The Essential List

Miron C. Izakson is a poet, author and professor of Literature at Bar Ilan University. Many of his poems have been put to music by Israeli artists. He has won the President's Prize for Literature, the Natan Yonatan Prize and the Kugel Prize

Sixth-grader Avi has an assignment: write a letter to the teacher like the interesting letters of days gone by. Taking the missive as a starting point, the bright and inquisitive youngster delves into his own psyche and tackles philosophical issues such as the search for identity, family relationships, the meaning of time, the role numbers play in the world, and more. Avis letter, in which he attempts to set out on paper his essential list of important issues, becomes a forum for the hidden thoughts and questions of a sensitive and intelligent youth, amazed by the world around him. This is not a typical young adult book, but a daring attempt to understand the personal and internal world of an adolescent, with respect for both the simple and complex issues that occupy him. Izaksons lyrical and enigmatic prose makes for an unforgettable read. The Essential List - A Letter to the Teacher is an English translation of the bestselling Hebrew youth novel Ha-Reshima Ha-Kova'at.