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Summary
Summary
Help the children find the afikoman during their seder! It's a rambunctious Passover hide-and-seek story for fans of Where's Waldo? and The Gingerbread Man.
This lively, funny picture book brings to life the Passover tradition of searching for the afikoman-literally. When the mischievous piece of matzoh runs and hides during the seder, all the kids in the family (and even the pet dog!) go hunting for it, through every room in the house. Readers can join the hunt and find the sneaky afikoman in each bright and busy scene while enjoying the playful rhyming text. And they're in for a surprise ending that's as delightful as this favorite part of Passover.
Author Notes
Rebecca Gardyn Levington is a Jewish children's book author, poet, and journalist. She has a master's degree in magazine journalism from NYU and a bachelor's degree in communication studies from UCLA. This is her third published picture book, and her poetry and articles have appeared in various anthologies, newspapers, and magazines. She lives in the suburbs of New Jersey with her husband and two boisterous boys.
Noa Kelner is a freelance illustrator living and working in Jerusalem. She graduated from the Department of Visual Communication at the Bezalel Academy of Arts and Design and now works with Israeli newspapers, magazines, publishers, and design firms. She has illustrated several picture books and is the co-founder and artistic director of an art festival in Jerusalem that showcases hundreds of illustrators every year.
Reviews (3)
School Library Journal Review
K-Gr 3--This cheerful Passover picture book is Where's Waldo? meets The Gingerbread Man. With loved ones gathered around the table, it's time for the children to carry out the tradition of searching for the piece of matzah called the afikoman. But there's a problem! He's a sneaky little guy, and he has run away from the children! Kelner's busy illustrations will keep kids happily engaged, searching for the afikoman on every spread. Children will find Levington's singsong, rhyming text delightful: "Is he hiding somewhere high? Is he hiding somewhere low? Afikoman? Afikoman? Afikoman? WHERE'D YOU GO?" The storyline is simple but effective. The children search diligently for the afikoman, the afikoman continues to escape them and hide, the children find the afikoman. At the end, one character eats all the afikoman without sharing, which provides a talking point for parents in addition to all the fun. Characters' skin tones are diverse, and a person who uses a wheelchair is included in the illustrations. A glossary helps with Hebrew words. VERDICT This fun book could become a Passover classic. A first purchase.--Jennifer Sontag
Publisher's Weekly Review
At a large seder attended by people of varying abilities, ages, and skin tones, six kids and a dog are dispatched to look for the afikomen--deemed "a silly, sneaky guy" by the participant-narrator, and depicted by Kelner with simple but mischievous facial features and stick arms and legs. Pencil, ink, and digital art, lavish with domestic details, shows the seekers moving through the house and backyard, leaving no cushion unturned, no drawer unopened, and, in the dog's case, no roll of toilet paper unrolled. "We investigate my bedroom/ and inspect my soccer gear," Gardyn Levington writes in rhyming lines. "Then we rummage through the laundry./ (We might be here till next year!)" As the characters wonder repeatedly, "Afikomen? Afikomen? Afikomen? WHERE'D YOU GO?" readers can hunt, too: the elusive entity turns up in every picture, peering from a different hiding place, in this lively tale of seek-and-find. Includes a glossary. Ages 4--8. (Feb.)
Kirkus Review
An inspired twist lets everyone participate in a Passover tradition. A delightful part of any seder is when the children in attendance scour the house in search of the afikoman, a hidden piece of unleavened bread. This tale allows readers to experience the fun for themselves--without even eating any horseradish. The scene is set as a diverse group crowds around the seder table, including a sneaky anthropomorphized afikoman with a face and stick arms and legs, clearly about to dash off. A chair has been saved for Elijah, complete with a note and a Haggadah on the seat. With a cheeky grin, the afikoman makes an appearance on the title page and leads readers on a merry chase throughout the book. As a group of young cousins searches each room of the house, Gardyn Levington's bouncy verse propels the plot forward. With rhythm and repetition, this book has the makings of a storytime hit. Kelner rivals Where's Waldo? illustrator Martin Handford in her ability to find unusual hiding places on purposefully busy and imaginatively designed spreads. The artwork is charming, allowing sharp-eyed readers to outwit the book's characters and locate the afikoman on every page. Though a glossary defines terms such as seder and matzah, those seeking more detailed explanations of Passover may want to supplement this title with other resources. Joyful, interactive holiday fun. (Picture book. 3-6) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
