arts & life

b ooks

Ready For Passover

Sandee Brawarsky | Special to the Jewish News

Read up —

with your kids —

on the newest

holiday books.

A

nticipate the four ques-
tions and more with
these picture books
for kids that use stories to share
teachings and traditions, appre-
ciation and celebration of the
upcoming holidays.
A Place for Elijah by Kelly
Easton Ruben, illustrated by
Joanne Friar (Kar-Ben), is a story
about hospitality and kindness,
with an explanation of Passover
customs — particularly the cup
and place at the table left for
Elijah — around a family’s seder
table. As the members of the
family come to understand, “You
never know how Elijah comes,
only that he does.”

ABC Passover Hunt by Tilda
Balsley, illustrated by Helen Poole
(Kar-Ben), is a book of puzzles
that follow alphabetically. Each
page instructs young readers to
search for something, match,
identify items in the bright illus-
trations, follow a maze to find
chametz or point to the things
that don’t belong. Combined,
the activities engage children in
learning about holiday traditions
and history — and entertain
them, too.
More than Enough: A
Passover Story by April Halprin
Wayland, illustrated by Katie
Kath (Dial Books), emphasizes
gratitude and the many bless-

ings present in the moment. The
title comes from the familiar
song sung at the seder, “Dayenu,”
which means “it would have been
enough.” The illustrations capture
the symbols of the seder — and
the candied fruit slices, too.
Passover is Coming! by Tracy
Newman, illustrated by Viviana
Garofoli (Kar-Ben), is an engag-
ing 12-page board book for
the littlest guests at the seder.
Readers join a family and their
pup as they prepare for and
celebrate Passover: cleaning the
house, making matzah ball soup,
assembling the seder plate, ask-
ing the Four Questions and look-
ing for the afikomen.

Visually appealing in a col-
lage format, On One Foot by
Linda Glaser, illustrated by Nuria
Balaguer (Kar-Ben), retells the
story of a young boy who seeks
a teacher who will tell him “the
whole Torah while standing on
one foot.” Young boys and others
try the one-footed pose inspired
by a bird, only to topple over.
Ultimately Rabbi Hillel answers
the question with the golden
rule, “Do not do to others what
you do not want them to do to
you.” While the story isn’t about
Passover, its message is still time-
ly for its universal appeal.

*

April 14 • 2016

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