Dabi’s parents see her as a tomboy. They want her to be a little lady, particularly now, when visiting grandparents in Israel. But Gaby enjoys digging in the dirt; she sees herself as an adventure girl confronting slime, bugs, and worms. Because she is visiting Israel, a perfect place for digging in the dirt, Dabi becomes known as a hero, even as she continues to see herself as an “adventure girl”.
Kindred spirit Aunt Gili takes Dabi to a special place in Israel called the Beit Guvrin National Park. which is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Here, you dig to find Israel’s many world-famous archeological treasures. Dabi is happy to dig in the dirt for the day; she does not expect to uncover any objects, but she does! She is startled to realize that the ring she finds is 3500 years old. Dabi becomes a hero for uncovering this ancient artifact. The ring will help reveal how people lived long ago. She receives a special certificate.;her parents are pleased, her aunt is proud, and Dabi is thrilled to be true to herself. She shines as a model to young girls to follow their chosen paths.
Warm, realistic illustrations drawn by the author, presented in a carefully limited palette evocative of Israel, accompany the text in perfect tandem.
Ellen G. Cole, a retired librarian of the Levine Library of Temple Isaiah in Los Angeles, is a past judge of the Sydney Taylor Book Awards and a past chairperson of that committee. She is a co-author of the AJL guide, Excellence in Jewish Children’s Literature. Ellen is the recipient of two major awards for contribution to Judaic Librarianship, the Fanny Goldstein Merit Award from the Association of Jewish Libraries and the Dorothy Schroeder Award from the Association of Jewish Libraries of Southern California. She is on the board of AJLSC.