Happy Purim, Grover!

by Joni Kibort Sussman, Tom Leigh (Illustrator)

Overview

It's Purim! Join Grover and his friends from Shalom Sesame as they celebrate the holiday, baking hamantaschen, dressing up in costumes, listening to the story of Queen Esther, and making noise with groggers when the megillah is read.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781728492841
Publisher:	Lerner Publishing Group
Publication date:	02/06/2024
Pages:	12
Sales rank:	348,479
Product dimensions:	6.75(w) x 6.75(h) x (d)
Age Range:	4 - 5 Years

About the Author

Joni Sussman's books include My First Yiddish Word Book and four Sesame Street board books focused on Jewish culture and traditions.

Tom Leigh is a children’s book author and longtime illustrator of Sesame Street books. He lives on Little Deer Isle off the coast of Maine.

Editorial Reviews

"The recognizable Sesame Street characters of Grover and friends would make this an enticing book for toddlers. This story would be wonderful to use as an introduction to the holiday of Purim for toddlers and early childhood students. Reviewer Rating: 5"—Children's Literature

From the Publisher

12/01/2023

Toddler-PreS—This concise Sesame Street board book about Purim hits all of the highlights of the holiday with minimal explanation. In one sentence per page, Grover takes readers through all of the main traditions, from baking hamantaschen to dressing up, to delivering gift baskets and reading the Megillah, which tells the story of Queen Esther. Each action is described in a single declarative sentence without elaborating, such as Megillah, grogger, or hamantaschen. Nor is there any context for why one dresses up or makes noise when one hears Haman's name. Illustrations are primarily images of the Sesame Street characters on solid, brightly colored backgrounds; they appear to be digital and have a slick commercial but reassuringly familiar look. The scene with the Megillah includes accurately depicted Hebrew text of the scroll of Esther. With no back matter or other information about the holiday, this book will not be useful to those unfamiliar with it. However, Jewish families and teachers will find this an accessible introduction to the traditions of the holiday. VERDICT Jewish preschools, temples, and libraries in search of a Purim book for toddlers will find this an acceptable addition. Others may want to wait for something more informative.—Amy Lilien-Harper

School Library Journal