One Small Spark: A Tikkun Olam Story

★ Publisher’s Weekly Starred Review

“A playground in a busy metropolitan neighborhood has fallen into disrepair, and most residents walk briskly by its gates. But one child holds up a finger, telling their adult caretaker to wait, and in that decisive moment becomes surrounded by birds and sparkles. As the child rallies their class and local businesses, more fanciful elements appear around the movement’s new members, showing how “one person can’t do everything, / but everyone can do one thing./ Which may lead to another.” Tentler-Krylov (I’m Gonna Paint), ever an exuberant, choreographic chronicler of city life, fills digitally enhanced watercolor spreads with bright colors and a host of energized, roll-up-their-sleeves characters, portrayed with various abilities and skin tones, who not only rejuvenate their public space but make new and deeper connections with each other as they do so. Spiro (Love Grows) doesn’t directly name the Jewish concept of tikkum olam—Hebrew for “repair the world”—until the very end of the work’s blank verse text, which nevertheless vividly evokes the concept’s galvanizing power throughout: “even the tiniest spark/ will flicker and dance until/ it’s impossible to ignore.” An author’s note further explores the idea, explaining that “many faiths share these teachings and traditions.”

★ Kirkus Starred Review

“How can one small child make a difference?

In this poetic reflection, Spiro and Tentler-Krylov shed light on “tikkun olam,” a Hebrew phrase meaning “repair the world” or “make right.” A “spark that lights your heart” turns into an idea, which becomes an action, which snowballs by inspiring people to act together. We’re all interconnected, after all, yet we each have agency. Readers are reminded that they should be motivated not by gratitude or praise, but by the desire to improve the world. Above all, children are reassured that while effecting change isn’t always easy, it’s possible through collaboration, creativity, and practice. The illustrations helpfully ground the concepts presented in the text, depicting a light-skinned, dark-haired child who finds a broken swing in a neglected park. By choosing to fix it—with some help—the child sparks a citywide cleanup effort. The artwork is spectacular. Each good deed is represented by a swirling, bird-filled plume of color. As more acts of kindness and community accumulate, the sparks swirl together to transform a drab world into a joyful riot of color. The residents of this supportive urban neighborhood are diverse in terms of age and ability. In an author’s note, Spiro discusses the significance of “tikkun olam” within Judaism but explains that other cultures have similar teachings and ideas.

A stunning reminder that we all have the power to make the world a better place.

School Library Journal

“Spiro’s (Love Grows) latest picture book explores the Jewish philosophy tikkun olam, which translates to “repair the world.” The book opens with a drab looking city in dark colors with rich details and asks, “Imagine the world you want to live in. If that’s not the world you see, will you create it?” A young girl then passes a playground with a broken swing and teeter totter, where trash litters the playground; she is seen conferring with her teacher and diverse classmates about how to fix it. The class adds books to the park’s Little Free Library, paints and fixes up the playground equipment, and serves food on a picnic blanket. The book ends with the city in bright colors with multicolored birds flying overhead (“Imagine everyone gathering sparks, opening their hearts, and repairing our world together”) illuminating the positive change the children have made through their work. Young readers will relate to the setting and enjoy finding out how kids are able to make a difference in their communities. Back matter includes an author’s note.

A lovely picture book sure to inspire the youngest changemakers to create the world they want to live in, and a reminder that cultural and even religious adages or tenets are worth pondering and enacting.”