Review: My Little Book of Big Jewish Holidays

My Little Book of Big Jewish Holidays

written and illustrated by Hannah Shafiroff

Bloomsbury Children's Books, 2025

Category: Picture Book

Reviewer: Julie Ditton

 

Buy at Bookshop.org

This fantastic 64-page treasury is a guide to ten Jewish holidays throughout the year, written at sophisticated picture book level. Beginning with Shabbat, then Rosh Hashanah, the book takes the reader through the Jewish calendar, explaining each holiday. The author-illustrator's bright, colorful drawings will engage even the youngest reader and the descriptions and explanations are written in simple language that school-aged children can read for themselves. Each holiday begins with a spread that includes sections labeled When, What We Say, Why We Celebrate, and How We Celebrate. For some holidays, this basic information is followed by additional detail. This book explains the history and the traditions for each holiday. It also provides pronunciation for holiday greetings. This is an excellent source for youngsters who wish to know more about the holidays as well as for adults who are looking for a resource guide.

Shafiroff created these colorful pictures with acrylic gouache, colored pencils, and a few digital details. The vibrant illustrations show people of different races celebrating the Jewish holidays, thus showing the diversity of the Jewish people.

The book is a guide aimed at Jewish readers, using the word "we" in all the descriptions. However, it does not assume familiarity with the content. It even begins with a note about the Hebrew calendar and an explanation about why holidays are from sunset to sunset. That makes this book an excellent source for people of other faiths who wish to learn more about the holidays that their friends, neighbors or students are celebrating.

I recommend this book for readers of any age or faith who wish to learn more about the Jewish Holidays.

 

ARE YOU INTERESTED IN REVIEWING BOOKS FOR THE SYDNEY TAYLOR SHMOOZE? CLICK HERE

 

Reviewer Julie Ditton, The Storybook Lady, is an active reviewer on social media and on her new book blog storybooklady.net which has featured interviews of several Jewish children’s authors. She reviews a variety of genre, although, as her name would imply, her favorite genre is Children’s Literature. About half of the children’s books that she reviews have Jewish themes. She even has a dedicated shelf on Goodreads, Bubbe’s Bookshelf specifically for Jewish Children’s Books and is an active contributor to the Jewish Kidlit Mavens Facebook group.