Picture Books To Help Kids Prepare for Passover
For many Jews, myself included, Passover is a favorite holiday. Instead of going to synagogue, we celebrate at home with family and friends, gathering around the Seder table to re-live the story of the Jewish people’s Exodus from Egypt. We celebrate through prayers, songs, and, most of all, food. It takes a lot of preparation to get ready, such as cleaning out any trace of chametz (leavened bread) from the house, cooking special dishes for the Seder, and getting the kids ready for the holiday. Here are some of my favorite books to help the youngest celebrants get excited for Passover.
This list originally appeared on ReadBrightly.com.
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Add to BookshelfBaby’s First Passover
by DK
It is never too early to share the Passover tradition with your little one! With vibrant real-life photos and a padded board book format that is perfect for little hands, Baby’s First Passover is a great way to introduce your child to this popular Jewish festival.
(Ages 0 – 3)
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Passover: A Celebration of Freedom
by Bonnie Bader
This gorgeous Little Golden Book is the perfect way to introduce Passover to preschoolers. Children will learn about the history behind Passover, why it’s important, and how people celebrate it.
(Ages 2 – 5)
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Meet the Matzah
by Alan Silberberg
And for even more fun from Alan Silberberg, Meet the Matzah is another hilarious holiday treat! Alfie Koman is a piece of matzah who wants to share the Passover story with his classmates. But when Loaf, the school sourdough bully, tries to mess up his story, Alfie goes into hiding. Will he and his best friend Challah Looyah ever work up the courage to get the story right?
(Ages 3 – 5)
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Passover, Here I Come!
by D.J. Steinberg
Follow along with a family as they prepare for and celebrate Passover. Short, bouncy poems guide the reader through each aspect of Passover, from food and decor to family gatherings and the significance of the holiday.
(Ages 4 – 6)
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The Night Before Passover
by Natasha Wing
In this book, part of the beloved The Night Before series, readers meet a little girl who is excited to spend Passover with her family. Told in the style of Clement C. Moore’s classic tale, kids can learn all about the Passover traditions including reading the Haggadah, eating matzoh, and asking the Four Questions.
(Ages 4 – 6)
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Matzah Day!
by Charlotte Offsay
In this delightful rhyming story, a family enjoys a festive Passover with lots of matzah dishes — lox, stuffing, pizza, and candy. The book includes an afterward about Passover, recipes, and a guide to making homemade matzah.
(Ages 3 – 5)
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$18.99Buy from Other Retailers:
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Afikoman, Where’d You Go?
by Rebecca Gardyn Levington
This lively hide-and-seek adventure illustrates many kids’ favorite part of the Seder — looking for the afikoman! Follow along as six kids (and a pet dog) search each room of the house. Readers will love finding the afikoman on every page and will be delighted by a surprise ending.
(Ages 4 – 8)
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Ultimate Sticker Book Passover
by DK
What better way to learn about Passover than with an activity book and reusable stickers? Photos, facts, and activities encourage kids to understand why we celebrate Passover. This book is the perfect screen-free activity to educate your kiddos and keep them occupied.
(Ages 5 – 9)
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It’s Passover, Grover! (Sesame Street)
by Jodie Shepherd
Grover’s hosting Seder this year, and the guests keep pouring in. Fortunately, the traditional Passover invitation — “Let all who are hungry come and eat” — ensures room for everyone. Stickers and a press-out card game make this one an extra fun addition to the holiday festivities.
(Ages 2 – 5)
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10
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My First Passover
by Tomie dePaola
Through simple text and charming illustrations, Tomie de Paola answers the cornerstone question of every Seder: “Why is this night different from all other nights?” This adorable board book is the perfect gift for even the littlest Seder-goers.
(Ages 3 – 5)
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More Than Enough
by April Halprin Wayland
More Than Enough has all of the hallmarks of a classic picture book: a simple story, captivating illustrations, and a timeless message. The title comes from the English translation of “Dayenu,” a beloved Passover song (and notorious earworm, if you ask my uncle). As readers follow a mother and her young children doing errands to prepare for the Seder, they will learn about gratitude for the freedom we have today.
(Ages 3 – 5)
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12
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The Passover Mouse
by Joy Nelkin Wieder
Inspired by a passage in the Talmud, this charming and witty Passover story features a little mouse who disrupts a town’s preparations for the holiday when it steals a piece of chametz just as all the houses have been swept clean. Weaving together themes of kindness, community, tradition, charity, and forgiveness, it is a modern holiday classic.
(Ages 3 – 7)
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13
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The Passover Guest
by Susan Kusel
I love The Passover Guest — not only because it’s a sweet story with enchanting illustrations but also because its historical Depression-era Washington, D.C. setting makes it different from most Passover stories. In this beautifully reimagined classic story for young readers, Muriel gives her last coin to a strange magician, sparking a special visit from Elijah the Prophet during her family’s Passover Seder. What transpires next is absolutely magical.
(Ages 4 – 8)
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14
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Pippa’s Passover Plate
by Vivian Kirkfield
Rollicking rhymes and vibrant illustrations combine to make Pippa’s Passover Plate a wonderful holiday read-aloud for kids. When Pippa realizes she’s misplaced her Seder plate, she must bravely ask her frightening neighbors for help. A cute story that shows the special significance of the Seder plate and the six items that generally go on it.
(Ages 4 – 8)
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15
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The Story of Passover
by David A. Adler
This kid-friendly version of the Passover story has bright, lively illustrations that are sure to captivate young children. (If they’re anything like mine, they’ll especially love the depictions of the ten plagues.) Some vivid images might be scary and some of the vocabulary may be unfamiliar to the littlest readers, so I recommend reading this one together.
(Ages 4 – 8)
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Welcoming Elijah
by Lesléa Newman
As a boy and his family move through the rituals of Seder, a tiny kitten wanders through the dark and windy streets alone. In lush, atmospheric illustrations, the boy and the kitten appear to mimic each other — and then, as the boy throws open the front door for the prophet Elijah (his favorite part of the celebration), the two finally come face to face.
(Ages 5 – 8)
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