A family’s Passover celebration is equal parts warmth and charm in this cozy picture book, with the traditional seder song “Dayenu” as the grateful refrain. In this story told in spare, lyrical prose, a Jewish family prepares for their Passover seder, visiting the farmer’s market for walnuts, lilacs, and honey (and adopting a kitten along the way!), then chopping apples for the charoset, and getting dressed up before walking to Nana’s house. The refrain throughout is “Dayenu”—a mind-set of thankfulness, a reminder to be aware of the blessings in each moment. At Nana’s, there’s matzo ball soup, chicken, coconut macaroons, and of course, the hidden afikomen. After opening the door for Elijah and singing the verses of “Chad Gadya,”Nana tucks the children in for a special Passover sleepover. This warm, affectionate story embraces Passover in the spirit of dayenu, and offers a comprehensive glossary—it’s a perfect read for the entire family in anticipation and celebration of the holiday.
April Halprin Wayland is the author of several picture books, including New Year at the Pier and the young adult novel-in-verse Girl Coming in for a Landing, which won both the Lee Bennett Hopkins Honor Award for Children’s Poetry and the Myra Cohn Livingston Award. She lives in Los Angeles.
Katie Kath is the illustrator of many middle grade novels and several picture books. She lives in North Carolina.
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