New kids’ Pesach books: Seder guides and stories

From the wizardry of Harry Potter to a heartwarming, intergenerational story about an aging grandfather and his devoted granddaughter, this year’s new crop of Pesach books for kids offers a variety of reads.

The (Unofficial) Hogwarts Haggadah

By Moshe Rosenberg; designed by Aviva Shur. All ages. $27.95

Fans of Harry Potter will be in Hogwarts heaven as this Haggadah, by Rabbi Moshe Rosenberg of Congregation Etz Chaim of Kew Gardens Hills, finds parallels between the wizardry of the best-selling “Harry Potter” books and the seder guide.

“From the concepts of slavery and freedom, to the focus on education, to the number four, Harry Potter and Passover share almost everything,” Rabbi Rosenberg writes in his introduction.

He assures readers that every word of traditional Haggadah text, in Hebrew and in English translation, is included. Interspersed throughout is commentary, via the lens of J.K. Rowling’s characters, that takes on questions of freedom, evil and the Four Children. There’s even a Harry Potter-themed version of the popular seder song “Chad Gadya.”

This is the second Jewish Harry Potter-themed book by Rabbi Rosenberg. (The first was “Morality for Muggles: Ethics in the Bible and the World of Harry Potter.”) 

A Different Kind of Passover

Linda Leopold-Strauss, illustrated by Jeremy Tugeau, Kar-Ben. Ages 4-9.

$17.99, hardcover, $7.99 paperback

On the way to her grandparents’ house for the seder, a young girl named Jessica is busy practicing The Four Questions, in Hebrew, over and over. Jessica loves spending Passover with her grandparents, where everything is the same year after year — running up the stairs at their apartment, finding piles of blankets and pillows for the sleepover with her cousins, and enjoying the good smells emanating from the kitchen.

But this year will be different because her grandfather just got home from the hospital and is too weak to come to the seder table. In this heartwarming intergenerational story, Jessica comes up with a plan for how Grandpa can still lead the seder, continuing the family tradition.

Jeremy Tugeau’s large, expressive illustrations capture Jessica’s emotions of joy, disappointment and love she shares her with grandfather.

How It’s Made: Matzah

By Allison Ofanansky, photographs by Aliyahu Alpern, Apples & Honey Press. Ages 5-8. $15.95

Kids get an up-close look at how matzah is made in this fascinating new book overflowing with stunning color photographs that bring to life small-batch, handmade matzah-making to factories that bake 35,000 pieces of matzah every day. Kids see the spiked rolling tool used to make the tiny holes in the matzah and get a peek inside the very hot ovens required for baking. Captions and explanatory text are informative but simple, making the photographs the stars of a wonderful book that will appeal both to kids and grownups. There are several Do It Yourself recipes and craft projects, including baking matzah, making a matzah cover and growing the greens for karpas.

Sammy Spider’s Passover Shapes

Sylvia A. Rouss; illustrated by Katherine Janus Kahn, Kar-Ben. Ages 1-4. $5.99 board book

The popular Sammy Spider returns, in his 24th year. “Passover Shapes” is the second Sammy Spider board book geared for toddlers. It’s a brightly illustrated tale in which Sammy Spider celebrates the holiday with his human friend, Josh Shapiro.