Last year, Marcy’s older brother asked the Four Questions at the Passover seder. This year it’s Marcy’s turn, but instead of asking the questions in the Haggadah, she comes up with some questions of her own. The result is a clever blend of humour and information, along with some great messages for five- and six-year-olds.
The idea of linking the Four Questions to questions that kids might ask instead is an inspired idea, and The Best Four Questions takes the situation of a child misunderstanding what adults take for granted and turns it into a positive experience for the whole family. Although at first the adults are taken aback by the unexpected turn of events, they validate Marcy’s curiosity by giving considered responses to her original questions.
Marcy is given her important job as a reward for learning to read, and there’s some realistic sibling rivalry, as Jake feels jealous that his little sister has usurped his role. Like many young children, Marcy needs help deciphering the difficult words she is reading. Finally she turns to her brother for help, allowing both children to feel important in different ways. Marcy’s eventual success shows kids that they can aspire to reach a goal even if they aren’t quite ready to get there on their own. Kids will see that it’s okay to make a mistake, and that getting something wrong can be the key to learning something new.
When they finally get to the seder, Grandma talks about the items on the seder plate. The real Four Questions are included, with the answers given at the back of the book.
What a lot there is to learn and enjoy in this adorable book!
Bring this book to your own seder table and use it as an example to encourage children to come up with their own special questions!
March 27, 2019