My Little Book of Big Jewish Holidays

PreS-Gr 3–Ten of the major Jewish ­festivals are covered in this illustrated holiday ­treasury: Shabbat, Rosh Hashanah, Yom ­Kippur, Sukkot, Simchat Torah, Hanukkah, Tu Bi’Shvat, Purim, Pesach, and Shavuot. The introductory text for each festival is divided into the following sections: When, What We Say, Why We Celebrate, and How We ­Celebrate. Spreads ranging from two to 10 pages, ­depending on the holiday, ­feature cheery ­cartoon illustrations with acrylic gouache, colored pencils, and digital details, depicting contemporary families of all ages, ethnicities, and physical abilities. Men and boys, and some women, have their heads covered. The synagogue scenes appear to be in a liberal reform setting with mixed seating, musical instruments, and women reading from the Torah; instead of using gender neutral language for God, the masculine pronoun is used throughout, along with words like “Lord” and “King.” The name for each holiday and the holiday greeting are offered in Hebrew, English, and transliteration, with helpful pronunciation clues as well. The note on the Hebrew calendar appended at the beginning is especially helpful.