Passover is a holiday with storytelling and singing baked
right into the celebration (unleavened, of course). The Passover seder itself is
a meal designed as a ritual for telling (and singing) the story of the ancient Jewish
people’s escape from slavery.
Since Jewish holiday stories and songs are
always on our minds, we asked some of the minds at PJ Library to share some Passover picture books, music, videos, and storytelling podcast episodes they’d recommend for families. We hope you and
your family enjoy some of the suggestions below and have a wonderful holiday.
Books
Age 0-2
Dayenu!
by Miriam Latimer
A family is shown celebrating together, while the lyrics from one of the most well-known and best-loved
Passover songs and accompanying illustrations depict the Israelites’ departure from Egyptian slavery
and their exuberant walk toward freedom.
Bunny siblings Violet and Simon happily learn about Passover as they help their family prepare for the seder.
The items on the seder plate take on meaning for the pair, and the relatives share their favorite aspects of
the holiday.
This family is cleaning, prepping, and coming together for a very special holiday -- but how will the
children know when it’s here?
Everyone can have fun at a Passover seder, even the very youngest people at the table. The sights, sounds,
and yes, tastes of Passover are filled with tradition and meaning -- and as the baby in this story knows,
the most important part is coming together with those you love.
The child in this book is ready – it’s time for his family seder! Even though he’s just a
baby, he can still enjoy and even participate in many meaningful ways. After all, Passover is about
welcoming everyone to the table.
Age 3-5
Kitzel can’t hear himself meow. His house is teeny tiny, but his family is large and noisy. Soon his
family will feel even larger and noisier, because Passover is about to begin! This story, illustrated
entirely with food, is a delicious spin on a classic Yiddish folktale.
Just as it happened in the original story, no one will help Little Red Hen. She makes the Passover matzah
herself, but everyone wants to eat it. What's a chicken to do? A recipe for matzah and a Yiddish
glossary are included.
Poor Hannah. She’s always being told she’s too little for this, too little for that. But now that
Passover is almost here, the day is coming when being the littlest Levine means having a very big role
indeed.
Miriam’s family is about to leave their farm to attend a seder when a sheep named Snowball gives birth
to triplets. Since the mother sheep lacks interest in one of her offspring, it’s up to Miriam to think
of a way to rescue both the baby lamb and her family's holiday.
Passover is a wonderful time to spend with family, but after a whole week of it, Miriam is getting pretty
darn tired of matzah! That’s when Grandpa saves the day with a special family recipe that he’s
certain Miriam will like, making this Passover sweet in more ways than one.
Eitan always asks the Four Questions at his family's Passover seder...but this year, his younger sister
Evie says she's old enough to do it this year. But what will Eitan do if Evie takes this job away from
him?
Age 6-8
Max and Emma are back! This time the two friends jump into Max’s time machine and travel back to
ancient Egypt, where everyone seems to be in quite a hurry for some reason. As they join the throng, they
learn some important lessons about faith, courage, and miracles.
When Muriel invites a mysterious stranger to her home for Passover, she could never guess what would happen
next. This update of a classic tale by the Yiddish writer I. L Peretz is a reminder that kindness can be
miraculous.
Ezra and Roza are looking forward to Passover. To help get ready, Ezra brings his family’s flour
community baking oven to make matzah – but has an unfortunate mishap along the way. How will they have
their seder? Set in 1950s Iran, this sweet story shows how a community comes together to help.
Something strange has happened to Sam and Scarlett -- they’ve gone back in time to when Jews were
slaves in Egypt! Can they help Moses cross the Red Sea?
In Morocco, the end of Passover has traditionally been marked by Mimouna, a festive celebration that features
moufleta. Miriam's mother gets flour from their Muslim neighbors to make the sweet pancake treats. This
time, Miriam and her mother get more than just flour -- Miriam also makes a new friend!
Music and Videos
The Passover Story
– 10 illustrated scenes in 3 ½ minutes
Learn
the Songs in the Passover Seder – our collection of prayers and popular songs, with
sing-along audio and sheet music downloads
Ma Nishtana, The Four
Questions performed by Shira Kline
Dayenu – Learn
the words to this Passover seder song with Jason Mesches
Miriam’s Song
by Debbie Friedman
Story Podcast Episodes
Kiddo’s Passover Table
– episode of Afternoons With Mimi
Humpty Dumpty and the Passover Feast –
episode of Beyond the Bookcase
Al Learns the Four Questions –
episode of Have I Got a Story for You!
The Passover Pirate – episode of Have
I Got a Story for You!
More
Hosting a Kid-Friendly (and Kid-Driven!) Passover Seder
All of the Passover Printables You Need
“Step by Step” Seder Playlist
March 30, 2023