All who are hungry, come and eat!

When the usual crowd is unable to make it for Passover seder, and the long table is set for just Ethan, his parents, and Sadie the poodle, the child wonders, "Will that be enough?" But as Kimmelman's title indicates and Dad explains, "everyone's welcome at the festival of freedom." And sure enough, as soon as the seder gets underway, continual knocking at the door reveals not Elijah but a series of guests, including both humans (neighbors, family members) and anthropomorphized animals (a cat, a hen, a bear)--and nearly everyone contributes something delicious. In warm-toned unlined cartoons, Russell portrays a festive scene filling up with guests who "squirmed and squished and squashed and squeezed" around the table, but happily so. And as promised, there's both room and food for all. Characters are portrayed with various skin tones. Ages 4--8. (Jan.)

A creative interpretation of a passage read on Passover imploring all who are hungry to partake of the feast. Ethan laments his family's small seder; this year, only he, his parents, and their poodle will be in attendance. Still, they gather around the end of a very long table and start the service, only to be interrupted by a knock at the door. No, it isn't the prophet Elijah--it's their neighbor, whose plans fell through. Subsequent knocks reveal relatives and even a cat and a chicken, all of whom come bearing food and who are invited in--after all, as Ethan's mother points out, "TheHaggadah says, 'Let all who are hungry come and eat.'" The last guest is a large bear who initially causes a bit of consternation yet peacefully joins the others. Kimmelman's lively text will make readers feel just as welcome, deftly conveying the ceremonial parts of the meal through rhyming phrases. Russell's sunny illustrations feature characters observing a variety of Jewish customs and enjoying different foods, among them haroset, potato tzimmes, and gefilte fish. Background details make for enticing scenes that readers will pore over. Backmatter includes a recipe for haroset that includes different cultural variations. Ethan and his mother are tan-skinned, while his father is pale-skinned; other characters vary in skin tone. Multiple characters, including several animals, wear head coverings. A joyful tale that speaks to the power of community.(Picture book. 3-6) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.