Publishers Weekly
02/07/2022
This upbeat board book introduction welcomes readers into the home of a family—a child, parents, and a bearded grandparent, all portrayed with white skin—for a peek-a-boo tour of the seder table’s symbolic and culinary elements. (A plump gray cat is also on hand as the child’s wingman.) Mayer sets up each round of the classic game on the right-hand page (“I see...”), often with a close-up of an object; turning the page, readers view the object in a larger context, along with the answer and an explanation (“...a pillow on my chair. We lean back because we are free”) or simple exclamation (“...matzah ball soup. It tastes so good!”). Garofoli’s illustrations have the soft shapes and textures reminiscent of airbrush work, rendering characters with oversize heads, open-mouthed smiles, and a love of gesticulation. It’s like spending Passover with a group of very happy plush toys. Ages up to 4. (Feb.)
From the Publisher
"It’s like spending Passover with a group of very happy plush toys." — Publishers Weekly
School Library Journal
01/01/2022
PreS—Peek-a-boo! A young white child and his kitty cat identify the matzah, candles, seder plate, Elijah's cup, pillow, Haggadah, and other holiday items as his family celebrates the Jewish festival of Passover. The colorful, cute, and expressive illustrations depict a contemporary family with the men and boys wearing kippot. The simple text and repetitive refrain, "Peek-a-boo! I see…" will engage young children already familiar with the holiday. No explanations are provided; however, this is a welcome addition to holiday collections. VERDICT Shelve this alongside Freidele Galya Soban Biniashvili's I Love Matzah, Tracy Newman's Passover Is Coming!, and Sylvia A. Rouss's Sammy Spider's Passover Shapes.—Rachel Kamin
Kirkus Reviews
2021-12-03
A little boy enjoys the delights of the Passover seder.
In a variation of the popular peekaboo game, a White toddler peeps out from behind his fingers and notes all of the items on the dinner table. There are candles, matzah, an egg on the seder plate, parsley, and Elijah’s cup. There’s also a pillow for reclining, a bowl of matzah ball soup, and the Haggadah (a liturgical book that recounts the story of the biblical Exodus). The illustrations provide only a glimpse of each item at first; children must turn the pages to discover what each object is. After all is revealed, the boy and his family—a mother, father, and grandfather—offer up a spirited rendition of “Had Gadya” (“One Little Goat”), a playful, cumulative song traditionally sung at the conclusion of the seder. At the end, readers are invited to identify objects on their own tables. With just one line of text per page and colorful, digital illustrations throughout, this board book can serve as a fun introduction to an important Jewish festival, ideally facilitated by adults who can fill in additional details. The male characters wear kippot, and the mother serves the soup. A delightful element of the visual narrative is the family cat who mimics the boy’s facial expressions.
Festive fun for the preschool set that serves up good educational fare, too. (Board book. 2-4)
