Golem (1996) by David Wisniewski is a striking Caldecott Medal-winning picture book that retells the Jewish legend of the Golem of Prague, a clay creature brought to life to protect the city’s 16th-century Jewish community from persecution.
Wisniewski’s intricate cut-paper illustrations—layered with dramatic shadows and rich colors—evoke the haunting beauty of the tale. The story follows Rabbi Judah Loew ben Bezalel, who molds the Golem from riverbank clay and animates it with sacred Hebrew incantations. The Golem, named Joseph, defends the Jewish ghetto from violent pogroms, but its unchecked power and childlike innocence lead to a poignant climax: the Rabbi must deactivate his creation once its purpose is fulfilled, returning it to lifeless clay.
The book balances mythic grandeur with historical context, addressing themes of justice, sacrifice, and the dangers of unchecked power. Wisniewski’s afterword explains the legend’s roots in Jewish folklore and its resonance with Holocaust narratives.
