Unusual, entertaining, and deeply moving.
An anthology centered around the seder, a dinner held on the first one or two nights of the eight-day springtime holiday of Passover.
“Why is this night different from all other nights?” This question is one of four asked by the youngest child present at a Passover seder, an ancient celebration with steps guided by the reading of the Haggadah and highlighted by a delicious meal. In this anthology, the steps are named in Hebrew, with definitions followed by four related, open-ended questions from the editors. Each story opens with a striking black-and-white illustration. The diversity of the contributors (including Laurel Snyder, Adam Gidwitz, Sofiya Pasternack, Ruth Behar, A.J. Sass, and Veera Hiranandani) and the families portrayed in the stories are real strengths. The entries include hilarious mix-ups, grief for a departed grandparent, and immigrants struggling to leave the old country or adjusting to life in early 20th-century New York City. Other themes include coming to grips with the dark history of Exodus, experiencing angst about fitting in, growing up and accepting new roles, and being truthful about gender identity. Some Yiddish and Hebrew expressions aren’t fully defined, and the volume overall expects readers to have a deep knowledge of Judaism. Young people will become engrossed in the richly detailed narratives, learn a great deal about different ways to conduct a seder, and root for the protagonists.
Unusual, entertaining, and deeply moving. (recipes, author bios) (Anthology. 9-13)Pub Date: March 26, 2024
ISBN: 9781419767296
Page Count: 304
Publisher: Amulet/Abrams
Review Posted Online: March 9, 2024
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 1, 2024
An uneven depiction of how antisemitism manifests on social media and in real life.
Jewish siblings Theo and Annie Kaplan grapple with antisemitism in their middle school and society at large.
When soccer-obsessed Theo’s favorite player makes an antisemitic statement at a press conference, the ensuing social media spiral sickens Theo. His teammates’ dismissive reactions further unsettle the eighth grader. When someone draws a swastika on Theo’s locker, he initially suppresses his feelings before eventually lashing out. Sixth grader Annie responds to the controversy by lying to the school librarian, whom she adores: She’s wracked with guilt but uses a library computer to create an illicit social media account and jump right into the fray, rebutting the bigotry she sees online. The boisterous, white-presenting Kaplan family incorporates meaningful Jewish practices into their regular lives, although the authors’ depictions evoke some Jewish tropes, like the overbearing grandmother who must be covertly managed by other family members. Theo and Annie’s university professor parents pressure their children to stand up for themselves without offering much meaningful support. Using multiple first-person perspectives—including that of new kid Gabe, who’s mourning the loss of his mother to Covid-19—the authors maintain a quick pace even as both siblings reach a point of crisis. Theo and Annie remain likable and realistic in their behavior, but the characterization unfortunately struggles to keep pace with the action, leaving some of the emotions feeling abrupt and unearned.
An uneven depiction of how antisemitism manifests on social media and in real life. (Fiction. 9-13)Pub Date: Nov. 11, 2025
ISBN: 9781467196215
Page Count: 256
Publisher: Arcadia Children's Books
Review Posted Online: Oct. 10, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Nov. 15, 2025
A thoughtful, humorous, community-centered exploration of identity and Buddhism.
Stories of Buddha’s past lives help a young boy “find [himself] in the moment.”
Binh and his siblings, who are of Vietnamese descent, can’t believe they’re spending the weekend at a silent meditation retreat. Binh would rather play his Game Boy so he doesn’t have to meditate and inevitably think about the bullies at school. It is only when Sister Peace tells stories about the Buddha and his past life that Binh is able to imagine himself entering a video game–inspired world and thus process his feelings of shame, isolation, and anger. With each Jataka tale, Binh’s awareness expands, and so, too, does his ability to be present for and helpful to those around him. A welcome addition to the handful of middle-grade stories featuring Buddhist protagonists, this exploration of identity and Buddhist principles will find an audience with young readers who love Raina Telgemeier but aren’t quite ready to level up to the complexity and nuance of Gene Luen Yang’s epic American Born Chinese (2006). The video game elements are compelling, although they understandably diminish as the story progresses and the protagonist’s inner life grows. Warm fall colors and luscious black lines anchor the story as it transitions among flashbacks, stories, and the present day. Filled with talking animals, the parables can be a little heavy-handed, but the witty banter between Binh and the narrator during fantasy sequences provides levity. (This review was updated for accuracy.)
A thoughtful, humorous, community-centered exploration of identity and Buddhism. (bibliography) (Graphic fiction. 9-12)Pub Date: Sept. 19, 2023
ISBN: 9780759555488
Page Count: 144
Publisher: Little, Brown Ink
Review Posted Online: July 13, 2023
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 1, 2023
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