Given the rich history, symbols, and traditions associated with Passover, how do you explain this complex holiday to children ages three and under? The Book Selection Committee rejoiced when we read Vivian Kirkfield’s Pippa’s Passover Plate, a charming board book that gently introduces young read-aloud listeners to some Passover basics without overwhelming them.
In the midst of her dusting, sweeping, and cooking for Passover, an industrious mouse named Pippa discovers that her special Passover plate is missing. How can the seder (Passover celebration and meal) proceed without it? To find her plate, Pippa ventures outdoors where she bravely asks a number of scary predators (a cat, snake, and owl) for help. By the time Pippa locates her plate, all of the animals who once caused her to “cringe and quake” have become her new friends, whom she graciously invites to her seder.
Not only does Pippa’s Passover Plate familiarize readers with a variety of Passover symbols and customs, it also highlights the Jewish values of courage, perseverance, friendship, and hospitality. We can’t wait for PJ families to meet Pippa, a pint-sized protagonist who’ll skillfully enhance young children’s Passover experience.
March 30, 2019