Tusgele has the age-old problem of young Jewish women. Her parents want her to be married. "Find me a man as reliable as my broom," says Tsugele, "and I will marry him." Suitor after boorish suitor, she turns away.

When her parents promise to introduce still more men, Tsugele packs her bags and her broom and heads for a neighboring town. She settles with Mendel and his wife, and the same routine starts again. They introduce a leather goods man, and she goes off in a huff.

That night Tsugele dreams that her broom turns into a man. They dance. The next morning, she cannot find her broom... Alyssa A. Lappen

Valerie Scho Carey has, with "Tsugele's Broom," managed the neat trick of making this new tale seem like an old one. It has all the flavor of a folk tale passed down through generations, but with a decidedly modern twist.

The twist is this: Tsugele, a perfectly capable young woman who is perfectly happy on her own, is told by her parents that she needs to get married. Tsugele reasonably tells them that she sees no need for that, as she's fine all by her independent self. They insist, and Tsugele good-naturedly suffers through the attentions of several suitors before finally finding the man she really loves in a most unexpected manner.

Dirk Zimmer's terrific illustrations combine a block-print border with stylized drawings of Tsugele and the other characters. He uses color to very great effect, giving the book the fantastical look of eastern European embroidery. Highly recommended for any independent little girl!