When Beni and Sara learn that they will be celebrating Rosh Hashanah (the Jewish New Year) at their grandparents' house, and that their obnoxious cousin Max will be there, they are apprehensive. Their fears seem justified when Max makes himself a pest throughout the celebration. But then, after the synagogue service, Grandpa takes the children on a walk, explaining the custom of Tashlikh - the casting of little bits of bread into water, in order to symbolically cast away the bad deeds of the previous year, and start anew - to them, and its leads to a rapprochement...

Happy New Year Beni is the second of author/illustrator Jane Breskin Zalben's picture-books that I have read, following upon her Happy Passover, Rosie, to feature this extended bear family celebrating the different Jewish holidays. Like that other title, I found the story here engaging, and the accompanying illustrations charming. I appreciated the incorporation of the theme of Tashlikh, something that can also be found in April Halprin Wayland's New Year at the Pier: A Rosh Hashanah Story and Susan Schnur's Tashlich at Turtle Rock. Recommended to picture-book readers looking for cute Rosh Hashanah stories. ( )

This book is about two siblings and their families who go and visit their grandma and grandpa for the Rosh Hashanah holiday. The children learn about the Jewish holiday and what it means to the family. The family celebrates the new year being able to start over with a clean slate each year. Grandpa explains the tradition of Tashlikh which is where they throw bread into the river and and start over new. The children admit what they did wrong and even kiss and make up to start over in the new year. The author Jane Breskin Zalben adds a recipe for Round Raisin Challah and as well as a Jewish glossary to give the reader some added information about the religion. ( )