The Schmutzy Family

A lively and funny celebration of Sabbath traditions.

Sunday through Friday, the Schmutzy children are encouraged to explore, experiment, and create. It's messy work, involving mud pies, tomato sauce, worms, and frogs!

But on Friday morning, Mama exclaims, "Look at this dirt…. And it's nearly SHABBOS. We can't bring in the Sabbath smelling like COWS!"

So the Schmutzys clean up--and that's almost as much fun as the rest of the week.

"Schmutz" is a Yiddish word for dirt -- you can have schmutz on pretty much anything. The book begins with a four-word glossary - challah, farshtunken, schmutzy, and Shabbos.

This book captures the joy of cooperating as a family--no matter what your religion--and it makes a great read-aloud for home or classroom. Charming illustrations by two-time Geisel medalist, Paul Meisel, add to the fun.

A National Jewish Book Awards finalist
A PJ Library selection

Madelyn Rosenberg is a journalist and picture book author. Kirkus Reviews called THE SCHMUTZY FAMILY "delightful and unpretentious." This is her first novel for children. She lives in Virginia.

Paul Meisel is the author and illustrator of See Me Run, a Theodor Seuss Geisel Honor Book, and See Me Dig, a Kirkus Reviews Best Book, and is the illustrator of many books for young people, including The Schmutzy Family by Madelyn Rosenberg, a Sydney Taylor Honor Book. He lives in Connecticut.