Ellis Island Passover

A sulking child brightens when Great-Uncle Ezra arrives for family seder and shares the story of his first Passover in America. Drawing on family history, per an author’s note, Moss crafts an anecdotal narrative paired with spare pen and ink sketches. Nine-year-old Ezra flees Russia’s pogroms alone, only to face deportation when his brother fails to meet him at Ellis Island, where small comforts include kindly kitchen staff. On the eve of being sent back, Ezra organizes a makeshift Passover Seder, realizing that he and his fellow Jewish refugees are “living the story of our own exodus, from the old world to the new, from oppression to freedom.” “Next year in America!” Ezra shouts at meal’s end, and the following day brings a small miracle of its own. The book is as much about the importance of family stories as it is about Passover, underscoring how personal narratives can deepen and sustain heritage. Most characters are portrayed with pale skin. Ages 5–10. (Jan.)