Sammy Spider's First Purim [Paperback]

illustrated by Katherine Janus Kahn Sylvia Rouss (Author)

Book Description

Age Level: 5 and up | Grade Level: K and up

The Shapiro family is getting ready for Purim. Josh is making a grogger to take to the synagogue Megillah reading. Sammy Spider wants to participate, but as Sammy's mother reminds him, "Spiders don't celebrate holidays; spiders spin webs." This time Sammy's curiosity gets him stuck inside a grogger, spinning noisily among the beans. How will he escape?

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 5 and up
  
• Paperback: 32 pages
• Publisher: Kar-Ben Pub (January 1, 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1580130623
• ISBN-13: 978-1580130622
• Product Dimensions: 9.8 x 8.5 x 0.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #372,957 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #14 in Books > 4-for-3 Books > Religion & Spirituality > Judaism > General
  • #25 in Books > 4-for-3 Books > Children's Books > People & Places > Holidays & Festivals > Religious
  • #45 in Books > 4-for-3 Books > Children's Books > Religions > Fiction > Jewish

More About the Author

Sylvia Rouss is the award-winning author and early childhood educator who created the popular Sammy Spider and The Littlest books.


Even with her success as an author, Sylvia has not given up what she loves most, teaching. She is currently a preschool teacher in Los Angeles, and says that she "is inspired by the children in my classroom".


Sylvia also received awards as an educator and she conducts seminars for parents and teachers.


Sylvia is a featured author and lecturer at book fairs throughout the United States and Israel.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A Book of Noises, March 4, 2006

By 

Joshua Koppel (Chicago, IL United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Sammy Spider's First Purim (Paperback)

I don't know how the un-Jewish concept of a spider family became the mechanism for a series of books about Jewish holidays but my kids and their friends love them.

In these books Sammy observes the human family and asks his mother what they are doing. The mother always seems to have the answer even if it doesn't concern spiders (they just spin webs). This time Sammy is watching the family getting ready for a Purim celebration. Sammy is full of questions and tends to ask them very loudly. At one point Sammy even needs to be rescued by his mother.

This is a book of noises but they are not your typical children's book noises. There is more about this holiday in the book than in the Tu B'Shevat volume but only the superficial symbols. There is a short version of the story of Purim included at the end of the book but it is very basic and simple. Still, my children (six and under) did find the book entertaining.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Terrific Purim Book for Toddlers, March 26, 2008

By 

M. B. Gruen - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Sammy Spider's First Purim (Paperback)

My two-year-old daughter LOVES this book! She really enjoys joining in for the repetitive lines, "Mother!" and "Spiders spin webs!" The book also does a good job teaching about the preparation for the holiday, e.g., baking hamantaschen, making a costume. The human boy in the story makes a grogger out of a paper plate and buttons and my daughter and I followed the suggestion and made the same ones ourselves and they were a big hit during megillah reading. I've just ordered some of the other Sammy Spider books and I'm hoping they'll be as good as this one. I highly recommend it.

3 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A very good story for young children about Purim, April 1, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: Sammy Spider's First Purim (Paperback)

This book is very good for children of all ages. It tells the story about Purim in a fun and delightful way.