Review: Rosh Hashanah with Uncle Max
Rosh Hashanah with Uncle Max
written & illustrated by Varda Livney
Kar-Ben (imprint of Lerner Publishing Group)
Category: Picture Books
Reviewer: Lila Spitz
Rosh Hashanah with Uncle Max written and illustrated by Varda Livney is
perfect for children in PreK. The board book includes relevant Hebrew
vocabulary and dollops of humor to tell the story of a mixed-race family gathering
on the Jewish holiday of Rosh Hashanah. Illustrations depict the family of color reciting blessings over candles and wine, eating traditional foods (dates, pomegranates, honey, apples), listening to the sound of the shofar at temple, and celebrating the birthday of the world with songs and sweets.
To draw attention to Uncle Max throughout the story, the illustrator
dresses him in an eye-catching flowered shirt which contrasts well with
the plain pastel shirts of his family members. The juxtaposition of
color and the use of pattern in the illustrations is developmentally
appropriate for the intended readers.
The book includes more than ten Hebrew words and phrases that are
transliterated from Hebrew to English and defined by the author. These
traditional holiday vocabulary terms include Davash (honey), Shofar
(ram’s horn), and Shanah Tova (Have a good year). A humorous incident
occurs in the story when Uncle Max almost plunges his glasses in honey
thinking that it will “make the whole world look sweet.”
The most memorable section of the book is a two-page spread where the
illustrator uses onomatopoeia to communicate sound visually. In the
picture, the length of each musical note directly correlates to the
length of the onomatopoeia. For example, “BAAAAA, BAA BAA.”
Rosh Hashanah with Uncle Max by Varda Livney is definitely eligible for the Sydney Taylor Book Award. It is an authentic, entertaining, and educational holiday story appropriate for children ages one to four.
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