A House with No Door: A Sukkot Story by Amy Fellner Deming with illustrations by Rotem Teplow; Kar-Ben Publishing, an imprint of Lerner Publishing Group; © 2026; ISBN 9798348-047770; 24 pages; $18.99.
Author Deming and illustrator Teplow take us through the process of decorating a sukkah, with especial attention to such kid-friendly activities as hanging fruit and vegetables from the support beams of the ceiling; making paper chains; indulging passions for many colors; and participating in the ancient ritual of shaking the etrog and lulav to the east, south, west, north, above and below.
Notable is the integration of secular Jews—a man and a boy not wearing kippot—with more traditional Jews. The sukkah welcomes everybody.
Deming’s description of a sukkah is positively lyrical: “The outside hangs on the inside. The inside feels like the outside. Green apples and ruby-red pomegranates. Strands of nuts and acorns. Hollowed-out gourds, still sweet with pumpkin and squash. Bright chains we can trail together, like glittery vines.”
This book was written and illustrated for elementary school students, but adults also can appreciate the results of Dening’s and Teplow’s collaboration.
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Donald H. Harrison is publisher and editor of San Diego Jewish World.