Book Descriptions
for The Little Red Hen and the Passover Matzah by Leslie Kimmelman and Paul Meisel
From Cooperative Children's Book Center (CCBC)
A riotous retelling of this much-loved tale has the hardworking hen getting no help from Sheep, Horse, and Dog planting wheat, let alone harvesting it, schlepping it to and from the Passover mill, and making the ground flour into matzah for the Seder. But the animals are more than willing to show up at her door when it’s time to eat. The chutzpah! “Now I should invite them to my Seder?” she wonders. Then she remembers the words in the Passover Haggadah: “ Let all who are hungry come and eat . . . The Little Red Hen was a good egg—a mensch. A mensch forgives.” And a mensch also rests while Sheep, Dog, and Horse wash and dry all the dishes at meal’s end. Leslie Kimmelman's terrific storytelling combines tradition, information, and humor, while Paul Meisel’s blithe illustrations are full of delightful details. A note about Passover, a Yiddish glossary, and instructions for making matzah are included. (Ages 4–8)
CCBC Choices 2011. © Cooperative Children's Book Center, Univ. of Wisconsin - Madison, 2011. Used with permission.
From the Publisher
A classic tale gets a Jewish twist, when Little Red Hen asks her friends for help making Passover matzah.
Before she knows it, Little Red Hen tells herself, it will be time for Passover. So she decides to plant some grain. But when she asks her friends to help, they're too busy for her. "Sorry, bub," says the Horse. "Think again," barks the dog.
Oy gevalt! "Friends, shmends," she says. "I'll just do it myself."
But when the wheat is grown and harvested, when the flour is milled and the matzah baked and the Seder table set-- all by Red on her own--who should come to her door but her not-so-helpful friends? Though she's tempted to turn them away, Little Red is a mensch-- and a mensch forgives.
Like her Haggadah says: Let all who are hungry come and eat. But who will do all these dishes?
Filled with Yiddish phrases and a healthy dose of humor, this Passover tale of hard work, friendship, and forgiveness is not to be missed. Bright cartoon illustrations add humor and detail to the story.
Backmatter includes a glossary of Yiddish phrases, an author's note about the holiday, and a recipe for making your own Passover matzah.
Before she knows it, Little Red Hen tells herself, it will be time for Passover. So she decides to plant some grain. But when she asks her friends to help, they're too busy for her. "Sorry, bub," says the Horse. "Think again," barks the dog.
Oy gevalt! "Friends, shmends," she says. "I'll just do it myself."
But when the wheat is grown and harvested, when the flour is milled and the matzah baked and the Seder table set-- all by Red on her own--who should come to her door but her not-so-helpful friends? Though she's tempted to turn them away, Little Red is a mensch-- and a mensch forgives.
Like her Haggadah says: Let all who are hungry come and eat. But who will do all these dishes?
Filled with Yiddish phrases and a healthy dose of humor, this Passover tale of hard work, friendship, and forgiveness is not to be missed. Bright cartoon illustrations add humor and detail to the story.
Backmatter includes a glossary of Yiddish phrases, an author's note about the holiday, and a recipe for making your own Passover matzah.
Publisher description retrieved from Google Books.
