- Writer
- Born on 3 November 1940
- in Port Elizabeth, South Africa
Synposes
Ambervulturecrocs and Other Weird and Wonderful African Animals - Struik SA; 2005.
Forty-one rhymes for children, and adults too, about ‘mixed species’ African creatures, unheard of before - animals, birds, fish, insects, reptiles etc. - combining their various features and lifestyles and telling their ‘stories’ in a very humorous vein. These quirky creatures are brought wonderfully to life by Tony Grogan’s hilarious full-colour illustrations.
Rodney’s Bobba’s Matzoh Balls - self-published; 1978 (third impression 2002).
It is the Jewish Passover and Rodney’s bobba (grandmother), a wonderful cook, makes the traditional matzoh balls (kneidels), but this time they are a flop - small and hard. She is hospitalised with shock. Our hero, Rodney, rescues the situation by giving them to golf star Gary Slammer, who, using them, wins the big championship.
Rodney builds a Sukkah - self-published; 2002.
It is the Jewish festival of the Tabernacles - Sukkoth. Rodney enters the sukkah building competition. The building has its problems, but Rodney is urged on in his dreams by Moses, even when, disastrously, a black south easter blows his beautiful sukkah away. But magically, thanks to Moses, it is found - and Rodney triumphs.
*(A sukkah is a temporary outside structure, in which the family has its meals etc. for a week).
Rodney the Latke Eater - self-published; 1971 (third impression 2004).
The story of a young boy Rodney who had a passion for latkes (potato pancakes). He becomes a circus star, eating so many latkes that he bursts into a thousand parts - only, magically, to pull himself together again.
Irma Chait
After growing up in Port Elizabeth, Irma did a BA and teaching diploma at the University of Cape Town. She taught Latin in Cape Town for a number of years, both before and after she married. Later she established and ran a successful extra tuition bureau.
In 1984 she hesitantly accepted editorship of the new monthly Cape Jewish Chronicle. She remains the editor and columnist to this day.
Irma and her husband, Noah, have four children and four grandchildren.
Her first endeavours into writing for children were to amuse her two older children, then at pre-primary school. Her first book, in rhyme was a story about a youngster, Rodney. Subsequently she self-published two more books about the hero, again in rhyme. Two of the three books related to Jewish festivals and were re-published, by popular request, over the years.
In 2002, inspired by the advent of grandchildren, Irma wrote another Rodney book, and at the end of that year ventured into the area of ‘weird and wonderful African animals’. This resulted in the publication of Ambervulturecrocs by Struik in 2005.
Irma very much enjoys writing her stories - always amusing - in verse, finding this suited to her particular area of creativity and sense of humour. Rhyme and rhythm, using a variety of metre, are key to her. She is currently completing a sequel to Ambervulturecrocs.
Publications
Ambervulturecrocs and Other Weird and Wonderful African Animals by Irma, illus. by Tony Grogan, Struik SA; 2005
Rodney Builds a Sukkah by Irma, illus. by Lexi Aronson, self-published; 2002
Rodney’s Bobba’s Matzoh Balls by Irma, illus. by Elivia Savadier, self-published; 1978
Rodney Makes a Splash by Irma, illus. by Nathan Margolit, self-published; 1973
Rodney the Latke Eater by Irma, illus. by Ruth Sadowsky, self-published; 1971
Extract from Ambervulturecrocs… - Struik SA; 2005.
“Hare-Brained Secretary Bird”
The hare-brained secretary bird
is lucky she’s employed,
she flies in late to work each day
and makes her boss annoyed.
He gives her strict instructions
about what she must get done,
but they just go in one long ear
and out the other one.
She settles down behind her desk
and when she’s all alone,
she paints her claw nails shocking pink
and gossips on the phone.
With pencil stuck behind an ear
and specs perched on her beak -
you’d think she was intelligent
until you heard her speak.
She can’t work the computer
’cos she’s really such a dummy,
except to play the simple games
like mind-sweeper and rummy.
And every day she brings to work
a bag of snakes to munch
but still hops off at half past twelve
to have an early lunch.
She’s not a bit attractive -
nothing much to be admired,
which makes one really wonder
why this bird has not been fired.
Extract from Rodney’s Bobba’s Matzoh Balls - self-published; 1978
Everyone had started eating.
Eagerly they raised their spoons.
Bobba dished out soup and kneidels
which looked just like white balloons.
Proudly Bobba asked her question,
‘HOW’RE THE MATZOH BALLS TONIGHT?’
- Funny little popping noises
followed by the strangest sight
As the matzoh balls deflated
with a ‘Ssss’ before their eyes,
just as if they’d struck a puncture,
shrinking steadily in size.
Never at a Pesach Seder
Sat a more astonished group
staring down, as Bobba’s kneidels
whizzed round madly in their soup!