Shafan (Hyrax)

Proposed Family Activities

• שְׁמִירָה
• Share
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• You may want to look at the special illustrations by Gilad Soffer The book looks a little like a comic strip. How easily did you read it out loud? Did you notice that the word “Shafan” on the front cover was struck through? You could perhaps discuss this line across the word. Was it a printing error?
• Comic books are for readers of all ages! They describe the plot in words and illustrations, forming a sophisticated technique that adds another level of meaning to the written words of the story. You may enjoy picking a well-known story, or make up your own, and create a comic book out of it together using speech bubbles. You could take a look at the parts of the book that are so illustrated, and discover what facial expressions, body language, and the use of colors tell us that we couldn’t have known just by reading the words. Notice, for instance, how content the magician looks, compared to the upset look on the rabbit’s face.
• Have you ever been mistaken for someone else? How did you feel? Perhaps you would like to share your thoughts, and think together what we could do to ensure others call us by our real names.
• This book is full of humor, and appeals to readers of all ages. Did both you and your child find the same parts amusing?
• Can you differentiate between a rabbit and hyrax? An eagle and vulture? An ostrich and emeu? You may want to make a “confusing animal dictionary” in which you write and draw the animals whose names we tend to confuse. During your next visit to the zoo, you’ll be sure to get them right. You could also make a card game, with pictures and names of animals that need to be matched.
• You may also enjoy making a hyrax and rabbit out of playdough, and use them to act the story out.
• Perhaps you could look for illustrated books at home or in the library that mention hyraxes or rabbits, and check whether the illustrators drew them accurately, or got confused.
• You may also want to discuss the rabbit’s feelings throughout the book. Why is he so offended at being called “shafan”? And why do you think he remains unhappy all the way to the end of the book?