The Passover Mouse

by Joy Nelkin Wieder, Shahar Kober (Contributor)

In this charming and witty Passover story about kindness, community, tradition, and forgiveness, a little mouse disrupts a town's preparations for the holiday when it steals a piece of leavened bread—or  chometz— just as all the houses have been swept clean in time for the holiday.

It's the morning before the start of Passover, and all the villagers have swept their homes clean of leavened bread, in keeping with the traditions of the holiday. Suddenly, a small mouse steals a piece of bread and tears through the town, spoiling everyone's hard work. But just when it seems as if the townsfolk will never be ready for their Seder, the little mouse's actions unwittingly bring everyone together, to work as a group to save the holiday.

Jewish families at Passover will embrace this rollicking, funny, and ultimately inspiring story—based on an original tale from the Talmud—that weaves together the themes of community, kindness, charity, and forgiveness. It's sure to become a modern holiday classic that's shared year after year among the generations.

An afterword discusses the story from the Talmud that the author used as her inspiration and includes a glossary of terms that will be useful to young readers.

★ "An excellent addition to the Jewish tradition."— Kirkus ,  starred review

Genres: Picture Books, Jewish, Holiday, Animals, Fiction, Religion, Childrens

32 pages, Hardcover

Published January 28, 2020

About the author

JOY NELKIN WIEDER is an author and illustrator with over thirty children’s books to her name, highlighting Jewish holidays and history. She teaches creative writing and is a frequent school and library visitor. She and her husband live in Massachusetts and have three grown children. Her debut picture book received honorable mention for the SCBWI PJ Library Jewish Stories Award and was chosen as a PJ Library selection. Learn more about her work at
http://jnwieder.com/

Reviews

[Nanette Heffernan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely adorable. It’s wonderful to be able to experience other peoples and religions through books. My family is not Jewish so to learn about Seder and the many traditions and details associated with the night before Passover will set a foundation for a deeper understanding of this rich culture. We also loved the celebration of community and forgiveness in the story. Such a needed theme in everyone’s life, regardless of your faith or background.

[Bonnie Clark · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a beautiful telling of a story inspired by an actual (and interesting) passage from the Talmud. I absolutely love reading books about tradition and culture. THE PASSOVER MOUSE is a fun and creative story that introduces unlearned readers to Jewish tradition and ultimately highlights community and encourages cooperation and kindness to all. The beautiful illustrations warmly compliment the author's sweet tale that I'm sure will become a (new) Passover tradition for many families.

[Alex Baugh · Rating 4 out of 5]

This story is based on an actual passage in the Talmud, which discusses the laws and customs of Passover, that considers the question of what to do about a mouse who might steal a piece of leavened bread before it is destroyed. In this story, Rivka is a widow living alone. She's just finished cleaning her house the day before Passover and has all her leavened bread out to be burned the next morning, according to custom. But before that happens, a white mouse runs off with a piece of the bread from Rivka's and straight into the cobbler's house with it. But then a black mouse runs out of the cobbler's house with a piece of bread and straight into the matchmaker's house. Suddenly, a cat runs out of the matchmaker's house with a piece of bread in its mouth. Is it the very same piece of bread that went from Rivka's to the cobbler's to the matchmaker's? Or is it a different piece? Will their homes need to be searched again for any leavened bread? The villagers decide to ask the rabbi, who searches his book of Jewish laws and concludes that the matter is undecided. Now what? Everyone is still so much to do before Passover begins. The villagers decide to help each other house by house. Happy for that help, Rivka invites them all to stay for Seder, which everyone enjoys, especially Rivka. And yes, there's a funny bit at the end that I think young readers will get a kick out of. This is a delightfully funny/serious book for young readers with a definite folktale feel. I think kids who are familiar with Passover will definitely enjoy this picture book, but for those who aren't familiar with it, it is a nice introduction to some of the customs and traditions associated with this important holiday. The cartoon-like illustrations are colorful and appealing, even the mice, and do not detract in the least from the seriousness of the preparations for the Passover seder. There is a note at the end about the Talmudic passages the story upon which is based.
This book was borrowed from the NYPL

[Amalia Hoffman · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a most delightful Passover tale .

During the Passover holiday, Jewish people are required to clean up their homes and make sure that no traces of Chometz (leavened food such as bread) are left around.
Sounds like a boring and tiring task but the author skillfully concocts a story that is funny, heart warming and delivers a message of friendship and collaboration.

