Yael Mermelstein
Doing mitzvos with the objects we own is an important part of our lives. In A Car that Goes Far, a young boy grows to appreciate his father’s attitude of always offering rides to family and friends.
Their little car becomes a mitzvah object, as the family is always on the lookout for mitzvos and acts of kindness they can perform with it! But what will happen when there’s no room to fit everyone in?
Exciting illustrations and bouncy rhymes make A Car that Goes Far a great addition to every bookshelf. This message of sharing and doing favors for others is sure to resonate with children — and adults — of all ages!
A Car That Goes Far
"Un Automovil que Llega Lejos"
Q&A with the Author
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Where did you get the idea for The Car That Goes Far?
I have absolutely no idea. My brain is wonky.
How did you find a publisher?
The Car that Goes Far was my first published book. I actually had a publisher in mind as I was writing it. I knew that Hachai did a beautiful job with picture books and that the theme of my book would be right up their alley. Thankfully, they felt the same way!
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How did they choose an illustrator?
Normally, authors don’t really have a say in who the illustrator of their book will be. One of the advantages of working with Hachai is that they are a real Mom and Pop shop and they were happy to listen to my suggestions. I suggested an illustrator whose work I liked that I knew they had worked with before. They hired him. I was thrilled.
An Interesting Tidbit about this book:
This book was originally conceived as “The Car with a Heart”. I imagined that all of the feeling would originate from the car itself. I also didn’t anticipate the dream sequence at the end of the book, I was planning having the child grow up and actually purchase a bus. However, my editors at Hachai weren’t into this whole fantastical element and they wanted me to tone it down and make it more realistic. The Car That Goes Far was Born.