TWO NEW PICTURE BOOKS FOR ROSH HASHANAH THE SWEETEST ROSH HASHANAH…
Three New Purim Board Books from PJ Publishing
PURIM BOARD BOOKS ROUNDUP
Today I am a Hamantasch: A Poem for Purim,
Purim Baskets, and Purim Possibilities
(PJ PUBLISHING)
PURIM IS ALMOST HERE!
Welcome to this year’s special Purim roundup, featuring three new Purim board books that launched on February 1.
All three bookswere published by PJ Publishing (scroll down for more details) and are being sent to PJ Library families. They also became available for purchase from Amazon on that date for non-PJ Library families. These delightful board books reflect PJ Library’s commitment to bringing a love of Jewish books to young children. According to author Nancy Churnin, “As a new grandmother (of two!) I can personally attest to how important board books are for bonding and sharing Jewish joy.”
REVIEWS:
TODAY I AM A HAMANTASCH
Written and illustrated by Varda Livney
(PJ Publishing; Amazon: $9.99, Ages 6 months – 2 years)
One of the most fun parts of the Purim holiday for the littlest family members is dressing up. Costumes can be from the millennia-old Purim story, or they can be similar to those children wear at Halloween. Whatever kids end up wearing, they’ll get excited when they see what these three cute characters choose.
Presented in an accessible, bouncy rhyme, Today I am a Hamantasch is sure to keep kids coming back for more readings.
Today I am a Hamantasch
or Maybe I’m a Tree.
I might just be Queen Esther,
But tomorrow I’ll be me.
Die-cuts on the animals’ faces help children see how each cheerful creature looks in assorted costumes. Then, once Purim is over, and accompanied by the text, “Tomorrow I’ll be me,” the animals revert to their “normal” selves. Between the gentle pastel tones and the adorable animals and their colorful costumes, such as a grogger, a mermaid, a cupcake, and King Achashverosh, this 16-page board book is going to be eaten up!
PURIM BASKETS
Written by Nancy Churnin
Illustrated by Amy Schimler-Safford
(PJ Publishing; Amazon: $9.99, Ages 6 months to 2 years)
Babies and toddlers will be treated to gentle rhyme that conveys the unexpected contents of Purim baskets for animals. Also known as “shalach manot” in Yiddish or “mishloach manot” in Hebrew, these baskets are usually filled with food items and given to loved ones, friends, and neighbors, as well as for charity. However, the bevy of baskets described here are not intended for humans! Many baskets no longer just contain food. In fact, adding these books to a Purim basket would be a thoughtful idea!
Always keeping youngsters guessing, Churnin’s page turns promise a chance to guess what will come next. For example, can readers figure out what animal will be rewarded with this basket?:
Soft, bright yarn and tinkling bells
piled on a cozy mat.
That’s because these Purim treats
are for a cuddly …
Schimler-Safford’s warm illustrations, with their collage-like cut art style that capture the playful tone of the book, pair perfectly with the upbeat rhyme. Purim Baskets is a welcome addition to any family’s Purim collection.
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PURIM POSSIBILITIES
Written by Barbara Kimmel
Illustrated by Irina Avgustinovich
(PJ Publishing; Amazon: $9.99, Ages 3-4)
Let’s talk about all the possible Purim costumes a child can wear for the annual holiday festivities. And believe me, there are plenty! Geared toward toddlers and preschoolers, this rollicking rhyming board book opens with a diverse crew of characters and introduces the celebration by featuring the megillah scroll and other Purim-centric items on the first spread. The book then homes in on the happy main character, who children will follow as she takes immense joy in carefully picking out her Purim costume. Along with her is a darling dachshund who joins in the fun.
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It’s Purim! It’s Purim!
I’ll join the parade!
I’ll wear a cool costume—
a fun masquerade.
The child tries on a bunch of costumes and accessories, showing young readers that for Purim, anything goes! As I mentioned in the Today I am a Hamantasch review above, costumes do not have to follow any rules. Children can dress up as Purim characters described in the Scroll of Esther, or wear Halloween-type costumes: a pirate, a robot, a rock star, a train engineer, a queen, and a baker. Even a superhero! The best part is that anything goes. That’s why when the little girl decides to be a little bit of everything, it works so well. And why not? It’s Purim! Avgustinovich brings whimsy and vibrance to the illustrations. I love the character’s big eyes and the variety of poses she assumes as she contemplates the colorful costumes.
Best of all, readers can choose from a collection of costume stickers to try on or hang in the closet with its awaiting hangers. A note in the back explains that the reusable stickers give kids a way to use their creativity as they imagine all the Purim Possibilities for the character (and perhaps themselves) to dress up for their next Purim masquerade. I’ve called dibs on that boa!
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LINKS TO PURCHASE BOOKS:
TODAY I AM A HAMANTASCH:
PURIM BASKETS:
PURIM POSSIBILITIES:
ABOUT PURIM AND PJ LIBRARY’S PURIM RESOURCES:
Purim retells a dramatic 2,500 year-old story: A young Jewish woman named Esther unexpectedly becomes queen of the vast Persian empire. Soon after, an evil minister named Haman makes a plot to wipe out the Jews. Esther overcomes fear and adversity to save the Jewish community from disaster. On Purim, Jews read this story of resilience and identity triumphing over hatred. Jewish families celebrate community and friendship in joyful ways, including by wearing funny costumes, making noise using noisemakers, and sharing baskets full of treats. Purim is known as a “wacky” holiday where everything gets turned upside down.
PJ Library’s updated Purim hub (at pjlibrary.org/Purim) features everything families need to learn about and celebrate the holiday in ways that resonate for them. Find activities, recipes, costume ideas, and family-friendly story explanations for kids of all ages. Additionally, PJ Library’s Get Together Microgrant makes it easy for families to host a Purim-themed gatherings by offering subscriber families in North America a microgrant of $100 to host a Purim-themed event. Whether hamantaschen baking, costume party-hosting, or making mishloach manot for people with less, these grants enable families to engage in holidays in fun, hands-on ways.
ABOUT PJ LIBRARY:
PJ Library inspires joyful Jewish experiences by sending free storybooks and activities to families with children ages 0-12 and offering ways to connect with community. The program was founded in 2005 by the Harold Grinspoon Foundation (HGF) and, with the support of generous donors and partners, now distributes more than 650,000 books in seven languages to children in over 40 countries every month. The PJ Library family experience is built around the monthly storybooks and also includes family-focused holiday guides and other free gifts. Anyone who visits PJ Library’s website can hear original storytelling podcasts and explore a vast collection of Jewish parenting resources. The program welcomes families across the diversity of Jewish life.
PJ Publishing is PJ Library’s publishing imprint. Launched in 2014, the imprint has produced more than 60 English-language editions of kid-friendly Jewish-themed books. A full catalog is available at pjlibrary.org/pj-publishing.
Learn more or sign up for monthly children’s books at pjlibrary.org.
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These all look so cute and fun. I love the costumes. 🙂 Thanks for sharing, Ronna!
Yes, dressing up is even fun for adults!