Rivka, a widow, works hard to clean up her house in preparation for Passover.
She piles up all the bread she could find on her kitchen’s table and plans to burn the chometz.
Alas, just then, a white mouse creeps in and grabs a piece of bread.
Poor Rivka runs out screaming, “A mouse! A mouse! Took bread out of my house!”
How could the villagers make sure that the mouse didn’t bring the bread into their house?
The situation gets even more complicated when a black mouse runs out of the cobbler’s house with a piece of bread in its mouth.
And the confusion peeks when guess what? a cat leaps out from the matchmaker’s house with a piece of bread in its mouth.
As often in Jewish tales, the villagers rush to the learned rabbi to find out what to do.
The wise man concludes that the houses in question must be searched for chometz once again.
Oy vey! this means more work, just as the passover Seder is about to begin.
But the villagers soon realize that when helping one another, even such a task could not only be achieved but also end up with the best Seder ever.
The story’s message that “It takes a village” is as actual today as in the times of the Talmud (the collection of ancient rabbi’s commentaries on Jewish law.)
the playful use of the words Mouse, Mouth and House make this book an absolutely marvelous fun read-aloud.
The illustrations are charming and warm.
The Author’s note explains the debate in the Talmud regarding a possible situation when a mouse brings chometz into a clean house, noting that this debate remains undecided
The glossary at the end enables the readers understand and pronounce the Jewish terminology.

Highly recommended!

[Dorothia Rohner · Rating 5 out of 5]

I found Passover Mouse both entertaining and interesting. The soft textural illustrations left space for the longer text that hints of old time story books, which I love to read. The color palette and characters are sweet and convey a past time where the story takes place but still with a modern feel. The story itself is charming. The repetitive line “A mouse, a mouse, brought bread into our house!”, kept the story moving forward. I loved the ending where everyone worked together in order to be ready for the Seder. The Hebrew words sprinkled though the text made the story authentic. It was a nice surprise to read the authors note and have a glossary. I learned so much in this retelling of an old tale.

[Norene Paulson · Rating 5 out of 5]

A couple of rogue mice and a mischievous cat set the stage for what could become a Passover disaster, but when the villagers and their rabbi come together to solve the problem, what could have been a disaster turns into a celebration not only of the holiday but of togetherness. The rhythmic flow of the text and the warmth of the illustrations, including wonderful facial expressions, make this a delightful read-aloud. Although a holiday book, The Passover Mouse, is a must-read for all families no matter the season because intertwined in this sweet retelling of an old tale from the Talmud are universal themes that need to be practiced year round: kindness, community, and forgiveness.

[Lisa Katzenberger · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this Passover tale and learning more about Jewish customs. The story moves along swiftly, yet weaves in specific details to paint a vivid picture of Rivka and her community. The questions posed in this story can lead to thoughtful discussion with its young readers. I enjoyed the back matter, that gives more information about the Talmud, and the glossary, which taught me new terminology. The warm illustrations provide a welcoming feel to this smart story.

[Susan Novich · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is such a charming story! With her eye for detail and rhythmic writing, children and adults alike will be enchanted by Wieder’s Passover story based on a passage from the Talmud. Children will giggle along as they follow the chaos wrought by a mischievous mouse caught nibbling on chometz the day before Passover. With themes of community and cooperation and wonderful illustrations by Shahar Kober (that make this already lively story even livelier) the story both entertains and informs. I love that the author provides both a glossary and pronunciation key along with a very informative author’s note, making this story accessible to all.

[Fiona Halliday · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wieder has written a charming, sweet, featherlight tale of a little mouse who inadvertently causes Passover chaos by making off with the lonely widow Rivka's carefully gathered chometz (breadcrumbs.) It is interspersed with philosophical pondering and good old fashioned high jinx chases, delightfully illustrated by Shahar Kober, whose lively depictions of the different village characters really bring the story to life in warm, vintage colours.

'The Passover Mouse' has a lovely ending, when the lonely widow Rivka finds her normally empty house overflowing with friends who have come to help her, and of course she doesn't forget to thank the little house guest who turned her life upside down.

There is a helpful and insightful author's note and glossary at the back, explaining the different terms like 'chometz' and 'Seder,' and although it is a Jewish tale, its charm and message of helping one another and sharing means it can be universally shared and enjoyed.

[Skylaar Amann · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Passover Mouse is a both an entertaining and informative read, brimming with stunning illustrations. I enjoyed learning about the original Talmud tale, especially through the fun and funny perspective of the author. The illustrator's characters are full of life and immediately pull you into the rich story, characters, and village created by the author. I was especially enamored by the little sweet twist at the end, and the illustrated end pages bring an extra touch of humor and whimsy.

