Reviews: (by author)

Uhlberg, Myron. Lemuel the Fool. Atlanta: Peachtree, 2001. $15.95. ISBN1-56145-220-3.

Uhlberg here is presenting a rendition of a famous joke of Jewish storytellers, such as I.B. Singer, whose version is called "When Shlemiel Went to Warsaw" from the book of the same name. Shlemiel means fool; both Uhlberg's and Singer's fool is a literally misguided chap who sets out on a journey from home. But his methods of maintaining his sense of direction, in both stories and in the basic folktale joke, are dubious at best-actually, downright foolish. In Uhlberg's version, Lemuel sets off on a boat to find the enchanted city; he ties a red scarf to the prow and a rope to the back of the boat to guide him on the open sea. Of course this doesn't work, and Lemeul finds himself back home. Only he doesn't "recognize" his home. He assumes he's someplace else where everything just LOOKS the same, including his wife and family. Though he's welcomed familiarly by these "strangers," he wants his own home, so off he sails again, guided by the scarf and the rope. Again he sails into his home port, but this time he figures he has really returned. His wife and son are glad to see him again and all is well-even though he's still a fool. Fool stories are satisfying not only to children but to adults: at least the reader isn't as dumb as the character! Uhlberg and Lamut, the illustrator, depict the tale well in lively language and warm, softly colored paintings.

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