There is always something interesting going on in the Fried house in the Stamford Hill section of London, and in this entertaining collection of stories, all the members of the Fried family take turns getting involved. In A House Full of Guests, young Nechemia Fried wants to surprise his mother by wallpapering the new room in the loft but his young cousin wrecks his plans. In The Right Flight, Mr. Fried and Nechamia end up in Rotterdam instead of Antwerp because of an airline mix-up-with very intresting results. In An Unwelcome Visitor, Mrs. Fried is disturbed by a strange sound from the kitchen, with very startling results. In Mistaken Identity, Brache Fried finds herself entangled with a gang of criminals after she returns from her winter vacation with her grandparents in Antwerp. In The Girl from Iran, Dina Fried befriends a shy Iranian girl and discovers her dramatic story, and in The Accusation, Surele Fried remains loyal to her friend who is unjustly accused of stealing. In A Heartwarming Success, Gitty Fried organizes a campaign to get a new boiler for her school. All of the stories are warm, interesting and enriching, and together they present a picture of a lively Jewish family devoted to Torah and chesed. A House Full of Guests and other stories is Chayele Kohane's second collection of stories for young readers. Her first collection, entitled Operation C.H.E.S.E.D. and other stories is also set in London, where the author resides.
by Chayele Kohane