[Cindy Mitchell *Kiss the Book* · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Passover Mouse by Joy Nelkin Wieder, illustrated by Shahar Kober PICTURE BOOK Doubleday, (Penguin Random House), 2020, $18. 9781984895516

BUYING ADVISORY: EL (K-3) - ADVISABLE

AUDIENCE APPEAL: AVERAGE

In the days leading up to Passover, Rivka prepared her house, meticulously cleaning every nook and cranny and finding every last crumb of leavened bread. But then, Rivka discovers a white mouse on her table on the morning of Passover stealing a remaining piece of bread, left there to be burned in the fireplace that day. Oh no! The mouse runs from Rivka's house, but it cannot bring bread into someone else's house or they will have to start cleaning all over again. The mouse runs into one house, and a black mouse, also with bread runs out - different mouse, same bread? This could ruin Passover for the whole village.

So cute! I had no idea - I love learning about other cultures holidays through picture books. I love that the whole town got involved and that the Rabbi couldn't even tell them what to do. I also loved that the whole town helped solve the problem at the end, and that things were better for everyone. Includes an author's note explaining the source for the story.

Lisa Librarian
https://kissthebookjr.blogspot.com/20...

[Rachael · Rating 4 out of 5]

Based on a Talmudic tale of a mouse who has stolen Chametz prior to Passover. Cute & lively

[Barbara · Rating 3 out of 5]

Based on a story in the Talmud, this picture book highlights the preparation of villagers who must remove all leavened bread from their homes in preparation for Passover. This is hard and time-consuming work, and Rivka, a widower, is horrified to find that a mouse has scattered some of the break she collected the night before. She chases the white mouse out of the house, but it scampers all around the village, moving from place to place. Things get even more complicated once the villagers, alerted to Rivka's problem, see a black mouse and a cat at various times. Since both have bread in their mouths, some villagers are sure that the cat has eaten the bread so the houses are free of it while others are not so sure. When they turn to the rabbi for advice, he says that the Talmud is unclear on this but suggests that they clean all the houses that might have been contaminated again. Rivka is despondent since this will be a lot of work for one woman, but her neighbors join in, and the work is completed quickly and ends with a warm meal shared with others, even that original white mouse that caused all the trouble in the first place. Youngsters may enjoy this one as a read-aloud with its several scenes of animals slipping through the streets and houses to the dismay of the humans.

[Lisa · Rating 4 out of 5]

In the days leading up to Passover, Rivka prepared her house, meticulously cleaning every nook and cranny and finding every last crumb of leavened bread. But then, Rivka discovers a white mouse on her table on the morning of Passover stealing a remaining piece of bread, left there to be burned in the fireplace that day. Oh no! The mouse runs from Rivka's house, but it cannot bring bread into someone else's house or they will have to start cleaning all over again. The mouse runs into one house, and a black mouse, also with bread runs out - different mouse, same bread? This could ruin Passover for the whole village.

So cute! I had no idea - I love learning about other cultures holidays through picture books. I love that the whole town got involved and that the Rabbi couldn't even tell them what to do. I also loved that the whole town helped solve the problem at the end, and that things were better for everyone. Includes an author's note explaining the source for the story.

For this and more of my reviews, visit http://kissthebookjr.blogspot.com

[Elizabeth Bedia · Rating 5 out of 5]

A delightful story about a sweet mouse's thievery of leavened bread during the preparations for Passover. Wieder has a wonderful way of weaving Jewish traditions and the themes of community and forgiveness into a fun and engaging story for all children. The illustrations by Shahar Kober are in a lovely warm palette that complement Wieder's lively story. Especially adorable are his depictions of the animals and the expressions of the villagers as the chase ensues. An author's note and a glossary allow for further learning. It ends on a wonderful note of the community coming together to ready the village and their homes for Passover, and as the Seder meal is served, even the mischievous mouse is remembered.

[Alice Logan · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a cute story. For both Jews and non-Jews, the story is a fun way to spark children’s interest in learning (or learning more) about Passover traditions. The story builds as the trouble moves from house to house and the group of villagers grows.

I like how the entire village is involved in solving the problem and turning it into something positive. I also like that there is a glossary in the back to explain terms, such as matzoh, that might be unfamiliar to the reader, but that the story is written well enough that a full understanding of those terms is not needed in order to enjoy the story.

Although this book is listed for ages 3-7, I think it would be difficult for a three-year-old child to sit through and would be better for the older ages.

[Jana · Rating 4 out of 5]

The coronavirus pandemic is changing the way so many people practice religion, and Passover this year will definitely be different. This charming picture book is a great way to share some of the traditions of this Jewish holiday with young readers. The clever story was based on a passage of the Talmud dealing with the religious rules about cleaning the house of unleavened bread before the holiday. After Rivka has spent a great deal of time getting her home ready, a little mouse steals some bread and spreads it all over town. It seems ironic that in this story a little mouse changes everything, and in our current situation it is a virus that is changing so much.

