A review by estherfilbrun
A Papa Like Everyone Else by Sydney Taylor

hopeful inspiring lighthearted reflective relaxing medium-paced

5.0

This is such a darling story! I’m not sure I’ve read a book set in Czechoslovakia before; I know I definitely have not read one featuring a Jewish family that was set there in the early 1900s! I fell in love with Gisella right away (she reminds me of myself when I was a girl), and loved getting to know her and her world. 

I’m not sure what part of this book was my favorite…the village setting, and all the many things it describes the family making by hand, or the way the community pulled together to help each other with bigger tasks, or maybe even the family element, where Mama did her best to create a loving, happy home atmosphere, even though things can’t have been easy for her. It was all done well! 

Highly recommended, if you’re looking for books set in early 20th century Europe to help round out your knowledge of the time period. This is a gentle, heartwarming read, with multiple layers of faith, family, and home. I’m looking forward to reading it to my younger siblings; it’s perfect for the 8–12 age range, although I think slightly younger (and older!) children would like it, too. It’s a simple story, but I thoroughly enjoyed it, and am looking forward to what other gems Sydney Taylor has up her sleeve that I don’t know about yet!