6 Children’s Books for Rosh Hashanah

Jewish New Year Book Reviews

Rosh Hashanah is the Jewish New Year. If your nanny kids celebrate the Jewish New Year read some of the following children’s books with them. Have them make cards for friends and family, and make sweet treats and foods to symbolize a sweet new year. For example, your nanny kids will enjoy eating challah and treats made with apples and honey.

Here are 6 Children’s Books About Rosh Hashana to Read with Your Nanny Kids:

1. Apple Days: A Rosh Hashanah Story (High Holidays)

Every year Katy looks forward to making a special batch of homemade applesauce with her mother for Rosh Hashanah. But when a new baby cousin arrives early and her mother must go help, she thinks the holiday is ruined. This is a sweet story about friends and neighbors coming together to make a very special New Year for a little girl. An applesauce recipe is included in the book.

2. What a Way to Start a New Year!: A Rosh Hashanah Story

Dina is not sure how her family can have a happy new year in their new home, without any of their old friends.  When they try to make a visit back to their old neighborhood for the holiday, one thing after another goes wrong and they miss the celebration.  Yet a warm welcome into their new community makes it a wonderful start to the new year.

3. Tashlich at Turtle Rock

This is a book about one family’s Rosh Hashanah tradition of taking a hike into the woods together.  This year it is Annie’s turn to lead the way to Turtle Rock, where they throw crumbs into the river as a symbol of the mistakes of the past year.  The story also includes fun non-traditional ways that a family can reflect on the past year and plan for the next.

4. Happy New Year, Beni

Beni is excited that his family is going to spend Rosh Hashanah with his grandparents – until he finds out that Cousin Max will be there, too!  From the beginning of the visit, Max torments the other children, from hiding plastic spiders and worms under their pillows to taking the last date before they can have any.  Beni is furious at Max, until Grandpa explains to the children the tradition of Tashlikh, and the boys learn to forgive and start the new year fresh. Reading this book is a great way to introduce children to the traditions and true spirit of Rosh Hashanah.

5. Rabbi Benjamin’s Buttons

Rabbi Benjamin is thrilled when his congregation gives him a special gift for Rosh Hashanah – a beautiful holiday vest with four silver buttons.  But as the year passes and Rabbi Benjamin celebrates the holidays with the different families in the congregation – including eating plenty of delicious food! – one by one the buttons on his vest pop off.  What will the congregation say when Rosh Hashanah comes again and the Rabbi’s holiday vest is ruined?  This is a really cute book about the love between a Rabbi and his congregation.  It is also a great way to teach children about the holidays of the Jewish year.

6. Even Higher! A Rosh Hashanah Story

A newcomer is skeptical when the villagers of Nemirov say their rabbi goes to heaven every year on Rosh Hashanah to plead for a good year for them.  So as Rosh Hashanah approaches, the newcomer hides and follows the Rabbi to find out where he really disappears to.  What he discovers, though, is a secret even more wonderful than the tale he had been told.  Does the Rabbi go to heaven?  No, even higher!