By
– November 16, 2012
Izzy’s brand new invention, the Super-McDuper Passover McClean, can suck up all of the books, rugs, curtains, lamps, tables, chairs, toys, and dishes and spit them back out clean, washed and dried without a trace of hametz. More amazing still, Passover McClean puts everything back in its place! But Izzy faces a near disaster when his invention malfunctions with the living room stuck inside. Luckily, he is able to fix it before his Mom wakes up and miraculously, the entire house gleams and sparkles by the ti me the family sits down for the Seder. The crazy, colorful illustrations perfectly complement the imaginative, rhyming text, which scans well and is a joy to read. Izzy is adorable with his bright eyes, large round glasses, wide grin, and baseball cap, and it is refreshing to see a lively, vibrant, contemporary family celebrating a Jewish holiday. A simple two-sentence author’s note introduces Passover along with a slightly longer explanation of Hametz. Like the old favorite Only Nine Chairs by Deborah Uchill Miller (Kar-Ben, 1982), the slight, silly story line will not elevate or enhance the reader’s understanding of the holiday but it is nevertheless a fun, fluffy addition to the Passover bookshelf. Recommended for ages 3 ‑8.
Reading Guide
Rachel Kamin has been a synagogue librarian and Jewish educator for over twenty-five years and has worked at North Suburban Synagogue Beth El in Highland Park, IL since 2008, currently serving as the Director of Lifelong Learning. A past chair of the Sydney Taylor Book Award Committee and past editor of Book Reviews for Children & Teens for the Association of Jewish Libraries News & Reviews, her articles and book reviews appear in numerous publications. She has been a member of the American Library Association’s Sophie Brody Book Award Committee since 2021.