There are two major holidays just around the corner: Easter and Passover. Easter is on Sunday, April 1 and Passover begins this Friday, March 30 at sundown. For this week's Throwback Thursday, we found some vintage* titles in honor of both!
*Editor's note: I feel weird referring to books published in the 1990s as "vintage," (Whenever Deimosa and I pick up a book published in the 90s for this series, we always pause and say to ourselves, "is that old enough?" True story.) but when I stop and do the math, the 1990s are pretty much 20 years ago. Two decades.
Clifford's Happy Easter by Norman Bridwell, 1992
Clifford loves to help Emily Elizabeth, but his big red paws break eggs instead of painting them. Luckily, Clifford helps Emily another way — in her dreams! A bucket of Easter-egg dye creates the most colorful Clifford adventure yet, and gets Emily ready for an unforgettable holiday.
Miss Suzy's Easter Surprise by Miriam Young, 1972
Miss Suzy, a squirrel, interrupts her Easter preparations to become a temporary mother to four little orphan squirrels.
Miriam's Cup: A Passover Story by Fran Manushkin, illustrated by Bob Dacey, 1998
Miriam watched over her baby brother in the bulrushes, led the women in song when crossing the Red Sea, and kept the Israelites alive in the desert with water from her miraculous well. This beautifully illustrated, deeply spiritual book celebrates a beloved prophet and brings alive the magic of holidays and remembrance.
The Matzah That Papa Brought Home by Fran Manushkin, illustrated by Ned Bittinger, 1995
Follow the events of a traditional Passover Seder in this imaginative cumulative rhyme in the style of on "The House That Jack Built." From singing "Dayenu" to opening the door as an invitation to Elijah and much more, one family celebrates a fulfilling Passover Seder.
(The artwork in this book was rendered in oil paint on linen!)
Special thanks to Scholastic librarian Deimosa Webber-Bey for her ongoing help with this series!
UPDATE: Bonus reader submission!
This morning a Scholastic employee reached out to Deimosa and I with two more Passover titles Scholastic has published to add to this post! (Thanks, Dianne!)
Wonders and Miracles by Eric Kimmel, 2004. (Dianne's notes: illustrated with 4000 years of archival art, and winner of the National Jewish Book Award!)
In this rich and fascinating compilation, beloved storyteller Eric A. Kimmel presents every element - from beginning to end - of this ancient holiday, through stories, songs, poems, prayers and art. Reflecting three millenniums of Jewish life around the world, the book will not only make this multi-layered holiday accessible to people of every background, but it will also make this timeless, ever-changing holiday relevant to today's readers.
Celebrate! Stories of the Jewish Holidays by Gilda Berger, illustrated by Peter Catalanotto, 1998.
This rich collection of stories, recipes, and crafts celebrates eight Jewish holidays: Shabbat, Rosh Hashanah, Yom Kippur, Sukkot, Hanukkah, Purim, Pesach, and Shavuot.
Each carefully crafted chapter introduces readers to one holiday. A hearty retelling of the biblical story connected to the featured holiday and full-color watercolor illustrations add a warm glow to the festivities and rich history that fill each page. Following the illustrations, there are three sections: "What We Celebrate," which explores the history of the holiday; "How We Celebrate," which introduces readers to traditional ways of observing the holiday; and "Crafts and Food," which encourages readers to try the suggested activities and easy-to-follow recipes.
