written by Leslie Kimmelman and illustrated by Paul Meisel
Beginning with the Jewish proverb, "The greatest wisdom of all is kindness," this story is a revisioning of the traditional tale "The Little Red Hen". In this retelling, the Little Red Hen is an industrious as ever, but uses Yiddish words and is preparing for Passover. As in the original tale, her barnyard friends are as lazy and unhelpful as ever. Though the Little Red Hen is unhappy that her friends refuse to help her every step of the way, she continues to give them chances to change their ways. Following Passover law, the Little Red Hen works "quickly, quickly" to make her matzah within the allotted eighteen minutes and sets out an extra chair for the Prophet Elijah. When it comes time to enjoy the Passover seder and her lazy friends show up at her door, the Little Red Hen reprimands them, but remembers the words from the Passover Haggadah and shares with her unhelpful friends--who have to do the dishes afterward as penance. Includes an "About Passover" section, a recipe for matzah, a glossary of Yiddish words, and a section about Passover foods.
We're recommending this book because it's a lot of fun and we like the way it promotes kindness and hospitality, an important part of Passover. If you're looking for a funny read with a Passover theme, or are/have big fans of the Little Red Hen, this book is a good choice for you.
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