Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
Pippa the mouse must get her cozy home in the wall ready before Passover begins at sundown. "Hustle, bustle, lots to do./ Pippa stirs the chicken stew./ Sets the table-all looks great." But wait: "Where's the special Seder plate?" A search turns up nothing, forcing Pippa into the yard to seek help from three animals-and potential predators-that make her "cringe and quake": a huge black housecat, a snake, and an owl. Instead of trying to nosh on Pippa, however, the animals seems impressed by her solicitous but determined demeanor ("Have you seen my Seder plate?/ Sun sets soon-it's getting late"), give her good advice on where to look, and happily join her at the seder. Cheery text and lush, naif-styled backyard scenes make the little mouse's quest fun to follow. If kids need a diversion before their seder begins, this should fit the bill. Ages 4-8. (Feb.) © Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.
(c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved
Review by School Library Journal Review
PreS-Gr 1-This simple rhyming Passover story doesn't include enough information for the uninitiated, but would make a useful read-aloud for those already familiar with the holiday. Pippa Mouse is missing her Seder plate. She braves asking a series of natural predators (cat, snake, owl) if they know where it might be-until at last she discovers it in the goldfish pond-and all of her newfound friends join her for the holiday meal. The only information about the holiday is the labeled image of the Seder plate on the final page, depicting its traditional items with the transliterated Hebrew words defined in English. The rhyming text is concise and repetitive, encouraging participation. As Pippa questions each animal, a refrain appears: "Quiver! Quaver!/Shiver! Shake!/[Cats] make Pippa cringe and quake." While the predictability of the text would be effective in storytime, it is somewhat uninspired. The full-bleed, mixed-media illustrations, which were created with gouache, neocolor crayons, and some collage, are lush, brightly colored, and appealing. The art has a naive, childlike feel, and the large images and bright colors would carry well while reading to a group. VERDICT While not an essential purchase, libraries serving large Jewish populations will find this a pleasant addition for storytimes.-Amy Lilien-Harper, Greenwich Library, CT © Copyright 2019. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Kirkus Book Review
A mouse searches for and finally finds her missing Seder plate.Pippa is an industrious house-cleaning mouse. And no wonderPassover is starting this very evening. Dusting and sweeping finished, she turns her attention to setting the table as a pot of chicken stew bubbles away on the stovetop. But there is one very important object that is missing: the "special Seder plate." Frantically, the mouse searches through boxes and cupboards and finally ventures into the yard. First she encounters a very large cat and asks if it has seen the plate. "No," answers the cat and points her to a snake, who sends her to an owl, who directs her to Golda Fish, prettily swimming in the water. Success! Kirkfield's little tale is written in rhyming couplets with much repetition of "QUIVER! QUAVER! SHIVER! SHAKE!" for emphasis with each interaction with a predator, so readers will be mightily puzzled when the formerly frightful critters join Pippa at the holiday table. Weber's gouache, crayon, and collage illustrations are sweetly pretty. The final illustration features a Seder plate with transliterated Hebrew and an English translation of the components. Readers familiar with the holiday may find this mildly enjoyable, but others will likely want and need more information.In the end too much is left unanswered, making this book pleasant but only passable. (Picture book. 3-5) Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
