Shira the Singing Puppy by Ilana R. Wieder with illustrations by Alexandra Colombo; Minneapolis, Minnesota: Kar-Ben Publishing; (c) 2025; ISBN 9798765-625538; 24 pages; $19.95; Publication date: September 9, 2025.
SAN DIEGO — In this book, written for children aged 4 through 8, Shira is a puppy that loves to sing but is thwarted by her human family who dismiss her singing as howling.
On Sundays, when Aryeh, the son, has soccer, and Arielle, the daughter , has dance lessons, Mom works on her projects and Dad reads the newspaper. When Shira begins to sing, they say, “Hush and Shush Shira. Not today.”
Shira is told to “hush and shush” on Monday, when she goes to doggie daycare.
On Tuesdays, when Arielle and Aryeh watch some after-homework television, the dog is told the same thing. Wednesdays, when the children have music lessons, the puppy is also told to hush and shush.
Thursdays, when the children’s friends come over to play, they have no patience for Shira’s melodies. Fridays, when the family sings the Erev Shabbat blessings, Shira is squelched. “Hush and shush, Shira. Not today.”
However, on Saturday evenings when the Havdalah candle is lit, Shira is allowed to join in the singing. Although the book doesn’t say so, Saturday nights must be Shira’s favorite time of the week!
Afterwords defines, transliterate, and translate the Havdalah service.
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Donald H. Harrison is publisher and editor of San Diego Jewish World