An Etrog from Across the Sea
Young Leah and Aaron receive a letter from their Papa, who is sailing from Corsica to colonial New York. He promises to bring home an etrog, a fruit traditionally used in the Sukkot holiday, and hopes to arrive in time to celebrate Rosh Hashanah with his family. When he does not return as scheduled, the children worry and argue. This story provides readers a slice of life from American colonial times while at the same time being child-relatable with the references to sibling rivalry. The illustrations are well done and reflect the folk art of the period. I learned about a Jewish holiday that I didn’t know about previously, but I wish there had been more of an explanation about the holiday and where the tradition of creating a sukkah comes from, even if only addressed in the back matter. Ages 4-10.
