Passover Magic [Paperback]

Roni Schotter (Author), Marylin Hafner (Illustrator)

Book Description

Grade Level: P and up

Celebrate the magic of Passover with this companion volume to Hanukkah!, winner of a National Jewish Book Award.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

The creators of Hanukkah! here offer an affectionate portrait of a family Passover seder, with text and pictures chockablock with intricate, often amusing details. The star of this beguiling brood is Uncle Harry, a part-time prestidigitator whose profession may be "pulling teeth out of people's mouths" but whose true love is "pulling rabbits out of people's hats." From his arrival with gifts galore and a new bride ("This is my lucky charm-this is my Eda"), Harry's high jinks confirm the tale's originality. It's not only the busy kitchen that generates warmth: the story, told through daughter Molly's engaging voice, captures the emotions of a joyful family gathering while unobtrusively weaving in abundant information about a complex ritual. Hafner's bustling illustrations, at once cartoony and realistic, imbue this clan with individuality galore. From Aunt Eda in her "sparkling" costume to ever-groggy Uncle Arnold to Grandma as she approvingly presides over the chicken soup, these folks know how to share the magic. Ages 4-8.
Copyright 1995 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From School Library Journal

PreSchool-Grade 2?This story of an extended family's celebration of Passover is clever, but flawed. As aunts, uncles, and cousins arrive at Molly's house, inviting scenes show three generations preparing for and celebrating the Seder. The magic enters with Uncle Harry, a dentist-cum-magician who amuses the children with his tricks, including the traditional hiding of the afikomen. He implores them to think carefully about the importance of the holiday before he reveals the whereabouts of the matzoh and the prizes for its return. The book ends with a one-page explanation of the holiday's history and customs. Nowhere does the author mention that bread and baked goods are removed from the house during Passover and replaced with food made with matzoh flour. Also, her note that lettuce can replace horseradish on the Seder plate is incorrect?it can replace parsley. Hafner's attractive, brightly colored, cartoonlike illustrations exude the warmth of a loving family cooking, eating, dancing, and relaxing together, but are inconsistent: in one picture, it's dark outside, while in the next it is broad daylight. For children unfamiliar with this important holiday, this title provides an incomplete and confusing introduction. Marilyn Hirsh's I Love Passover (Holiday, 1985; o.p.) and A Family Passover (Jewish Publication Society, 1980) are better choices.?Susan Scheps, Shaker Heights Public Library, OH
Copyright 1995 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 32 pages
• Publisher: Little, Brown Young Readers (March 1, 1998)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0316779288
• ISBN-13: 978-0316779289
• Product Dimensions: 9.8 x 8 x 0.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4.8 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,910,517 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Unusual, heartwarming story, March 12, 2001

By A Customer

This review is from: Passover Magic (Paperback)

A merry and heartwarming story with a dentist uncle who moonlights as a magician. When he attends the Passover seder with his new wife he is chosen to hide the matzoh. Will he use his magician skills and make the matzoh disappear forever? Will the lively children in this story ever be able to retrieve it? An unusual story that both introduces the warmth and detail of the Passover holiday and, at the same time, tells a funny, delightful family-oriented story. Accessible to people of any religion, this is an unusually good book.