cover image Izzy the Whiz and Passover McClean

Izzy the Whiz and Passover McClean

Yael Mermelstein, illus. by Carrie Hartman. Kar-Ben, $17.95 (32p) ISBN 978-0-7613-5654-7

Pre-Passover cleaning gets a fun twist in this rhyming tale. Izzy, an amateur inventor, has created a mother’s ultimate dream: a house-cleaning machine, and just in time for Passover. Izzy knows that all the crumbs in his home must be removed before the holiday, and his invention will do just that. “All were blown, all were thrown into Izzy’s machine/A pre-holiday feast for Passover McClean.” McClean hits a snag, however, when the machine malfunctions right after it has inhaled the entire living room for cleaning, but before it has spit it back out, dirt free. Izzy must then use his inventor’s mind to make things right hours before the holiday begins. Kids will appreciate the easy rhyming scheme and bold pictures, and wish that they could invent their own Passover cleaning machine. Ages 3–8. (Feb.)