Sammy Spider’s Big Book of Jewish Holidays by Sylvia A. Rouss with illustrations by Katherine Janus Kahn; Minneapolis, Minnesota: Kar-Ben Publishing; (c) 2025; ISBN 9781728-492919; 24 pages; $19.99.
SAN DIEGO — This anthropomorphic book meant for pre-kindergarteners through 2nd graders utilizes humorous repetition by talking spiders to further the plot.
Whenever Sammy the spider observes the human family of Jason Shapiro celebrating a Jewish holiday, he invariably expresses the wish that he too could have that experience. Just as invariably, Sammy’s mother, Mrs. Spider, tells him that spiders don’t do that, but rather “spiders spin webs.”
The book starts with Rosh Hashanah and proceeds through the Jewish calendar to Yom Kippur, Sukkot, Simchat Torah, Hanukkah, Tu B’Shevat, Purim, Passover and Shavuot.
Sammy’s envious attention is drawn to an aspect of each of the holidays. Dipping apples into honey for Rosh Hashanah. Blowing the shofar on Yom Kippur. Building a sukkah on Sukkot. Carrying a Torah on Simchat Torah. Frying latkes on Hanukkah. Planting trees on Tu B’Shevat. Reading the megillah on Purim. Having a seder on Passover. Attending synagogue on Shavuot.
As she explains the nature of each holiday to her son, Sammy, readers will realize that Mrs. Spider certainly knows a lot about Judaism for an arachnid!
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Donald H. Harrison is publisher and editor of San Diego Jewish World.