The Passover story of the Exodus of the Jews from Egypt is told in the voice of a young slave girl who witnesses the ten plagues and eventually makes the journey with thousands of others to freedom. Laurel Snyder's rhyming narrative conveys the strife, the uncertainty, and the fear, but also moments of reassurance. "Strangely, Aba seemed to wait / Calmly for each harsh new fate, / Sat and whittled in his chair, / I sat too, and said a prayer." With the order to flee comes chaos, but also hope. "Made our way to sifting sands, / Scrambling feet, but clasping hands. / Thirsting, thrilling, full of fright- / None of us were slaves that night." The muted palette of Catia Chien's illustrations reflect the grittiness of the girl's life, but brightens symbolically with the crossing of the parted sea at story's end. In an author's note, Snyder remembers listening to the Exodus story during Passovers as a child. "The story was mostly Moses and Pharaoh bargaining for the lives of everyone else ... I wanted to know what it was like to be a child of Israel. I couldn't quite picture it. This book is my answer to the curious girl I was." (Ages 4-8)

A perfect picture book for the whole family this Passover.

Unlike other Passover picture books that focus on the contemporary celebration of the holiday, or are children's haggadahs, this gorgeous picture book in verse follows the actual story of the Exodus. Told through the eyes of a young slave girl, author Laurel Snyder and illustrator Catia Chien skillfully and gently depict the story of Pharoah, Moses, the 10 plagues, and the parting of the Red Sea in a remarkably accessible way. 

This dramatic adventure, set over 3,500 years ago, of a family that endures hardships and ultimately finds freedom is the perfect tool to help young children make sense of the origins of the Passover traditions.


"Evocative and beautiful... flawlessly evokes the spirit of the Old Testament story." —Publishers Weekly, Starred.