Take a peek inside
Written by Naomi Ben-Gur
Illustrated by Carmel Ben Ami
Translated by Gilah Kahn-Hoffmann
Price: £8.99 / $17.95
Pages: 32
Format: Paperback
ISBN: 9781784384630
Highlights
Delightfully illustrated picture book for 4-8 year olds
A heart-warming story which celebrates the importance of family
A wise and funny depiction of sibling rivalry
Revolves around the festival of Passover and the traditions of the Passover Seder
Description
‘You showed us all what a fantastic big brother you are!’
As Passover draws near, Eitan is excited about singing the Ma Nishtana – the Four Questions – as he does every year on Seder night. But the Ma Nishtana is supposed to be sung by the youngest at the Seder table and this year, to Eitan’s consternation, his little sister Libby finally thinks she is ready for the job.
Grandma tries to keep the peace: ‘Maybe you could teach your sister to sing the Four Questions?’ she suggests to Eitan. ‘She can sing next year,’ he shrugs.‘Why don’t you sing it together?’ Grandma tries. But Libby will not hear of it. Despite Eitan’s best efforts, Libby stands firm: she is the littlest and she will sing the Ma Nishtana.
When Seder night finally arrives, the whole family gather together. They all take turns to read from the Haggadah and, when it is time for the Ma Nishtana, they turn to Libby. She looks nervous: the words don’t come out, until Eitan finds himself helping her and she sings her first Ma Nishtana perfectly.
Beautifully illustrated and charmingly told, this story celebrates the challenges and joys of family, festivities and the all-important Four Questions.
Author Details
Born in 1948 in Tel Aviv, Naomi Ben-Gur has written more than 40 books for children and works as a children’s book editor at an Israeli publisher. She studied literature at Tel Aviv University, film at New York University and began writing whilst serving as a military correspondent in the Israel Defence Force. Ben Gur lives with her husband in Ramat Aviv, Israel.
Illustrator Details
Carmel Ben-Ami was born in the Netherlands and raised in Israel, where she studied at the Bezalel Academy of Art and Design in Jerusalem. She illustrates children’s books and poetry collections and worked in the Animation Department of the 2017 film The Legend of King Solomon. She lives in Amsterdam, where she works as a freelance illustrator and animator.
Reviews
“Who Will Ask the Four Questions? is a familiar story of siblings. Eitan, the older brother, has always recited the Four Questions at the seder. But Evie, a head shorter than her brother, insists that this is her year to ask them. How can this end well?” – Hadassah Magazine
“Passover is coming and it looks like big brother Eitan is going to have to reluctantly relinquish his role as the asker of the four questions—and he’s not happy about it. Little sister Evie is now old enough to sing the ritual song, but, even after numerous practices with helpful Grandma Naomi, she is still pronouncing ‘Ma Nishtana’ incorrectly. The story takes place in Israel, and the illustrations of a large, loving family celebrating together are vibrant and cheerful. It turns out that sometimes big brothers can be kind to their siblings, after all.” – Jewish Journal
“Many readers of the book will have experienced this difficult transition themselves or will, at least, understand the dilemma it poses for celebrations where more than one child may consider themselves the best actor for this role … Young readers will feel validated in their struggle and adults will appreciate the multigenerational approach to an issue. This is a good book to keep on hand along with the Haggadah.” – Emily Schneider, Jewish Book Council