Barbara Diamond Goldin

Benjy wants to lead the hunt for breadcrumbs (chameitz) before Passover, but first he has to clean his room - a task that seems completely overwhelming. When his little sister Shira comes in and asks him to play, Benjy creates a pretend bread crumb hunt and teaches her the prayer. In the process, he ends up cleaning his room without even noticing. His older sister Naomi helps him finish, and his parents are impressed that he taught Shira the prayer.

Author's note about Passover, the bread crumb hunt tradition and prayer, and questions for readers to consider ("Have you ever felt overwhelmed by a big chore? How could you tackle this problem? Cold you try to make a game of it or ask someone in your family or a friend for help? And what helps you get into a holiday mood?").… (más)

Purim is coming, and Raya is disappointed that she isn't old enough to be in the play like her older brother, and that her mother hasn't made her costume yet. Her grandmother, Maman joon, makes traditional cookies with Raya and lets her dress up in special scarves she brought with her from Iran. Raya has the idea to put on a play in their home, and that's just what they do, complete with costumes and cookies.

Back matter includes "A Note to Families" about the Purim story and the history of Jews in Persia (now Iran), and how many Jewish people left Iran during the "great unrest" in 1979.

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Re-read February 2022 (PJ Library)… (más)