"At night, while the other villagers dreamed of catching fish, Lemuel dreamed of sailing over the horizon." Lemuel is a fisherman and a fool. When he sets out on a journey across the sea, he makes sure to tie a red scarf on the bow and a rope to the stern; with the scarf waving before him and the rope trailing behind, he'll always know he's going the right direction. Disoriented after a storm, Lemuel lands near a strange new village--except that it's strangely familiar, down to the woman who looks exactly like his own dear wife and even calls him by name. Later that night, a very confused Lemuel sets sail for home and away from the madness. With the red scarf before him and the rope trailing behind, he's confident he'll arrive at home again--and be safely back among the familiar. A great fan of Jewish folklore, especially the rich tradition of "fools," Myron Uhlberg also looked to his own family for inspiration when writing Lemuel the Fool . His maternal grandfather, John, was consumed by wanderlust and "the next great adventure." Young readers will enjoy the silly charm of Lemuel's journey, beautifully illustrated by Sonja Lamut.
