Afikotective

by Amalia Hoffman, Amalia Hoffman (Illustrator)

Overview

A family of bears is getting ready for the Passover seder, preparing all the items for the seder plate. When the time comes in the seder for hiding the afikomen, Grandma breaks the middle matzah into two pieces. She hides the bigger piece, the afikomen, that the kids will eagerly search for later in the seder. It's a good thing one little bear has turned his toy elephant into an Afiko-Sniffer! The invention sniffs out apples in a bowl, eggs in the fridge, and horseradish in the pantry, but can it help find the afikomen?

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9798765613597
Publisher:	Lerner Publishing Group
Publication date:	01/02/2024
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	32
File size:	16 MB
Note:	This product may take a few minutes to download.
Age Range:	7 - 8 Years

About the Author

Amalia Hoffman is an avid storyteller, author and illustrator of children's books, including Dreidel Day and Hanukkah Nights. Amalia’s entertaining presentations include props and interactive elements. She lives in Larchmont, New York.

Editorial Reviews

"A delightfully charming and unreservedly recommended pick for family, school, and library children's book collections."—Midwest Book Review

From the Publisher

2023-10-07
A young bear dons a deerstalker and attempts to solve a Passover mystery.

After the seder, Grandma, who uses a wheelchair, hides the afikomen (a piece of matzah broken during the meal and hidden for children to find afterward). The little bear decides to use Elfie, a toy elephant, to track it down, since “elephants have a great sense of smell.” Turning Elfie into “an Afiko-Sniffer,” the young “Afikotective” searches everywhere: in a bowl of apples, in the fridge, and in the pantry. No luck. Believing that the Afiko-Sniffer must be broken, the bear heads to the tool kit…and finds a surprise. Throughout the story, the bear encounters important Passover foods, such as apples, an egg, and maror. No information is provided about the significance of these items, and while the backmatter defines afikomen (“afikomen comes from the Greek word epikomon or epikomion, meaning ‘what comes after the meal’—or dessert!”), it doesn’t explain the holiday itself; adults may want to add context if sharing this story with children unfamiliar with Passover. Little ones with background knowledge, however, will find it delightful. The story is simple and fun, with vibrant collages that incorporate 3-D elements like photos showing bits of matzah, wool, and ribbon. Throughout it all, this multigenerational family’s love and joy are evident.

A charming romp to share in anticipation of Passover preparations. (Picture book. 3-5)

Kirkus Reviews