An endless Passover seder takes center stage in “One Little Goat: A Passover Catastrophe,” by writer Dara Horn and illustrator Theo Ellsworth, award-winners who teamed up for a humor-filled, time-travel graphic novel for young people.
The tale of an epic seder — it drags on for six months — joins a new crop of children’s books with Passover themes, from a based-on-a-true-story retelling of a Pesach celebration on Mt. Everest to a look inside President Barack Obama’s White House seder, a first in American history.
This year, the eight-day holiday, also known as the Festival of Freedom, begins at sundown on Saturday, April 25.
“My Matzah”
Ann Diament Koffsky
Apples & Honey Press; baby to 2
Young kids will be delighted to share a young koala’s excitement as the toddler searches its house for the afikomen — the piece of matzah that Papa Koala hid as part of the seder. The eager joey searches everywhere — and even turns upside-down — but needs a little help from Papa to find the missing matzah.The colorful board book brims with Ann Diament Koffsky’s buoyant illustrations.
“Zayde Babysits before Passover”
Jane Sutton; illustrated by Kate Chappell
Kar-Ben Publishing; ages 4-8
Ruthie is excited because her grandfather, whom she calls Zayde, is going to babysit all day, while her mother and Bubbe prepare for that night’s Passover seder. This lively, brightly illustrated story is full of zany fun, ending with the family seder, when Ruthie proudly recites the Four Questions.
“Happy Passover, Edie Rose!”
Joy Preble; illustrated by Valeria Cis
Kar-Ben Publishing; ages 4-9
Mia lives with her family in a big city apartment. Every year she looks forward to celebrating the Passover seder at the home of Edie Rose, a vivacious woman who invites her neighbors from all backgrounds for the festive ceremonial meal. When Edie Rose breaks her arm baking macaroons, Mia is determined to surprise her by bringing the seder to her. All the neighbors pitch in with homemade Passover foods. The heartwarming, cross-generational, multicultural story highlights the seder’s theme of welcoming all.
“Passover on Everest”
Rachelle Burke; illustrated by Craig Orback
Intergalactic Afikomen; ages 5-10
When Nikki Bart was a young girl on a family vacation in Israel, she and her mother hiked to the top of Masada, the ancient hilltop fortress overlooking the Dead Sea. A few years later, the mother-daughter team set out on a more challenging climb, to reach the summit of Mount Everest. It is just before the start of Passover and along the way, Nikki tells their Tibetan Buddhist guides that she would miss being with her family for the holiday. In this beautifully illustrated story, inspired by the Barts’ actual hike, readers enjoy Nikki’s journey and the surprise seder that the Sherpas prepare for her and her multicultural climbing companions.
(Green Bean Books; Apples & Honey Press; Kar-Ben Publishing)
“Ellis Island Passover”
Marissa Moss
Creston Books; ages 5-10
After being sent to her room for misbehaving, a 7-year-old girl is not in the mood to celebrate Passover. But when her favorite uncle walks in the door, he spirits away her sadness as he recounts his childhood immigrant story to America when he spent a very unusual week at Ellis Island. His inspiring story deepens the girl’s appreciation of Passover and she happily joins her family for their seder.
“Roadside Seder”
Anna Levine; illustrated by Naama Lahav
Apples & Honey Press; ages 5-8
When a huge log falls across a major Israeli highway on the eve of Passover, the traffic jam threatens to upend the seder plans for scores of families. Despite the best efforts of a clever boy named Benji and other stranded travelers, the massive palm is immovable. Determined to have a seder, Benji transforms the log into a Passover table and asks others, including his Ethiopian-Israeli grandmother, to share the foods they have packed in their cars. Naama Lahav’s animated illustrations convey the seder’s spirit, as Benji realizes it takes a community to solve a problem.
“The Curious Case of the Missing Pot Roast: A Passover Mystery”
Jamie Kiffel-Alcheh; illustrated by Menahem Halberstadt
Green Bean Books; ages 4-7
The Passover seder’s Four Questions are no match for an inquisitive boy who is always tossing out clever questions and riddles. In this lighthearted story, the high-energy sleuth is determined to find out why his mother trims off the ends of the pot roast she cooks for their seder. He dashes through their apartment building to his grandmother and great-grandmother, who solves the mystery. At their seder, when he recites the Four Questions, he feels a deep connection with his multi-generational family who are gathered around the festive table.
“Next Year in the White House: Barack Obama’s First Presidential Seder”
Richard Michelson; illustrated by E.B. Lewis
Crown Books; ages 4-8
In the spring of 2009, President Barack Obama became the first sitting president to attend a Passover seder at the White House, bringing together the American-Jewish community and the country’s first Black president. In addition to First Lady Michelle Obama and their daughters, Malia and Sasha, other guests included a trio of Jewish White House staffers who threw together an impromptu seder the year before while campaigning with Obama. The award-winning team of Michelson — who’s Jewish — and Lewis, an African American, bring to life this fascinating story of how that seder inspired a president.
“One Little Goat: A Passover Catastrophe”
Dara Horn; illustrated by Theo Ellsworth
Norton Books for Young Readers; ages 8 and up
In this wildly imagined, time-travel graphic novel, a family’s seder drags on for six long months, a plight recalled by the teenage son, the story’s protagonist. The weary family is stuck in time because the teen’s toddler sister tossed aside the afikomen — the hidden piece of matzah that must be eaten before the seder can end. The action takes off when a talking goat appears at the door — a nod to “Chad Gadya,” the traditional song sung at the end of the seder. The wise-cracking goat escorts the teen on a journey to search for the afikomen, traveling back through layers of seders past, to the original biblical Exodus night. The teen returns to his family’s seder — afikomen in hand — with renewed appreciation for the endurance of the Jewish people.
Horn, the author of five novels for adults and the nonfiction essay collection “People Love Dead Jews,” is a three-time winner of the National Jewish Book Award. Ellsworth’s work has been included in the “Best American Comics” anthologies.
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