Ever See a Soldier With an Umbrella?
A new children’s book by veteran author Sara Blau uses humor and rhyme to teach young readers a deeper lesson about obedience, discipline and serving Hashem with focus and purpose.
by COLlive Editor · COLliveYou can judge this book by its cover.
Why would a soldier march with a mattress and pillow tied to his back? Why is he carrying an umbrella covered in rubber duckies? That’s so silly! A soldier needs to be able to march to the marching orders – and that is exactly the point of “The Silly Soldier,” the newest release in the Rabbi Manis Friedman Children’s Book Series, written by veteran author Sara Blau and illustrated by Lon Eric Craven.
In lilting rhyme, the book introduces a soldier who does everything a soldier shouldn’t. He complains that his uniform is itchy and hot, packs bedding “in case my feet hurt, or I’m drowsy today,” and asks for an umbrella when it starts to rain. Children laugh out loud at his antics – and absorb the deeper message along the way: a really good soldier is glad to obey, not letting anything stand in his way.
The idea is drawn from a striking moment with the Lubavitcher Rebbe, retold in the book’s letter to parents. When it began to rain and someone respectfully offered the Rebbe an umbrella, he declined, saying simply: “Have you ever seen a soldier with an umbrella?” A soldier doesn’t carry an umbrella not because it is forbidden, but because he feels no need – his focus on the mission gives him the strength to rise above discomfort.
That is the book’s message about obedience: it is not a burden or a denial of self, but a freedom – the freedom to do what must be done without hesitation. For a child, that means the “rain” of life’s challenges and the distractions of the world never have to get in the way of serving Hashem. “Each mitzvah you do is a battle you’ve won,” the book tells its young readers.
“Obedience is a good thing,” says Blau. “It frees you. It means you’re not limited. And it’s how you help your child fly.”
The soldier in the story is a moshol – the book depicts no war or weapons, only the inner strength of a soldier in times of peace: a child learning to live with discipline, clarity, and purpose.
The Silly Soldier is the third book in the Rabbi Manis Friedman Children’s Book Series from It’s Good to Know Publishing, following the popular “Who Needs You” and “A to Z Meant to Be.” Rabbi Zalman Friedman, director of It’s Good to Know, is the series’ managing editor.
The Silly Soldier (hardcover, 26 pages) is now available in Jewish bookstores everywhere, and online at itsgoodtoknow.org. For bulk orders and dedication opportunities, contact zalman@itsgoodtoknow.org.
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