The Passover Guest Story Time

Join us as author Susan Kusel and illustrator Sean Rubin share and discuss their new picture book "The Passover Guest".
A Virtual Story Time.
Sunday, Feb. 28, 1pm

REGISTER HERE --->> https://www.crowdcast.io/e/the-passover-guest-story

Purchase the book below and support Aaron's Books.

 

It's the Spring of 1933 in Washington D.C., and the Great Depression is hitting young Muriel's family hard. Her father has lost his job, and her family barely has enough food most days, let alone for a Passover Seder. They don't even have any wine to leave out for the prophet Elijah's ceremonial cup.

With no feast to rush home to, Muriel wanders by the Lincoln Memorial, where she encounters a mysterious magician in whose hands juggled eggs become lit candles. After she makes a kind gesture, he encourages her to run home for her Seder, and when she does, she encounters a holiday miracle, a bountiful feast of brisket, soup, and matzah. But who was this mysterious benefactor? When Muriel sees Elijah's ceremonial cup is empty, she has a good idea.

This fresh retelling of the classic I.L. Peretz story, best known through Uri Shulevitz's 1973 adaptation The Magician, has been sumptuously illustrated by noted graphic novelist Sean Rubin, who based his art on photographs of D.C. in the 1930s. An author note with information about the holiday is included.

 

★ "Filled with references to the holiday and accompanying traditions, this is a superb addition to modern celebrations. People of various races appear in the background even as the story focuses on a Jewish neighborhood. Abundant details—taking viewers from shtetl to the Capitol, for example—fill every page, enhancing the story’s emotions through color and texture. . . . Kusel’s charming debut is a necessary volume for every holiday collection."—School Library Journal, Starred Review

★ "Told simply, but with great feeling, this story also spotlights DC itself: the Washington and Lincoln Monuments, the White House, and the Tidal Basin with its cherry trees in peak bloom. Rubin's digitally enhanced graphite illustrations are rendered in the style of Chagall in terms of color (blues and greens, accented in yellow), lighting, windows, and even a few chickens. . . . Among the many Passover titles, this one stands out, full of hope and heart and set in a historical context that will resonate today."Booklist, Starred Review

★ "Rubin’s line-and-color art beautifully conveys a Washington, D.C., spring with cherry blossoms blooming, crowded streets that also evoke a long-ago, slightly off-kilter European town, and a gloriously bright holiday evening. Kindness is rewarded and a holiday is celebrated in this endearing, satisfying story."Kirkus Reviews, Starred Review

Event date: 
Sunday, February 28, 2021 - 1:00pm
Event address: 
VIRTUAL EVENT
Lititz, PA 17543
The Passover Guest By Susan Kusel, Sean Rubin (Illustrator) Cover Image
By Susan Kusel, Sean Rubin (Illustrator)
$18.99
ISBN: 9780823445622
Availability: Likely 2-7 Business Days; Some Exceptions
Published: Neal Porter Books - January 19th, 2021