cover image The Elijah Door: A Passover Tale

The Elijah Door: A Passover Tale

Linda Leopold Strauss, illus. by Alexi Natchev. Holiday House, $16.95 (32p) ISBN 978-0-8234-1911-1

The Galinskys and the Lippas have been neighbors and friends for generations, but a small bartering disagreement has sundered that friendship. Young Rachel Galinsky and David Lippa have always known they would marry, but now that fairy tale ending seems impossible. As Passover approaches and the families refuse to share the holiday meals as they always have, the two children realize that the time has come to enlist the aid of their wise rabbi, who quickly implements a plan to help bring peace to the seder table. Natchev’s artwork—created by carving an image into wood and linoleum plates, inking the image with a roller, printing it by hand, then hand-coloring with watercolors—does a magnificent job of bringing this Jewish Romeo and Juliet fable to life. Ages 4–8. (Apr.)