Happy New Year, Beni

by Jane Breskin Zalben

Other authorsJane Breskin Zalben (Illustrator)
Hardcover, 1993

Status

Available

Call number

Y 242.1 ZAL

Publication

Henry Holt and Co. (BYR) (1993), Edition: 1st, 32 pages

Description

After constantly fighting with his cousin Max during the celebration for Rosh Hashanah, Beni discovers that the new year is an opportunity to put his mistakes behind him and start over.

User reviews

LibraryThing member AbigailAdams26
When Beni and Sara learn that they will be celebrating Rosh Hashanah (the Jewish New Year) at their grandparents' house, and that their obnoxious cousin Max will be there, they are apprehensive. Their fears seem justified when Max makes himself a pest throughout the celebration. But then, after the
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synagogue service, Grandpa takes the children on a walk, explaining the custom of Tashlikh - the casting of little bits of bread into water, in order to symbolically cast away the bad deeds of the previous year, and start anew - to them, and its leads to a rapprochement...

Happy New Year Beni is the second of author/illustrator Jane Breskin Zalben's picture-books that I have read, following upon her Happy Passover, Rosie, to feature this extended bear family celebrating the different Jewish holidays. Like that other title, I found the story here engaging, and the accompanying illustrations charming. I appreciated the incorporation of the theme of Tashlikh, something that can also be found in April Halprin Wayland's New Year at the Pier: A Rosh Hashanah Story and Susan Schnur's Tashlich at Turtle Rock. Recommended to picture-book readers looking for cute Rosh Hashanah stories.
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Language

Original language

English

Physical description

32 p.; 7.04 inches

ISBN

0805019618 / 9780805019612
Page: 0.324 seconds