\nTracy Newman, illustrated by Viviana Garofoli<\/em>
\nKar-Ben; ages 1-4; $5.99<\/em><\/p>\n
This colorful board book is the latest addition to a lively series that introduces young kids to the Jewish holidays. Here, the green buds of spring are the first hint that Passover is coming. Readers follow a family as it prepares for the holiday, from spring cleaning\u00a0and\u00a0using home-grown parsley for the seder plate to learning the Four Questions and anticipating the hunt for the afikomen. The joyful refrain \u2014 “Passover is coming!”\u2014 repeats at the end of each verse and is sure to build excitement as the date approaches.<\/p>\n
Pesach Guess Who?<\/strong> Hachai continues to create lively, interactive books appealing to haredi Orthodox families. Young kids will enjoy the rhyming clues to \u201cwho am I\u201d questions \u2014 \u201cI’m a food that’s baked in a hurry, but I still taste great, don’t worry!\u201d\u2014 in this lift-the-flap book about Passover. The whole mishpacha \u2013 mom, dad and the five kids \u2013 all lend a hand to sweep and clean the house. They watch as workers bake handmade matzah and make startled faces as they bite into the bitter herbs. The end page poses a series of holiday observance questions (the answer key is color- and number-coded) and there\u2019s a glossary, too.\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n ABC Passover Hunt<\/strong> A lively alphabet hunt is on in this large format, brightly illustrated book that introduces young kids to Passover themes, customs and foods. The clever clues, from A to Z, are thought-provoking and range from easier spot-the-answer picture puzzles to more challenging questions (\u201cAt last the Jews had found their home, how many long years did they roam?) that will keep kids engaged and entertained. Balsley keeps things interesting with a variety of activities, including puzzles, mazes, riddles and maps. There’s an\u00a0illustrated answer key at end, along with a brief explanation of the holiday.<\/p>\n More Than Enough: A Passover Story<\/strong> This lively book is a riff on the Passover favorite \u201cDayenu,\u201d a song that echoes with the theme of gratitude. Readers follow a contemporary family as it\u00a0readies\u00a0to celebrate the holiday, including a trip to the farmer’s market, where it doesn’t take much to convince mom to adopt a kitten from a shelter. They chop apples for charoset, dress up for grandmother’s seder and hunt for the afikomen. The word \u201cdayenu\u201d repeats throughout the story.\u00a0The\u00a0colorful, cartoon-like illustrations bring the story to life \u2014 many are full-page or double-spread. The happy ending includes a\u00a0Passover sleepover. The book concludes with an author’s note, glossary and the music to \u201cDayenu.”<\/p>\n Kayla and Kugel’s Almost Perfect Passover<\/strong> In this second “Kayla and Kugel” book, the fun starts right away as the young girl and her dog invite readers into their home for a seder. When Kayla makes her own Haggadah, the rambunctious Kugel gets tangled in the ribbon and knocks over the glue. In simple, easy-to-follow verse, Kayla tells young readers some of the basics of a seder. She smiles at the sweet taste of charoset, but her braids stand on end and she scrunches her face at the bitter taste of maror, symbolizing slavery. Kids will enjoy the mayhem when the mischievous Kugel sets the family off on an adventurous hunt for the afikomen. The end pages include a search-and-find activity. The author’s note from Koffsky poses open-ended, engaging questions to spark family conversations, such as \u201cWhy do you think many holidays have songs to go with them?\u201d<\/p>\n A Place for Elijah<\/strong> This endearing story \u2014 the first Jewish picture book from the acclaimed author of \u201cThe Outlandish Adventures of Liberty Aimes\u201d \u2014 opens on the first night of Passover as a young girl named Sarah is anxiously setting the table, making sure to include a place for Elijah. As the seder unfolds, a rainstorm and cold winds threaten Sarah’s neighborhood, and there\u2019s a power failure. The lights stay on in Sarah\u2019s home, however, and one by one, the neighbors appear\u00a0at the family’s door and Sarah sets another place. First it’s Mrs. Faiz, the florist, then Bagel Ben and Doughnut Dan. Kids will take notice when Music Man Miguel and his mischievous monkey Manny join the growing crowd. But when the young boy who sells magazines arrives, Sarah is worried that there is no longer a seat for Elijah. Kids will be surprised by the story’s satisfying end. The large illustrations match the gentle tone of the story and capture the multicultural life of the neighborhood.<\/p>\n Ruben told JTA she was inspired by the Haggadah passage \u201cLet all who are hungry come and eat.\u201d She wanted to evoke the sense of tolerance and welcoming strangers \u2013 a prominent theme of the seder.<\/p>\n
\nAriella Stern; illustrated by Patti Argoff<\/a>
\nHachai; ages 3-5; $9.95<\/em><\/p>\n
\nTilda Balsley<\/a>; illustrated by Helen Poole<\/a><\/em>
\nKar-Ben; ages 3-8; $17.99, hardcover; $7.99, paperback<\/em><\/p>\n
\nApril Halprin Wayland<\/a>; illustrated by Katie Kath<\/a>
\n(Penguin Random House; ages 3-5; $16.99)<\/em><\/p>\n
\nAnn Koffsky<\/a>
\nApples & Honey Press; ages 3-5;<\/strong> $9.95<\/em><\/p>\n
\nKelly Easton Ruben<\/a>; illustrated by Joanne Friar<\/a>
\nKar Ben; ages 5-9; $17.99<\/em><\/p>\n![\"Share](\"https:\/\/static.hupso.com\/share\/buttons\/share-medium.png\")