The Treasure

Uri Shulevitz has a wonderful way of painting a picture with his words. I have found most of his books very good reads with my granddaughters, 5 and 3. Love his story of how I learned geography, still my favorite, this one a close 2nd.

My two children, probably a little young for this one, enjoy it from the intriguing title, the dream, then the journey to find...how and where, and what will Isaac find? The moral is...lovely, heartwarming. Doesn't everyone want to find their treasure? Love this one.

This books is the childrens version of The Alchemist....I love the idea of both books- you have to travel far to find what is near. What an insightful story for a child. Shulevitz has becautifully scuplted the illustrations around a quick and simple story. A poverty stricken man must listen to his dreams, and travel a great distance to find the answer to his journey. Sometimes the answer we are looking for is not the question itself- but the journey we must go through. It' wond a caldecott honor in 1980, and i was given this gift as a child some tens years later. I read it over and over and learned that you have to follow your dreams....even if there is work involved. The little old man has a happy ending, but does not forget to honor those by which he found his gift.

This beautiful book tells a story of seeking and ultimately of finding - albeit in a place most unexpected. The tale begins simply. On a blank page is written, "There once was a man and his name was Isaac." Isaac lives a difficult life of great poverty and need. Then he has a dream in which a voice tells him to go to the capital city in search of a treasure hidden under the bridge by the royal palace. At first he disregards this; but after the dream repeats itself for the third time, he sets off on a quest. Shulevitz' illustrations have a magical glow about them. It is as if the very landscape is speaking to the existence of something hidden - something that vibrates just beneath the surface of all things. The designation of this work as a Caldecott Honor Book in 1980 recognizes this high level of artistry. In the end Isaac's perseverance and obedience are rewarded. And rather than simply taking, he gives back something in return. "In thanksgiving, he built a house of prayer, and in one of its corners he put an inscription: Sometimes one must travel far to discover what is near." The picture of the house of prayer emanates an ethereal light. And as the book is put down the reader realizes that a lovely blessing has been conferred.

When I first read this book I had no idea how good it was going to be. The illustrations are some of the best I've seen in chidren's picture books. A poor, old man has a dream that keeps haunting him. The dreams tells him to go to a far of land to find a great treasure. So he does search far away until he finds the exact spot his dream mentions. But theres a problem: the place is guarded. The man confronts a guard and tells him about the dream. The guard in turn gives him a lecture-like talk about how if he had followed one of his dreams he would find a treasure in some poor, old mans house. This house, of course, is our stories hero. The man journeys back to his home and finds his treasure. He's even kind enough,after becoming rich, to send the guard a priceless ruby.

On the topic of unexpected blessings, I happened on this little gem of a find several years ago, and have treasured it as one of my all-time favorite picture books ever since. Breathtaking, rich watercolor illustrations in soft, earthy hues lend a dreamy feeling to the text, which can be appreciated equally as well (if not better) by adults as children. I like to read into it the gentle reminder that sometimes the greatest treasures (happiness, fulfillment, love) can be found where we least expect them, and may not be so far away as we are wont to imagine.