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Passover is a paradox of a holiday, as so many religious holidays can be. It is when Jewish people re-tell the story of some serious topics — slavery, prejudice, genocide — and also it’s oriented toward children. Fortunately for anyone scratching their heads about how to help their kids understand the holiday, there are many great Passover books for children available.
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The funny thing is, Passover is essentially a time when kids and their parents are encouraged to bring one specific book, a Haggadah, to the table to learn all about what makes this night different from all the other nights as everyone goes through the seder dinner. It conveniently has a script with parts for children’s questions built-in. But not every Haggadah is written with young readers in mind; and the focus on ritual and prayer may leave little space for kid-friendly narratives. For that reason, we’ve listed here a few versions of the Haggadah that will work well for young children.
Beyond the seder, you might also want your children to learn about more about the exciting story of Passover — plagues, locusts, the parting sea, etc. — as well as how this story can make sense to us in the modern world. If so, check out some of the children’s books that aren’t just about the holiday itself, but about how people connect to each other during this time and even reach out to strangers to welcome them into their home.
Finally, in case you’re as confused by the passage of time as some of us are, we made sure some of these books are available for immediate download to a mobile device or Kindle, so you’ll have them just in time to sit down to dinner.
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Twist On A Tale
Image Credit: Puffin Books Think of The Matzo Ball Boy as the Passover-inspired version of The Gingerbread Man. Need we say more? Probably not, but we will anyway. One lonely bubbe makes a matzo ball boy to keep her company, but this adventurer has a mind of his own. (Ages 3-7)
The Matzo Ball Boy$8.99on Amazon.com
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Celebrate In The Swamp
Image Credit: Kar-Ben Publishing Young readers learn about Passover and reptiles in this funny rhyming tale of a family of alligators who prepare for the 8-day celebration. Available on Kindle. (Ages 1-4)
Alligator Seder$6.99on Amazon.com
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Boogying Book
Image Credit: Kar-Ben Publishing This sing-along book comes with a CD to really get your little ones moving, grooving, and excited to search for the afikomen. Available on Kindle. (Ages 1-4)
Afikomen Mambo$8.95on Amazon.com
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A Welcome Display Of Diversity
Image Credit: Kalaniot Books This tale of Iranian Jews highlights the diversity of the Jewish people (which is unfortunately not always seen) and the unique Passover traditions of each culture. (Ages 4-8)
A Persian Passover$16.92on Amazon.com
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A Seder At Sea
Image Credit: Kar-Ben Publishing Ahoy, Elijah! These pirates may have been washed ashore, but they won’t let that stand in their way of celebrating Passover. Available on Kindle. (Ages 3-8)
Pirate Passover$8.99on Amazon.com
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A Fan Favorite Character
Image Credit: Farrar, Straus and Giroux Odds are your little one is already a fan of Pout-Pout Fish, so this familiar face is sure to get them in the holiday spirit or motivate them to learn about a new culture. Available on Kindle. (Ages 2-5)
Pout-Pout Fish Passover Treasure$6.99on Amazon.com
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Yummy Yummy And It’s Funny
Image Credit: Kar-Ben Publishing There’s lotsa rhymes, lotsa learning, and lotsa fun jammed into Lotsa Matzah, and we are here for it! Available on Kindle. (Ages 1-4)
Lotsa Matzah$5.99on Amazon.com
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Small But Mighty
Image Credit: Kar-Ben Publishing For most of the year, it can be hard to be the youngest in the family, but that all changes during Passover. The Littlest Levine is the story of an underdog (or younger dog) who plays the biggest role at the seder. Available on Kindle. (Ages 3-8)
The Littlest Levine$7.95on Amazon.com
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Passover, Tomie dePaola-Style
Image Credit: Grosset & Dunlap. The beloved Strega Nona author takes on Passover for the youngest readers. This is a simple but beautiful look at the holiday’s traditions. Available on Kindle. (Ages 3-5)
My First Passover$5.99on Amazon.com
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Arachnids Get in on the Fun
Image Credit: Kar-Ben Publishing. The Sammy Spider books are not for everyone, for sure, but little ones who are free of arachnophobia can enjoy the way Sammy Spider’s First Haggadah explains all the parts of Passover and includes songs as well as prayers they can understand. Available on Kindle. (Ages 3-8)
Sammy Spider’s First Haggadah$6.99on Amazon.com
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A Tale With a Tail
Image Credit: Charlesbridge. The tradition of opening the door for Elijah really does leave the door open for so many storytelling possibilities, and in the case of Welcoming Elijah, it’s the chance for a small stray kitten to meet a young boy and his boisterous, happy family. Available on Kindle. (Ages 5-8)
Welcoming Elijah: A Passover Tale With a Tail$9.99on Amazon.com
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For the Family Seder
Image Credit: Kar-Ben Publishing. Rosalind Silberman’s A Family Haggadah comes in two versions, one for families with young children, and a second for preteens through adults. Both include beautiful illustrations by Katherine Janus Kahn, and text in English and Hebrew. Available on Kindle. (Ages 8-11)
A Family Haggadah I$5.99on Amazon.com
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A Story About Community & Kindness to Strangers
Image Credit: Neal Porter Books. Susan Kusel’s The Passover Guest is set in Washington, D.C., at the height of the Great Depression in 1933. Though Muriel’s family is poor and she expects no feast this Passover, a chance meeting with a magician has somehow changed their evening. (Ages 4-8)
The Passover Guest$17.72on Amazon.com
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A Springtime Celebration
Image Credit: Holiday House. As little mouse Pippa searches for her seder plate in Vivian Kirkfield’s Pippa’s Passover Plate, Jill Weber’s illustrations remind us that this is a spring holiday, with all the vibrant colors the season entails. It’s also about a gathering of friends, as Pippa’s little animal community comes over to share her meal. (Ages 4-8)
Pippa’s Passover Plate$7.99on Amazon.com
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An Interracial & Intergenerational Tale
Image Credit: Dragonfly Books. In Mrs. Katz and Tush, a young boy encourages his elderly widowed neighbor to adopt a tail-less kitten whom they name Tush. While caring for the cat, the unlikely friends share stories, and eventually, a Passover feast. Available on Kindle. (Ages 3-7)
Mrs. Katz and Tush$7.99on Amazon.com
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Moses’ Tale in Full Color
Image Credit: Holiday House. David A. Adler’s The Passover Story, illustrated by Jill Weber, takes children back to Egypt and leads them through the events of the first Passover in a way they’ll never forget. (Ages 4-8)
The Story of Passover$7.99on Amazon.com
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The Youngest Child’s Big Day
Image Credit: Kar-Ben Publishing. We always love how Passover encourages children’s curiosity about the holiday, even if it winds up being a little judgmental when it comes to which questions they ask. In The Best Four Questions, Marcy has some very different questions in mind than the ones scripted for her, and her family thinks that’s just fine. Available on Kindle. (Ages 4-9)
The Best Four Questions$7.99on Amazon.com
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What IS a Gefilte Fish Anyway?
Image Credit: Puffin Books. Kids can discover the joys of Yiddish while reading Dave Horowitz’s playful and silly Five Little Gefiltes that follows the surprisingly adorable lumps as they escape from their jar. Available on Kindle. (Ages 4-8)
Five Little Gefiltes$8.99on Amazon.com
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