Happy Passover, Edie Rose! by Joy Treble with illustrations by Valeria Cis; Minneapolis, Minnesota: Kar-Ben Publishing; (c) 2025; ISBN 9798765-629949; 32 pages; $18.99; Publication date January 7, 2025. Passover 2025 arrives the evening of Saturday, April 12.
SAN DIEGO — Edie Rose is a grandmotherly type, worrying about and helping everyone in her apartment building. Typically, she hosts an inventive Passover seder in which children of the building shout out the names of the 10 plagues, march through Edie’s living room pretending they’re crossing the Sinai, and wear detective hats to seek the afikomen.
She also babysits when Mia’s parents are away at work, teaching the youngster to make lists of the things she needs to do and to study maps to find places she may want to visit in the future. Edie Rose and Mia also bake macaroons together.
The aroma makes Mia’s dog, Mo, hungry and he bounds towards them just as Mia’s mom opens the front door to the apartment. Mia, Edie Rose, and Mo fall down together in a heap, with Edie Rose injuring her arm so that it needs to be put in a sling. Perhaps she will have to cancel the Passover seder.
Mia, having learned from Edie Rose, makes a list and goes around to an interreligious and interracial group of neighbors in the building, who immediately agree to contribute foods for a seder, among them: chicken soup, parsley; charoset from apples and figs; potato kugel, brisket, meatballs and turkey, and bowls of vegetables.
Edie Rose is surprised and gratified that the neighbors have brought Passover to her — making that night indeed different from all other nights.
This book, written by Joy Preble for children ages 4 to 9, imparts the value of intergenerational friendships, acquaints young readers with the food and customs of Passover, demonstrates interracial, interreligious friendship, and teaches that kindness is often reciprocated.
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Donald H. Harrison is publisher and editor of San Diego Jewish World.