[Rachel · Rating 4 out of 5]

Even though I am approaching my Medicare birthday (you should be able to figure out my age from that), I still love reading children’s books, including picture books. It’s always interesting to see the clever ways authors and illustrators combine words and pictures to create something greater than the sum of its parts. Two new examples are “The Passover Mouse” by Joy Nelkin Wieder and illustrated by Shahar Kober (Doubleday Books for Young Readers) and “Welcoming Elijah: a Passover tale with a tail” by Lesléa Newman and illustrated by Susan Gal (Charlesbridge).
See the rest of my review at http://www.thereportergroup.org/Artic...

[Amy Nielander · Rating 5 out of 5]

This picture book is a darling introduction to Passover customs.
I enjoyed the gentle ways terminology was delivered to the reader
and how well fiction and nonfiction elements coalesced.
The muted colors with pops of warm rosy pinks and red show a mastery for
light and color. The lovely textures and expressions bring charm to the environment
and characters. I learned so much about the Jewish culture in this fun read but
especially appreciated how community and kindness were at the heart of the story.

[Jolene Gutiérrez · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lonely widow Rivka has prepared for Passover. Her house is clean and the chometz has been piled, ready to burn in the morning. But when a mouse takes chometz from Rivka's house to neighborhood houses that have already been cleaned, a chase and puzzle ensue. How will the village prepare for Passover? And will Rivka ever be able to finish getting ready for the special evening? Fun illustrations, a lively story, and wonderful back matter round out this book. A wonderful addition to any library--home, school, or public!

[Amanda · Rating 3 out of 5]

No one should be alone on a holiday; I was glad for the ending of this and for learning more. I knew a tiny bit about Passover; this was a fun way to learn more. I love traditional folktales, and wonder if it would be culturally appropriate if I told this or if it would be cultural appropriation? Today it is tricky to show appreciation for a story and tell a story from another culture unless you have been given permission by someone from that culture and even then, *sigh* sometimes, you STILL shouldn't. Tricky stuff. Anyway, this is a lovely story.

[Gabrielle Stoller · Rating 3 out of 5]

I love seeing books about Jewish culture. Admittedly, it is an area I don't know much about (save what's in the Old Testament). So I wish I knew more of the back story. Having books like this in a library collection is absolutely vital! It reaches a segment of the population who undoubtedly wants to see representation.

Admittedly, I don't know how equipped I would feel doing this book in a storytime. For one thing, I feel my reading it would come across as too cutesy. Or I would accidentally focus too much on the mouse/cat/etc.

[Anita Amin · Rating 5 out of 5]

An enchanting tale about Passover! We loved reading this fun story and loved learning about this holiday and how it is celebrated. The story has a delightful refrain, humor, and plenty of action. A glossary and an author’s note, explaining the holiday traditions and inspiration, are appreciated bonuses since this was our first introduction to Passover. Beautiful illustrations! This is a book to share year after year - one of our favorites!

[Aliza Werner · Rating 4 out of 5]

As a Jewish woman I can say this story has a very Jewish feel to it. But does that totally translate for goyim (non-Jews)? I love the community help and support in the tale that is reminiscent of Eastern European shtetl folktales. Edited down a bit and with more explanation of why the houses are cleaned of chometz for Passover would give a more solid foundation for those unfamiliar with Passover traditions. My favorite part was the last page...that’s where the heart of the story can be found.

[Read Ribbet · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Jewish Passover celebration provides the backdrop for a story about a mouse who brings leavened bread into the house of a family and their neighbors. The chase is on to remove the leavened bread in time to celebrate the Seder Supper tradition of Passover. The book contains many Jewish terms and phrases throughout the story which are then defined in a glossary at the end.

[A.J. Irving · Rating 5 out of 5]

I think it’s essential to introduce children to a wide variety of books. Our family is not Jewish, and we learned so much from this book. THE PASSOVER MOUSE is a charming picture book that shows young readers the beauty of community, kindness, and forgiveness. The lovely text and inviting illustrations make this book feel like a classic.

[Serena Gingold Allen]

This story is great because it has an enjoyable and funny plot. My five-year-old couldn’t wait to see what was going to happen next. This story was also a great way to talk to my son a little about Judaism and holiday traditions. I was interested in the author’s note at the end because I learned something new. The illustrations were really fun too and added to the enjoyment.

[Candace Spizzirri · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Passover Mouse is sweet holiday story about community, mouse mischief, and forgiveness. I adore that it is based on an original tale from the Talmud. I also love the refrain...A mouse! A mouse! Brought bread into our house! Begs to be read over and over again.

[Tina Mowrey · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such a clever way to share the traditions of Passover with young readers! AND it’s based on discussions that ancient rabbis actually had about the possibility of mice bringing chometz into a house that had already been searched. I love this story!

[Katia Wish · Rating 5 out of 5]

THE PASSOVER MOUSE is a whimsical story of a community coming together and helping each other out during the holiday of passover. Warm, inviting illustrations and expressive characters are a great match to the story.