Review: Afikotective
Afikotective written and illustrated by Amalia Hoffman Kar-Ben Publishing (imprint of Lerner Publishing Group), 2024 Category: Picture Books Reviewer: Eva L. Weiss Buy at Bookshop.org In Afikotective , the cub in a family of bears reveals his invention for finding the afikomen, the Passover matzah that is traditionally hidden by a family member and, if not discovered, is redeemed with a gift so that it can serve as the dessert for the seder. In this first-person tale, the cub, who tells his story in the first person, enlists his toy elephant as the afikomen detective, or Afiko-sniffer, since elephants are known for their acute sense of smell. This simple story is lightheartedly told with cut-paper illustrations in opalescent colors that are pleasing to the eye. The toy elephant's search uncovers seder foods, from apples to eggs and bitter herbs, but the afikomen remains elusive until the final plot twist. The scents are not described, and we may be meant to overlook that neither ma