April 2001

Passover Books, Easter Books & Other Good Things

by Susan Heyboer O’Keefe

It’s snowing as I write this, which makes me wonder what the groundhog really had in mind two months ago.  My husband was muttering about getting his own groundhog and perhaps controlling the results of its oh-so-important first peek outside.  However, he couldn’t remember how to work that shadow business -- whether he’d need floodlights or black-out curtains to guarantee the results.  No matter.  Two parrots and a teenager are quite enough animals for this household. (Although my son is waiting to discover, even as I type, which college will whisk him away come September.  Sniff.)

Before I get maudlin, I’ll turn my attention to April’s books, focusing mainly on those that celebrate the upcoming holy days.

Passover (April 7th, sundown).  Many books for Passover take the form of a children’s haggadah, a book used during the Seder that tells the story of Exodus and allows its participants to re-enact the journey symbolically.  Two noteworthy children’s haggadahs are --

My Favorite Family Haggadah: A Fun Interactive Passover Service for Children and Their Families by Shari Faden Donahue, with illustrations by David Aronson.  The title says it all.  The story of the deliverance of the Israelites is told through a mixture of straightforward prose and funny “rap” songs to be recited by everyone at the table.  These strong rhythmic chants move the action along, such as Moses’ plea to the Pharaoh and Pharaoh’s response.  The book provides a 20 to 30 minute family service and includes songs, together with their music, and of course the traditional blessings and four questions.  The two latter are presented in Hebrew, along with phonetic pronunciation in the English alphabet.  Simple yet pleasing illustrations are done in two colors.

A Children’s Haggadah by Howard I. Bogot and Robert J. Orkand, with illustrations by Devis Grebu.  Reading from right to left like Hebrew, this book is a beautiful accompaniment to the Seder service.  Besides the traditional retelling of Exodus, it includes prayers, songs with music, recipes, and an accordion fold-out of the seder table.  The artwork’s warm beiges and pastels evoke the desert journey.

Easter (April 15th).  As with Christmas, many books for Easter focus on the secularized symbols, in this case, colored eggs, candy, and the Easter bunny.  Here are two books that cut to the heart of the religious message --

Easter Is ... For Me! by Christine Tangvald, with illustrations by Tony Grieco.  Perfect for little ones distracted by chocolate rabbits is this kid-friendly explanation of the holiday, illustrated with cheerful cartoon art.  The events of Jesus’ death and resurrection, difficult for small children to understand even on the literal level, are very briefly recapped, then the focus switches to Jesus as a loving person alive and present with us today.  The book also looks at popular Easter images like eggs and butterflies and explains how they are symbols of transformation into new life.

The Easter Story retold by Carol Heyer.  Older readers will better be able to appreciate this straightforward account of the Easter events.  The lovely realistic art never shows Jesus’ face, just his hands -- as he drives the moneylenders from the temple, heals the sick, and breaks and blesses bread.  After the resurrection, his hands bear the marks of crucifixion.

And just because --

Blossom and Boo by Dawn Apperly.  This gentle new book is about a rabbit and a bear, best friends, who pass through the bear’s hibernation during winter, then are reunited again in the spring, still the best of friends.  This simple story is, of course, about separation, but it is also about weathering the ups and downs of friendship and becoming self-reliant.  Even more, without ever saying the words, it is about suffering through the grief of death, comforting one’s self with memory, and eventually finding hope in being reunited with loved ones.  This is a wonderful, multi-layered book that’s reassuring in all respects.

The Rain Came Down by David Shannon.  Because we should be having rain, not snow showers, I thought this new book particularly timely.  If you’ve ever wondered why everyone becomes grumpy when it rains, here’s your explanation.  The book starts simply:  “The rain came down, which made the chickens squawk.”  But the squawking chickens begin a chain reaction of cranky, crabby animals and people until everyone in town is bickering in funny, detail-packed illustrations by the Caldecott-honor artist.  Then the rain stops, the air smells sweet, a rainbow appears, and every smiles.  The book could have stopped there satisfactorily, but Shannon then begins a chain reaction of kindness and good humor that transforms the town.  A delight.

Children's Book-of-the-Month Club author Susan Heyboer O'Keefe has two new books this spring: Love Me. Love You and a board-book edition of One Hungry Monster.  Her other titles include Angel Prayers, Sleepy Angel’s First Bedtime Story, and Good Night, God Bless.  For fun, book info, and great parrot photos, visit http://www.susanheyboerokeefe.homestead.com .