Something From Nothing

When Joseph was a baby, his grandfather made him a wonderful blanket.

But as Joseph grows older, the blanket becomes tattered and worn.

Throw it out!

cries Joseph's mother.

Luckily, Grandpa is an extraordinary tailor.

He can fix anything!

And so with a snip!

snip!

here, and a few stitches there, Grandpa transforms the treasured blanket into a jacket, a vest, a Sabbath tie, a handkerchief, and finally a beautiful button.

But when the button is lost, even Grandpa can't help.

After all, how can you make something from nothing?

In a rich and loving portrait of shtetl life, Phoebe Gilman presents a traditional Jewish folktale about family love and ingenuity that will warm the hearts of readers young and old.