The Passover Guest - Hardcover

Kusel, Susan

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0823445623 ISBN 13: 9780823445622

Publisher: Neal Porter Books, 2021

Synopsis

Sydney Taylor Award Winner
 
A girl's kindness to a mysterious magician leads to a Passover miracle.


Beautifully illustrated and deftly told, this story full of hope, tradition-- and just a touch of magic-- is a new Passover classic in the making.
 
It's the Spring of 1933 in Washington D.C., and the Great Depression is hitting young Muriel's family hard. Her father has lost his job and her family barely has enough food most days-- let alone for a Passover Seder. They don't even have any wine to leave out for the prophet Elijah's ceremonial cup.

With no feast to rush home to, Muriel wanders by the Lincoln Memorial, where she encounters a mysterious magician in whose hands juggled eggs become lit candles. After she makes a kind gesture, he encourages her to run home for her Seder, and when she does, she encounters a holiday miracle: a bountiful feast of brisket, soup, and matzah, enough for their whole community to share.
 
But who was this mysterious benefactor? When Muriel sees Elijah's cup is empty, she has a good idea.
 
Sean Rubin's finely-detailed, historically-accurate illustrations, with a color pallete inspired by Marc Chagall, bring a strong sense of setting to this fresh retelling of the I.L. Peretz story best known through Uri Shulevitz's 1973 adaptation The Magician.
 
A perfect gift for those celebrating Passover, or to introduce the holiday traditions to young readers, The Passover Guest is sure to enchant readers of all ages.
 
Brief essays at the end of the story detail author Susan Kusel's inspiration for this retelling, artist Sean Rubin's influences and research, and introduce the traditions associated with Passover celebrations. 

An Association of Jewish Libraries Spring Holiday Highlight
A CBC/NCSS Notable Social Studies Trade Book
A Booklist Editors' Choice
A CCBC Choice
A CSMCL Best Multicultural Children's Book of the Year
 

About this title

About the Author

Susan Kusel is a synagogue librarian and children's book buyer for an independent bookstore. She has served as a member of the Caldecott Medal selection committee and the chair of the Sydney Taylor Book Award Committee. The Passover Guest is Kusel's first picture book. She lives in Arlington, VA.

Sean Rubin has illustrated several books for children. He wrote and illustrated the graphic novel Bolivar, which was nominated for an Eisner award and is being adapted into a feature film with Fox Studios. He also illustrated The Astronaut Who Painted the Moon: The Story of Alan Bean by Dean Robbins. Rubin studied art and archeology at Princeton University. He lives in Charleston, VA.

Reviews

Gr 2-4-Inspired by the I.L. Peretz story behind Uri Shulevitz's The Magician, this book chronicles a poor family living through the Great Depression on the night of Passover. April 10, 1933, was a Passover like no other; in the depths of the Great Depression, many families could not afford to hold a true seder. Because her family's table is empty, a young Jewish girl named Muriel spends the day admiring the blooming cherry blossoms along the National Mall in Washington, DC. A chance encounter with a mysterious stranger begins a series of events that lead to a full Passover dinner shared by the entire neighborhood. Only Muriel notices the absence of the stranger-and Elijah's empty wine glass-at the end of the evening. Filled with references to the holiday and accompanying traditions, this is a superb addition to modern celebrations. People of various races appear in the background even as the story focuses on a Jewish neighborhood. Abundant details-taking viewers from shtetl to the Capitol, for example-fill every page, enhancing the story's emotions through color and texture. The length of the text makes this story well suited for older children. A short notes section at the end of the book explains more about the holiday and gives readers a glimpse behind the author's and illustrator's choices. VERDICT Kusel's charming debut is a necessary volume for every holiday collection.-Mary Lanni, formerly at Denver P.L.α(c) Copyright 2011. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

Edition details

• Publisher: Neal Porter Books
• Publication date: 2021
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0823445623
• ISBN 13: 9780823445622
• Binding: Hardcover
• Illustrator: Rubin Sean
• Number of pages: 40