Book Description Review ★ “An excellent addition to the Jewish tradition.”—Kirkus, starred review“Heartwarming and humorous.”—Booklist”This clever story, inspired by a discussion in the Talmud, celebrates community and friendship. . . . The message of kindness and generous giving, as the characters move from anger to friendship, is both ancient and relevant today.”—School Library Journal”Wieder’s brisk prose—punctuated by the refrain ‘A mouse! A mouse! Brought bread into our house!’—and Kober’s warmhearted cartooning successfully turn the story into one of community cooperation and celebration.”—Publishers Weekly”What may be surprising about this amusing story is that it is based on an actual passage from the Talmud. . . . The brightly colored and expressive illustrations are an energetic match for the lively story.”—Jewish Book Council Read more About the Author JOY NELKIN WIEDER is the author of over 30 books for children. She is also an illustrator, and her work has been exhibited in libraries and synagogues around the greater Boston area. She is a frequent school and library visitor and runs children’s writing sessions on historical fiction, oral history, and Jewish children’s books, highlighting Shabbat, family, and ancient Israel. Learn more about her work at jnwieder.com.SHAHAR KOBER is a prolific children’s book illustrator whose work has been published worldwide. He was the recipient of a Sydney Taylor Honor Award in 2009 for Engineer Ari and the Rosh Hashanah Ride. He lives in a small town in Israel, where he also works as an art director and illustration teacher. See more of his work at skober.com and follow him on Facebook and Instagram at @shaharkober. Read more Customers Review: Love this Passover picture book which is wonderfully written. It is a sweet story that touches on kindness, community, and tradition. Delightful illustrations!
THE PASSOVER MOUSE is a sweet holiday story about community, mouse mischief, and forgiveness. I adore that it is based on an original tale from the Talmud. I also love the refrain…A mouse! A mouse! Brought bread into our house! Charming illustrations. Begs to be read over and over again.
Even though I’m not Jewish, I enjoyed this book’s simple story and colorful illustrations. This book would be a wonderful addition to a preschool, kindergarten or lower primary classroom not only to learn a little about a holiday tradition but also because it’s entertaining to read. The ending was especially sweet….and crunchy!
This is a most delightful Passover tale .During the Passover holiday, Jewish people are required to clean up their homes and make sure that no traces of Chometz (leavened food such as bread) are left around.Sounds like a boring and tiring task but the author skillfully concocts a story that is funny, heart warming and delivers a message of friendship and collaboration.Rivka, a widow, works hard to clean up her house in preparation for Passover.She piles up all the bread she could find on her kitchen’s table and plans to burn the chometz.Alas, just then, a white mouse creeps in and grabs a piece of bread.Poor Rivka runs out screaming, “A mouse! A mouse! Took bread out of my house!”How could the villagers make sure that the mouse didn’t bring the bread into their house?The situation gets even more complicated when a black mouse runs out of the cobbler’s house with a piece of bread in its mouth.And the confusion peeks when guess what? a cat leaps out from the matchmaker’s house with a piece of bread in its mouth.As often in Jewish tales, the villagers rush to the learned rabbi to find out what to do.The wise man concludes that the houses in question must be searched for chometz once again.Oy vey! this means more work, just as the passover Seder is about to begin.But the villagers soon realize that when helping one another, even such a task could not only be achieved but also end up with the best Seder ever.The story’s message that “It takes a village” is as actual today as in the times of the Talmud (the collection of ancient rabbi’s commentaries on Jewish law.)the playful use of the words Mouse, Mouth and House make this book an absolutely marvelous fun read-aloud.The illustrations are charming and warm.The Author’s note explains the debate in the Talmud regarding a possible situation when a mouse brings chometz into a clean house, noting that this debate remains undecidedThe glossary at the end enables the readers understand and pronounce the Jewish terminology.Highly recommended!
I found Passover Mouse both entertaining and interesting. The soft textural illustrations left space for the longer text that hints of old time story books, which I love to read. The color palette and characters are sweet and convey the old world where the story takes place but still with a modern feel. The story itself is charming. The repetitive line “A mouse, a mouse, brought bread into our house!”, kept the story moving forward. I loved the ending where everyone worked together in order to be ready for the Sader. The Hebrew words sprinkled though the text made the story authentic. It was a nice surprise to read the authors note and have a glossary. I learned so much in this retelling of an old tale.
Lonely widow Rivka has prepared for Passover. Her house is clean and the chometz has been piled, ready to burn in the morning. But when a mouse take chometz from Rivka’s house to neighborhood houses that have already been cleaned, a chase and puzzle ensue. How will the village prepare for Passover? And will Rivka ever be able to finish getting ready for the special evening? Fun illustrations, a lively story, and wonderful back matter round out this book. A wonderful addition to any library–home, school, or public!
It’s wonderful to be able to experience other peoples and religions through books. My family is not Jewish so to learn about Seder and the many traditions and details associated with the night before Passover will set a foundation for a deeper understanding of this rich culture. We also loved the celebration of community and forgiveness in the story. Such a needed theme in everyone’s life, regardless of your faith or background.
A couple of rogue mice and a mischievous cat set the stage for what could become a Passover disaster, but when the villagers and their rabbi come together to solve the problem, what could have been a disaster turns into a celebration not only of the holiday but of togetherness. The rhythmic flow of the text and the warmth of the illustrations, including wonderful facial expressions, make this a delightful read-aloud. Although a holiday book, The Passover Mouse, is a must-read for all families no matter the season because intertwined in this sweet retelling of an old tale from the Talmud are universal themes that need to be practiced year round: kindness, community, and forgiveness. |
13 reviews