The Best Kids Books for Rosh Hashanah

By Carla Naumburg for Raising Kvell

In her beautiful post about her sons’ Jewish identities, Tamara mentioned getting her first Rosh Hashanah book from PJ Library, and then pulling several more off the shelf.

That’s right, folks. It’s time to start thinking about the High Holidays. Rosh Hashanah starts on SEPTEMBER 4th. Once you’re done freaking out, you might want to think about getting some books of your own to read with the kiddos. Here are some of my favorites, courtesy of PJ Library and my local library:

1. Classic Symbols & Themes

If you’re looking for books specifically about the symbols and themes of Rosh Hashanah, you might want to check out Engineer Ari and the Rosh Hashanah Ride by Deborah Bodin Cohen or Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur by Cathy Goldberg Fishman. The first book is a fun story about a conductor taking his train on its first trip across Israel during Rosh Hashanah, and the second one explores the traditions of both Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur through the eyes of a young girl.


Tashlich is my favorite part of Rosh Hashanah, and I think it’s the best part for children. It’s outside and it involves throwing things into water (I don’t know about your family, but that’s a recipe for success in mine). New Year at the Pier by April Halprin Wayland and Tashlich at Turtle Rock by Susan Schnur and Anna Schnur-Fishman are lovely picture books that follow two different children and their families as they participate in this meaningful tradition.

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