Review: Mazel Tov, Baby!
Mazel Tov, Baby!
by Dara Henry, illustrated by Varda Livney
Sourcebooks Jabberwocky, 2025
Category: Board Book
Reviewer: Ellen Scolnic
Buy at Bookshop.org
This adorable board book would be a wonderful gift for any new baby. The light, playful rhymes urge readers to “clap with me” and “blow a kiss” while illustrating the milestones of a baby’s days. The repeating “mazel tov” as baby grows and accomplishes these feats adds to the interaction. The book has cute drawings of multi-ethnic babies and flaps to encourage listeners to interact with the book. The engaging, friendly illustrations go perfectly with the fun, happy text.
The Jewish representation in the book is authentic and adorable - from the multi-ethnic babies to the "little matzah ball" bib one of them is wearing. It is casual Judaism, because it is limited to the congratulatory "mazel tovs" offered to the babies - but it is joyful. You don't have to be Jewish to enjoy this book.
This adorable board book would be a wonderful gift for any new baby. The light, playful rhymes urge readers to “clap with me” and “blow a kiss” while illustrating the milestones of a baby’s days. The repeating “mazel tov” as baby grows and accomplishes these feats adds to the interaction. The book has cute drawings of multi-ethnic babies and flaps to encourage listeners to interact with the book. The engaging, friendly illustrations go perfectly with the fun, happy text.
The Jewish representation in the book is authentic and adorable - from the multi-ethnic babies to the "little matzah ball" bib one of them is wearing. It is casual Judaism, because it is limited to the congratulatory "mazel tovs" offered to the babies - but it is joyful. You don't have to be Jewish to enjoy this book.
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Reviewer Ellen Scolnic is an award-winning writer. Her features appear in The Philadelphia Inquirer, The Forward, The Jerusalem Post and more. Ellen and her writing partner, Joyce Eisenberg, write, speak and blog together as The Word Mavens. Together, they are the authors of the best-selling "Dictionary of Jewish Words,” and two other books. Connect with them at TheWordMavens.com
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