Children can learn about the Seder supper that is part of the Passover or Pesach holiday celebrated by Jews around the world from the simple text and illustrations and the one page explanation at the end of the book.  Gerunds explain the activities;  water for washing, matzah for breaking, questions for asking, and a story for telling.  Hildebrandt provides an excellent first introduction to the Passover celebration.  Another holiday book that can be used for teaching gerunds is Spowart's THE INSIDE, OUTSIDE BOOK OF CHRISTMAS (Holiday, 1998).
     Mary Ann Paulin; Director, Superiorland Preview Center, Marquette, MI
     32 years experience as a school library/media specialist

Howland, Naomi.  THE MATZAH MAN: A PASSOVER STORY.
    New York: Clarion,  2002.  32p.  0-618-11750-4; hb., $15.00.
    2001-1028482    PreS-Gr. 3    E

    After he rolled out his Passover matzah, Mr. Cohen created a little man whom he popped into the oven.  When he opened the oven, the matzah jumped out and said “Hot from the oven I jumped and ran,/So clever and quick, I’m the Matzah Man!”  Then the story follows the pattern of the familiar “Gingerbread Man” story.  The characters that are part of this cumulative story include a red hen, Cousin Tillie, Auntie Bertha, Grandpa Solly, Miss Axelrod, a goat, and a boy named Mendel Fox.  The name of the boy tips off readers what will happen during the seder supper.  A “Passover Glossary” of seven terms helps those who are unfamiliar with the Jewish Passover celebration.  The illustrations, executed with gouache and cut-paper collage with colored pencil, and the end papers, evoke a 1940s family celebration.  The illustrations and text work together to create a story that is both familiar and unexpected.  This is an exceptional picture book.
    Mary Ann Paulin; Director, Superiorland Preview Center, Marquette, MI
    32 years of experience as a school library/media specialist
 

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