The Jewish High Holidays begin with the festivities of the New Year on Rosh Hashanah and end ten days later with the observance of the Day of Atonement, Yom Kippur. It’s a time of reflection and a renewal of intentions to do better in the coming year. Here are a number of books that will help children understand the traditions of the holiday and experience the joy of the celebration.
As always, if you have a book you believe should be on this list, let us know in the comments or send us an e‑mail. We’ll most likely add it, with a thanks to you.
![]() |
Apples and Honey This lift-the-flap book shows young readers the meaning and traditions of Rosh Hashanah as children make New Year’s cards to send to family and friends, go to temple and hear dad blow the shofar, and, after dinner, enjoy apples dipped in honey to mark a sweet new year. |
![]() |
Even Higher! Every year, just before Rosh Hashanah, the rabbi of Nemirov disappears. The villagers are certain their rabbi flies up to heaven to speak with God. Where else would such a great and holy man go just before the fate of every soul is decided for the coming year? But a skeptical Litvak scoffs at the villagers, claiming miracles cannot happen. He vows to discover the rabbi’s secret, but what he witnesses — an enormous act of human compassion — will make any doubter believe. |
![]() |
Happy New Year, Beni This Rosh Hashanah, Beni and Sara are going to Grandma and Grandpa’s for the holidays. Before dinner, Sara lights the candles and Grandpa says the Kiddush. “To a sweet, good year! L’shanah Tovah!” At the temple, Papa blows the shofar and joyfully welcomes in the new year. But cousin Max almost spoils the holiday for everyone — he hogs all the sweet fruits at dinner and puts creepy surprises under his cousins’ pillows. It’s only when Grandpa takes a quiet moment to explain the tradition of Tashlikh that Max is willing to start the new year off with a clean slate. Or is he? |
![]() |
It’s Shofar Time! It’s Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year. It’s time to learn new things, wear new clothes, and taste new foods. It’s time to toss crumbs into the water and say, “I’m sorry.” It’s time to hear the sounds of the shofar. Recommended for preschoolers. |
![]() |
Minnie’s Yom Kippur Birthday Minnie’s birthday falls on Yom Kippur, the most solemn of Jewish holidays. Her father tells her that her birthday will be different, quiet, reflective. Her mother tells her there will also be a surprise. After fighting with her sister, Minnie listens to the Rabbi’s story of Jonah, who did bad things, and how the whale spit him out after he apologized. Minnie feels badly about fighting with her brother and sister, and she whispers her apologies. This book beautifully includes the elements of the holiday and Rosner’s illustrations portray the solemnity and celebration. Oh, and after the shofar sounds, the congregation brings Minnie a birthday cake! |
![]() |
New Year at the Pier: a Rosh Hashanah Story Izzy’s favorite part of Rosh Hashanah is Tashlich, a joyous ceremony in which people apologize for the mistakes they made in the previous year and thus clean the slate as the new year begins. But there is one mistake on Izzy’s “I’m sorry” list that he’s finding especially hard to say out loud. Humor, touching moments between family and friends, and lots of information about the Jewish New Year are all combined in this lovely picture book for holiday sharing. |
Sammy Spider’s First Rosh Hashanah Young Sammy is mischievous, fun-loving, and curious. What is Rosh Hashanah, the celebration of the New Year? Mother Spider gives him an understanding of the reasons for apples and honey, challah bread, and greeting cards. The author and illustrator integrate the concept of size into the story. |
Secret Shofar of Barcelona Symphony conductor Don Fernando longs to hear the sounds of the shofar. During the Spanish Inquisition, he has to hide his Jewish religion and pretend to follow the teachings of the church. But when he is asked to perform a concert celebrating the new world, he and his son Rafael devise a clever plan to usher in the Jewish New Year in plain sight of the Spanish nobility. |
Talia and the Rude Vegetables Hearing her grandmother incorrectly, Talia wonders “How can a vegetable be ‘rude’?” Her grandmother asked her to gather “root” vegetables for a Rosh Hashanah stew but Talia is on a mission in the garden. She collects the twisted, ornery carrots and parsnips and finds a good home for the rest. |
|
The World’s Birthday A little boy wants to celebrate Rosh Hashanah, the world’s birthday, in the best way he knows how: by throwing a birthday party! The idea is so contagious that before you know it, you may find yourself singing Happy Birthday World at your own Rosh Hashanah dinner. |
To this great list I would add Tashlich at Turtle Rock (2010) by Susan Schnur and Anna Schnur-Fishman and Minnie’s Yom Kippur Birthday (1989) written by Marilyn Singer and illustrated by Ruth Rosner.
Thank you, Natalie! We’ll add both titles to the list. We appreciate your suggestions.