Easter

October 1, 1989
In a warm and simple style, Nerlove presents customs and a smattering of history related to these two religious holidays. Told in rhyming verse, both books emphasize the ways families celebrate together; particularly, the ways in which children participate. And in both, there's the predominating, unifying tradition of eating a festive meal with loved ones. Framed illustrations reminiscent of Anne Rockwell take up nearly the whole of each page, while the brief rhymes underneath advance the chatty storylines. Passover features a necessary afternote that further details the holiday's history and customary accompaniments--the search for the afikoman, for example--but Easter does not. Nerlove has wisely chosen a multicultural approach to her works in making the Jewish family white while the Christian family is black. A pleasant introduction to the holidays for the youngest family members. Ages 1-6.

April 1, 1990
PreS-K- Both of these books have the same format: rhymed couplets tell a story of a family celebrating their holiday. It's difficult to determine who the audience might be; many of the symbols of Easter, such as the Easter bunny, are already known to most four year olds, and the symbols in Passover, less familiar to as wide an audience, are not explained. The verses and the content are slight, but the soft watercolors make the books palatable. Easter features a black family coloring eggs, getting ready for church, listening to the Easter story, and looking for eggs. In Passover, the family's ritual is authentic and the retelling of the Biblical story is simple enough for young children. The last page provides a more complete explanation of the holiday for adults. I Love Passover (Holiday, 1988) by Marilyn Hirsch is much better at explaining the symbolism for this age group. Two books that will have limited appeal to their intended audiences. -Symme J. Benoff, Henderson District Public Library, Las Vegas