Press, Judy. Pirate Passover. Amanda Gulliver, Illustrator. Lerner/Kar-Ben. 02/2023. 24pp. Picture Book. Preschool – 2. HIGH ADDITIONAL. $19.99. 978-1-7284-4303-4.
Preparing for Passover on a pirate ship offers a fresh take on children’s books about this Jewish holiday. Captain Drew, drawn as a light-skinned pirate with curly reddish hair — who could be any gender—is having their crew (which includes a brown-skinned pirate with braided locks in his hair and beard) prepare for Passover by cleaning the ship, getting rid of the chametz, and preparing a seder plate. A storm runs them aground, where they find an open door into a family seder on land. Told in rhyming couplets, this book could be an easy readaloud that celebrates the holiday. The text includes many appropriate traditions, but does not offer much explanation. This book will work well for children already familiar with Passover traditions and stories, and many will potentially see themselves mirrored in the diverse illustrations of the pirate crew. Gulliver’s bright illustrations are created with a mix of traditional painting, collage, and digital art.
Rachael Reiley—Hillcrest Elementary K-8, Oakland Unified School District