It's Sukkah Time!

Publishers Weekly

A preschool class prepares for the festival of Sukkot (which this year begins on October 10) in It's Sukkah Time! by Latifa Berry Kropf, photos by Tod Cohen. Aided by their teacher, the children build and decorate a sukkah, then feast within. Included are blessings as well as directions for making a toy-size sukkah from supermarket containers. Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information.

Children's Literature

The cutest bunch of pre-schoolers you have ever seen has a wonderful time preparing for the fall harvest festival of Sukkot. First, the scene is set with pictures of them frolicking in fallen leaves, picking apples and hiding among pumpkins. At school, they join in building various types of sukkahs (Hebrew: Sukkot): a child-size one from wood and screws, and toy people-size ones from a green plastic berry box. The children are full participants here, making decorations to hang in their sukkahs, sniffing the fragrant etrog (a lemon-like fruit that's one of the symbols of the holiday), waving the lulav (palm branches, the other holiday symbol), singing and dancing. Blessings in both Hebrew and English are included for both sitting in a sukkah and using the lulav and etrog. Their delight is evident in the wonderful photographs by the Tod Cohen, who also worked with author Kropf on It's Challah Time! for the celebration of Shabbat. 2003, Kar-Ben, Ages 2 to 6.
— Judy Chernak

Library Journal

PreS-Gr 1-As the information given is minimal, this book works best for those already familiar with the Jewish holiday. With simple text and crisp, color photographs, Kropf explains that Sukkot is a harvest festival. Children are shown helping to build a sukkah, to decorate it, and to eat inside it. They also make one for their classroom and one for their toys. Directions for the mini sukkah and the holiday blessings are appended. There is no explanation of why one builds a sukkah, or how the holiday itself is observed, except in a note on the verso of the title page that can be easily overlooked. However, as there are few books on Sukkot, religious schools and libraries serving large Jewish populations may want to consider adding this title.-Amy Lilien-Harper, The Ferguson Library, Stamford, CT Copyright 2004 Reed Business Information.