Description
Book Synopsis‘You showed us all what a fantastic big brother you are!’ As Passover draws near, Eitan is excited about singing the Ma Nishtana - the Four Questions - as he does every year on Seder night. But the Ma Nishtana is supposed to be sung by the youngest at the Seder table and this year, to Eitan’s consternation, his little sister Libby finally thinks she is ready for the job. Grandma tries to keep the peace: ‘Maybe you could teach your sister to sing the Four Questions?’ she suggests to Eitan. ‘She can sing next year,’ he shrugs.‘Why don’t you sing it together?’ Grandma tries. But Libby will not hear of it. Despite Eitan’s best efforts, Libby stands firm: she is the littlest and she will sing the Mah Nishtana. When Seder night finally arrives, the whole family gather together. They all take turns to read from the Haggadah and, when it is time for the Mah Nishtana, they turn to Libby. She looks nervous: the words don’t come out, until Eitan finds himself helping her and she sings her first Mah Nishtana perfectly. Beautifully illustrated and charmingly told, this story celebrates the challenges and joys of family, festivities and the all-important, Four Questions.
Trade ReviewSibling rivalry certainly predates the holiday of Passover but in this short, highly recommended story, one of the central parts of the Passover seder becomes a tense example of this age-old problem. Older brother Eitan feels unprepared to yield the spotlight to his sister, Evie, who is eager to assume the responsibility of the youngest child to recite the questions, which elicit an adult's explanation of the holiday's meaning. Many readers of the book will have experienced this difficult transition themselves or will, at least, understand the dilemma it poses for celebrations where more than one child may consider themselves the best actor for this role... Young readers will feel validated in their struggle and adults will appreciate the multigenerational approach to an issue. This is a good book to keep on hand along with the Haggadah. - Emily Schneider, Jewish Book Council
