good as the story。 Throughout the story there are Yiddish words and she teaches us how to pronounce the words and what they mean。 She also provides some background into the language of Yiddish。 There is also history and a recipe for gefilte fish！ I haven’t tried it yet， but I am curious。 Paula says that homemade is more delicious than store bought。I typically love all books that revolve around food， family and food， and food bringing others together。 I’m a big fan of gatherings。 Paula Cohen’s book did not disappoint and points to all those things。 To read the backmatter and know that Shirley’s family is speaking Yiddish， opening a store， and the illustrations take us back to a past time one can imply that they are an immigrant family。 It takes courage to start and open a business especially when it’s not in your home country。 Then to sell an item that is so dear， yet common to you - that shows strength。 When that item then becomes enjoyed by others - well， that is so precious， heartwarming。I could really gush for many more paragraphs！ Instead， I will just post some links for you to preorder your copy of Big Dreams， Small Fish written and published by Paula Cohen。 One of the best ways to support an author is to preorder their book。 If you use Goodreads click on the “Want to Read” button is another great way to support some of your favorite writers。 Books ship on March 1， 2022 。。。more
Tricia Barbagallo
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I received an advanced copy of this wonderful book that centers on a little girl named， Shirley， who finds herself underfoot in her family's Jewish grocery store - simply because she's too little to help。 The story takes place in a multi-ethnic neighborhood， where Shirley is determined to solve the problem of too much gefilte fish！ Because of little Shirley， gefilte fish became popular among all the neighbors！ A great read to introduce children to Jewish culture and Yiddish， and the book stresse I received an advanced copy of this wonderful book that centers on a little girl named， Shirley， who finds herself underfoot in her family's Jewish grocery store - simply because she's too little to help。 The story takes place in a multi-ethnic neighborhood， where Shirley is determined to solve the problem of too much gefilte fish！ Because of little Shirley， gefilte fish became popular among all the neighbors！ A great read to introduce children to Jewish culture and Yiddish， and the book stresses the importance of family history， and offers a good lesson on inclusivity and the value of multi-ethnic neighborhoods。 The book is certainly fun to read， and is wonderfully illustrated by Cohen。 It will inspire children， teaches us about unity and Jewish life， and will encourage children to realize they have value and can make difference in life no matter what others may think。 This book is written with great energy， and will be a lasting gift to every child I know。 Tricia Barbagallo ~ Historian 。。。more
Lisa Gerin
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Spunky Shirley wants to help out in her family's grocery store。 But they think she is too young to be useful。 But one day， when the family is away， they put in charge for a bit。 Can Shirley sell the family's supply of gefilte fish to the neighborhood customers？ Paula Cohen's simple colors and realistic line drawings will appeal to even the youngest readers。 There is a glossary of a few Yiddish words from the story in the book's backmatter。 Plus， a bonus gefilte fish recipe from Russ and Daughter Spunky Shirley wants to help out in her family's grocery store。 But they think she is too young to be useful。 But one day， when the family is away， they put in charge for a bit。 Can Shirley sell the family's supply of gefilte fish to the neighborhood customers？ Paula Cohen's simple colors and realistic line drawings will appeal to even the youngest readers。 There is a glossary of a few Yiddish words from the story in the book's backmatter。 Plus， a bonus gefilte fish recipe from Russ and Daughters！I received an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review。 。。。more
Donna Cangelosi
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Shirley is bursting with big ideas to help her parents run the family store。 Though they think she’s too little to help， Shirley shines when she’s left in charge for a short while。 This beautifully illustrated story takes place in a Jewish neighborhood。 Sprinkled with Yiddish phrases and charming characters， it’s a story about generosity， the joy of neighborhoods， and the power of children’s creativity。 Readers will fall in love with Shirley's spunky personality and Paula Cohen's stunning art。 Shirley is bursting with big ideas to help her parents run the family store。 Though they think she’s too little to help， Shirley shines when she’s left in charge for a short while。 This beautifully illustrated story takes place in a Jewish neighborhood。 Sprinkled with Yiddish phrases and charming characters， it’s a story about generosity， the joy of neighborhoods， and the power of children’s creativity。 Readers will fall in love with Shirley's spunky personality and Paula Cohen's stunning art。 。。。more
Rebecca Gardyn Levington
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Shirley wants to help her parents run their family store， but everyone says she's "too little。" Eventually， Shirley gets her chance to prove that while she may be little， her BIG ideas for the store are the BEST ideas！ While it never is stated outright， the story appears to take place around the 1930's in a Jewish immigrant neighborhood。 I love how it is clear that this family is Jewish （The fabulous， fun Yiddish words sprinkled throughout add an additional layer of flavor and charm）， but is not Shirley wants to help her parents run their family store， but everyone says she's "too little。" Eventually， Shirley gets her chance to prove that while she may be little， her BIG ideas for the store are the BEST ideas！ While it never is stated outright， the story appears to take place around the 1930's in a Jewish immigrant neighborhood。 I love how it is clear that this family is Jewish （The fabulous， fun Yiddish words sprinkled throughout add an additional layer of flavor and charm）， but is not at all the focus of the book。 Paula Cohen delivers this wonderful， inspiring story with her bright， bold， vintage-style illustrations， reminding kids that no matter how small they may be， their ideas are ALWAYS big enough to matter。 （I was given an advance reader copy in exchange for an honest review） 。。。more
Margaret Aitken
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I absolutely loved this heartwarming and funny tale about Shirley and her family's shop。 Shirley is a sparky character who lives above her family's neighborhood store。 She has ideas about how best to shift the stocks of gefilte fish that are cluttering up the shelves。 Of course， her family doesn't give her plans much attention。 Then one day she is left to look after the shop with an elderly neighbor—who spends the whole time snoozing。 At last， Shirley is free to put her plans into action！Paula's I absolutely loved this heartwarming and funny tale about Shirley and her family's shop。 Shirley is a sparky character who lives above her family's neighborhood store。 She has ideas about how best to shift the stocks of gefilte fish that are cluttering up the shelves。 Of course， her family doesn't give her plans much attention。 Then one day she is left to look after the shop with an elderly neighbor—who spends the whole time snoozing。 At last， Shirley is free to put her plans into action！Paula's art is wonderful。 She creates interesting and unique characters who feel real to life。 I love the detail in the illustrations and the vintage setting。 This story has a classic feel and is sure to appeal to children of all cultures and backgrounds for many years to come。 。。。more
Amalia Hoffman
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