PEARL’S PASSOVER

That adorable yet very human little lamb is back and getting ready for Passover. Pearl is not above sniping at her twin cousins, the “two terrors of Teaneck,” but she is at bottom a very caring sister, daughter, and cousin. And an enthusiastic participant in the Passover rituals. From the search for chametz to the Seder meal (no leg of lamb on the menu) to the cries of “Next year in Jerusalem,” Pearl and her family undertake a thorough examination of the joys, requirements, and meaning of Passover. Zalben’s (Don’t Go!, p. 950, etc.) sweet watercolor, gold-leaf, and colored-pencil renderings convey the warmth of this family of sheep, although a full-page illustration of Moses parting the Red Sea is a jarring stylistic departure from the rest of the illustrations. The text is interspersed with recipes for Passover dishes, including both an Ashkenazi and Sephardic recipe for haroset, as well as craft projects for making such items as a Seder plate, Miriam’s timbrels, and a placemat of an interesting, although highly speculative, map of the route of the Exodus from Egypt. This quite comprehensive look at the Passover holiday also contains a list of the 15 steps of the Seder, words and music for the song portion, and a glossary of terms used in the text. It’s an excellent and light-hearted resource for both parents and religious schools—and the kids will like it too. (Picture book/nonfiction. 4-8)