This is Our Seder [Hardcover]

Ziporah Hildebrandt (Author), Robin Roraback (Illustrator)

Book Description

Publication Date: March 1999 | Age Level: 4 and up

Featuring a simple description of the food and activities at a Seder, the ritual meal of Passover, this full-color book also offers an explanation of their historical and symbolic significance.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

The text for this inviting volume couldn't be simpler, as Hildebrandt (Sea Girl and the Dragon King) deftly pares down the Passover celebration to its most basic concepts. "This is our night for coming together," she begins, then, retaining the same sentence construction, she intro-duces "the plate for teaching," the "pillows for leaning," the haggadah ("the story for telling"), etc. It's Roraback's (Red, White and Blue: The Story of the American Flag) unusually spirited illustrations that serve up the storytelling. She pairs close-ups of specific items (e.g., the seder plate) with full-page views of a large, plain-looking family, everyone from grandparents to a baby, all seated at the holiday table, and she keeps the visual rhythm lively by "panning" the table in her different scenes. The characters are determinedly plainAthe beauty here is in the details. Of the "pillows for leaning," for example, one is decorated with an infant Moses among the bulrushes, a couple of fish smiling up at him; when the "story for telling" is introduced, Roraback shows the children putting on a Passover puppet show for their elders. The compositions are calm but busy, with plenty of background ac-tion: a dog campaigning for handouts, a girl kicking off her party shoes as the evening wears on. Despite the explanatory note at the end, however, terms like "afikomen" and rites like opening the door (for Elijah) go undefined, so that this book is best enjoyed by families who already know the special significance of Passover. Ages 4-8.
Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From School Library Journal

PreSchool-In one- to two-line phrases, Hildebrandt describes the different things that make up the Passover Seder: "the greens for dipping...the matzah for breaking...the story for telling...the horseradish for tasting...." Unfortunately, there isn't much of a story here; the text is more a list of the different components of the Seder, and they are not worked together into a cohesive whole. There is nothing to hold children who know about the holiday and little to learn for those who don't. The layout works well to enhance what is here, but the characters in the cartoon illustrations are unappealing, with eyes that look as if they have x's over them-like dead people in cartoons. Hildebrandt has made unusual word choices, going from childish terms such as "yummy" to the phrase "the songs of praise for lifting our hearts high." These switches in language make the text read awkwardly, and are unlikely to speak to young children. A note explains the holiday for adults, but it isn't enough to make up for textual weaknesses. Stick with Leslie Kimmelman's Hooray! It's Passover (HarperCollins, 1997), which has more of a story and appealing illustrations.
Amy Lilien, Ferguson Library, Stamford, CT
Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 4 and up
  
• Hardcover: 32 pages
• Publisher: Holiday House; 1 edition (March 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0823414361
• ISBN-13: 978-0823414369
• Product Dimensions: 8.3 x 8.3 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 10.9 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #4,356,190 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3.0 out of 5 stars Beware, Pictures only!!!, March 18, 2002

By A Customer

This review is from: This is Our Seder (Hardcover)

I purchased this book to read to my 3-year old daughter's pre-school class, and was extremely disappointed when it arrived. It is a picture book. The only text are 4-8 word sentences starting with "This is our night for coming together" on the first page. The remainder of the book does not even consist of sentences; only 4 word phrases describing the pictures. For example, "the wine for blessing", and "the water for washing" with pictures of each.
This book would probably be fine for a family who already understands the concepts and reasons for the Seder and the Passover holiday. However, it was not useful when I needed to give a group of 3-year olds who all celebrate Easter, a glimpse of the traditions and story behind my daughter's holiday.

3.0 out of 5 stars Beware, Pictures only!!!, March 18, 2002

By A Customer

This review is from: This is Our Seder (Hardcover)

I purchased this book to read to my 3-year old daughter's pre-school class, and was extremely disappointed when it arrived. It is a picture book. The only text are 4-8 word sentences starting with "This is our night for coming together" on the first page. The remainder of the book does not even consist of sentences; only 4 word phrases describing the pictures. For example, "the wine for blessing", and "the water for washing" with pictures of each.
This book would probably be fine for a family who already understands the concepts and reasons for the Seder and the Passover holiday. However, it was not useful when I needed to give a group of 3-year olds who all celebrate Easter, a glimpse of the traditions and story behind my daughter's holiday.

3.0 out of 5 stars Beware, Pictures only!!!, March 18, 2002

By A Customer

This review is from: This is Our Seder (Hardcover)

I purchased this book to read to my 3-year old daughter's pre-school class, and was extremely disappointed when it arrived. It is a picture book. The only text are 4-8 word sentences starting with "This is our night for coming together" on the first page. The remainder of the book does not even consist of sentences; only 4 word phrases describing the pictures. For example, "the wine for blessing", and "the water for washing" with pictures of each.
This book would probably be fine for a family who already understands the concepts and reasons for the Seder and the Passover holiday. However, it was not useful when I needed to give a group of 3-year olds who all celebrate Easter, a glimpse of the traditions and story behind my daughter's holiday.