On a recent visit to Waterbury, Connecticut, we spent a wonderful Shabbos with our son, daughter-in-law, and grandchildren. I always bring treats for the kids, and among the treats I brought was a picture book titled Please Be Patient by Susie Garber, our local writing teacher, and illustrated by Glenn Zimmer. Susie coaches teachers in teaching writing and teaches writing skills in a variety of yeshivas and Bais Yaakovs. She has written books and serials for middle-school students and teens, including Denver Dreams, Befriend, The Road Less Traveled, Secrets in Disguise, A Bridge in Time, and Flight of the Doves. Susie’s other picture book is Please Be Polite. Susie has had fiction serials and features in Binah Magazine and Binyan Magazine, including “Moon Song” serial (2021-2022) and “Alaskan Gold” serial (2023-2024) in Binyan.
Written for ages 4-9, Please Be Patient was a perfect fit for my grandson Eli, age 4, and my granddaughter Sorah Malka, 9. Eli was excited to sit with me while I read it to him. He loved the colorful pages and engaging rhymes. Meanwhile, my granddaughter Sorah Malka also liked that she could read it herself, with a little help on some big words.
What sets Please Be Patient apart is its unique approach, presenting scenarios where animals navigate situations requiring patience and understanding. Written in a question format and using animal characters, it encourages readers and listeners alike to think about the actions of the characters and consider their own responses.
Beyond its entertainment value, Please Be Patient serves as a valuable educational tool, encouraging children to learn, think critically, and engage actively with the story. Through its thought-provoking situations and illustrations, it sets out to teach the midah of patience, along with kindness and fairness.
Please Be Patient, through its use of rhyme, animal characters, action-filled pictures, and situations that children are commonly familiar with, invites children to explore the world around them while learning important values along the way. In addition, at the end of the book, there are two pages of facts about patience, with examples taken from the Torah and Gemara.
Thank you, Susie, for another delightful book.
This book review was also printed in the “News From the Hills” column in the Five Towns Jewish Times.
By Chanita Teitz
