Bound To Stay Bound

School Library Journal - 10/11/2024 K-Gr 5—This picture book offers a look at the first Seder dinner hosted by President Obama in the White House, an event with personal significance to members of his staff. While the subject matter is important, the book may have a limited appeal, particularly for young readers. The narrative attempts to draw a parallel between the Jewish experience of Passover and the history of slavery in America, but this thematic connection may be too complex for the intended audience. The text is more suited for older readers due to its mature themes, yet the story itself lacks the dimension and engagement needed to hold their interest. Illustrations presented in faded watercolors do little to captivate the attention. Visually, the lack of detail makes it difficult to engage with the cultural and religious elements central to a Seder dinner. For instance, readers are given no clear depiction of what traditionally belongs on a Seder table. The book does provide useful back matter, including explanations of the Seder, Passover, and a recipe for the apple cake served at the White House Seder. These additions could be of value for educators or older readers looking for historical context. This book may find a small, niche audience among those interested in the connections between Jewish history and Black Americans' struggles for freedom, but it is unlikely to be a popular choice in most school libraries. VERDICT While the book touches on meaningful themes of freedom and cultural traditions, it lacks the appeal and engagement needed to draw in younger readers.—Peggy Henderson Murphy - Copyright 2024 Publishers Weekly, Library Journal and/or School Library Journal used with permission.

Other - 12/02/2024 Christmas and Easter celebrations have been White House mainstays for more than a century, but the first presidential Passover Seder didn’t occur until 2009. Michelson’s reportorial text, accompanied by Lewis’s realist watercolor vignettes, offer readers the backstory. After a hard year on the campaign trail, three aides to then-senator Barack Obama are "feeling homesick... hungry... tired." Throwing together a meager but heartfelt seder in a hotel basement, they are joined unexpectedly by the candidate himself, who is inspired by the Haggadah’s story and declares, "Next year in the White House!" That hope is fulfilled a year later, when President Obama presides over a beautifully appointed White House seder, his daughters hunt for the afikomen, and Michelle Obama’s observation captures the profound significance of the moment: "It is a miracle that the descendants of two enslaved peoples are now free to share a meal together in the White House, at the invitation of America’s first Black president." Background characters are portrayed with various skin tones. Extensive back matter concludes. Ages 4-8. (Mar.) - Copyright 2024