Dick and Jane do Yiddish, October 9, 2004

Who would have thought that the non-Jewish stars of the old-time elementary school reading primers would now be speaking Yiddish? In this parody, Dick and Jane have grown up and they now face a raft of real-world problems. Jane is a real estate agent with a mensch of a husband and Dick is a businessman who golfs and schmoozes with his business associates. Their sister Sally is a zaftig ceramics instructor living in Berkeley. Their mother has a stroke and becomes a bit farblondget. Then throw in the cheating wife of Dick's switch-hitting golfing buddy and a goniff of a handbag salesman, and... feh! Sally kvetches that this is no longer the idealized and innocent world that she grew up in, where women were dress-wearing housewives, men always wore suits, and everything was politically correct.

The story has 40 old-fashioned watercolor illustrations that recall the style of the original readers but with content that reflects the realities of 21st century life. The text includes such dialog as "See Jane schlep. Schlep Jane schlep." There is a glossary containing over eighty Yiddish words and phrases and one in Chinese (yes, Chinese!) that can be found in the story. Some of the funniest things in the book can be found in this glossary, where the authors explain the origins and usage of the words. An example definition is "Mechuleh - bankrupt, kaput... See how the letters for 'kaput' are in the word 'bankrupt'? Isn't language great?" You might not learn more than a smattering of Yiddish phrases from this book, but you will have some laughs over the parody and take a nostalgic trip back to the primers that taught you to read. So nu? Why not share this book with the whole mishpocha!

Eileen Rieback

a shanda? no way.. it's a mechayeh, September 22, 2004

In 1927, Dick and Jane began to teach American kids to read through repetition. So, nu? Vo den? Who knew they knew Yiddish, too? I am sure their parents could schep nachas had they known. I know what you're thinking. Oh, some fancy schmancy authors sprinkled Dick and Jane with a smattering of Yiddish. Schtuss. You'd be tsedreyt in kop if you think that way. This "primer" has a very interesting and surprising plot. In this retelling of a tale, Jane shines and doesn't play second fiddle to Dick. Jane is married to a mensch, Bob, and they have two lovely kids, as well as a dog and cat. Bob is a tad na?e. Jane works in real estate with her boss Stanley, and Stanley is very good at staging homes for sale. Dick is also married with kids, and loves to golf with Tom. Tom has a penchant golf clubs. Now an adult, Sally has moved out to Berkeley, where she is a confident feminist, but she has tsurris. But who doesn't? Even the Jamaican nursemaid the family hires for mom has tsurris (and some good herbs). So do yourself a favor. Order in some Chinese, and read this primer with the whole mishpacha. The authors, one of whom worked for National Lampoon, include a 20 page glossary of terms which is as good as the story text.

my twin brother don, a pal of author.davilman's mom,sent me this book and we shared flashes from the past both from grade school and at home, where our grandma spoke yiddish to our dog dutchie!!!! Adorable take on an absolute classic!!
And can you help me get my little book about a Yorkshire Terrier published?????
best of luck and hellos to Judy.
Rona Silver Rutchik,Norwich, CT

Funny, but not for kids, December 24, 2004

There is (as one reviewer noted) a reference to taking a "toke" as a nice experience. So, unless you want to promote drug use among children, you might avoid reading this to your youngsters.
But for an updating of the very goyish Dick and Jane with a nice Jewish twist, this is fun, fun, fun! Sure to tickle the funny bone of anyone who grew up reading these books and felt a little outside of things. Here is a book for them.

Funny for Yiddish Speakers, December 13, 2004

Dick and Jane are back in another parody. Now they are adults and speaking Yiddish.

There are plenty of simple Yiddish jokes here but they are far more effective if you already know the Yiddish terms. The dialogue is similar to the originals but not really true to form. Unlike the original Dick and Jane tales the definitions are not readily obvious. There is a glossary at the back but once you get back and forth, the joke may not be so funny.

Loaded with more adult terms and situations this is not a book for children (as we found out when my five-year-old received a copy).

If you already have a handle on some common Yiddish, you might get a chuckle out of this one.

Who knew that Dick and Jane had achieved the status of cultural myth in the shared sub-consciousness of several generations? Yiddish with Dick and Jane is a reader for the 21st century, a contemporary updating of a timeless classic. More than just a Spot-on parody (and I'm not Puff-ing here), Weiner and Davilman have warped the primer we both loved and hated into a post-modern morality tale. Most satisfying for me is Sally's emergence from decades of hapless foil to family mensch (with a little help from Priscilla, the newest addition to the cast of the Dick and Jane family).

I liked the book so much I sent a copy to MY first grade teacher. Now I'm holding my breath, waiting for her to post HER review! Until then, I will eagerly await the sequeal, Dick and Jane in Hotzeplotz.