High Holiday Books for Kids
Rosh Hashanah arrives on Wednesday at sundown. I’m looking forward to a time of reflection and a break from the daily hubbub. And I’m looking forward to reading. I usually spend the afternoons of Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur curled up on the couch with a book.
There are some lovely kid’s books about the High Holidays, from silly to spiritual. Here are some that I recommend to introduce and celebrate these most special days of the year.
More All-of-a-Kind Family by Sydney Taylor (1954)
I probably couldn’t write a list of Jewish-themed books without including Taylor. In one chapter of this volume, the family celebrates Yom Kippur. The kids save their money to buy a special bouquet of flowers for Mama to help her through her fast. And while eldest Ella fasts the whole day, the rest of the kids are told that noon is plenty long enough for kids to fast.
How the Rosh Hashanah Challah Became Round by Sylvia Epstein and Hagit Migron (1993)
Have you ever wondered why we eat round challahs on Rosh Hashanah instead of the usual long braided loaves? This picture book offers a silly explanation. Thank goodness the mistake that turns the long loaves round is seen as a perfect symbol by the rabbi. Rabbi to the rescue!
Gershon’s Monster: A Story for the Jewish New Year by Eric A. Kimmel and Jon J. Muth (2000)
This folktale tells of Gershon, a selfish man who never asks forgiveness. Each year he dumps his misdeeds into the sea. He goes to see a wise rabbi on his wife’s insistence because she wants a child. The rabbi (another rabbi to the rescue) tells Gershon that he will have twins but they will be taken by the sea after five years of life because of his poor behavior. Will Gershon be able to change his ways to save his children?
New Year at the Pier: A Rosh Hashanah Story by April Halprin Wayland and Stéphane Jorisch (2009)
Izzy thinks about the things he needs to apologize for before going to the pier to throw his sins in the water, a tradition called tashlich. Some apologies are easier to make than others, but he manages to make amends.
Tashlich at Turtle Rock by Susan Schnur, Anna Schnur-Fishman, and Alex Steele-Morgan (2010)
Another tashlich book. Lincoln and Abby go with their parents to do tashlich. Not only do they cast their sins into the water, but they think about what was good about the past year and what they want to do in the next.