I have mixed feelings over this book. I liked how it was about another culture and it introduced other foods that Jewish people eat on passover in a humor way. There was also a glossary of terms in the back of the book to help introduce other cultures and the meaning behind unfamiliar words. I did not like that the story did not have a point, the matzah man would just run away from everyone saying "hot from the oven I jumped and ran, so clever and quick, I'm the matzah man." Then the boy in the story lied to his family about the matzah man being in his home and then everyone ate him and the matzah man died. So there was no plot and there were no well developed characters. The illustration of the matzah man was very detailed and looked like real matzah. The message of this story was that Jewish holidays are spent with family and friends where they enjoy lots of ethnic foods including matzah. ( )

In preparation for the seder, a local baker is making Passover matzah. He uses the last scraps of matzah dough to form a little man and pops him in the oven to bake. When the baker opens the oven door, the crispy Matzah Man jumps out and runs away. Taunting people and animals along the way, the Matzah Man narrowly escapes becoming part of the Passover meal. He outwits them all until he meets young Mendel Fox. The Matzah Man is in for a big surprise when clever Mendel offers to help him hide from his pursuers.

The Bottom Line: This humorous and festive tale is a rollicking adaptation of The Gingerbread Boy. This adventure is just plain fun to read with Howland’s use of repetition, rhythm, and rhyme. Additionally, Howland’s cheerful and bright illustrations in gouache and cut-paper collage with colored pencil will appeal to readers of all ages. Check this one out for kids in grades 1 – 3. Includes a “Passover Glossary” at the end.

This review also appears at the Mini Book Bytes Book Review Blog. ( )

I loved reading “The Matzah Man” because it is a vibrant Jewish version of the traditional folktale, “The Gingerbread Man.” This would be a very useful book to include in my future classroom since it is a cultural spinoff of a story most children are familiar with. I especially loved the writing and rhythm included in this story, “Hot from the oven I jumped and ran, So clever and quick, I’m the Matzah Man!” This poetic repetition motivates children to actively join in with the reading. Similarly, the plot is recognizable to children and creates a comical suspense every time the Matzah Man escapes another person. I think reading both “The Gingerbread Man” and “The Matzah Man” would be a great opportunity for children to compare and contrast each cultures’ versions. The main idea of this story is to introduce a Jewish adaptation with the preexisting moral: be careful of who you trust. ( )

Naomi Howland’s adaptation of The Gingerbread Man features a baker creating a Matzah Man with leftover Passover matzah dough. The book has all the familiar elements found in most versions of the cumulative tale, with the refrain changed to “Hot from the oven I jumped and ran. So clever and quick, I’m the Matzah Man!” The chasers in this story are a group of Jewish townspeople who all end up at a young boy’s house for a Passover sedar. Coincidentally, this is the Matzah Man’s last stop, as the boy offers to hide him—in the matzah cover on the sedar table. This is a very competent variation, with appropriate Passover elements included in the story (gefilte fish, matzah ball soup and brisket). The text is amusing and the gouache illustrations have a folksy charm. The sedar table incorporates all the holiday foods and accessories. It is unclear why a goat and hen, which were part of the chase, are eating alongside the dinner guests. There is a Passover glossary following the story. Target audience is K-3.

Howland, N. (2002). The matzah man: A Passover story. New York: Clarion Books. ( )

I probably would not use this book as an educational material about holidays, because I feel like it does not really examine what is Passover, but it may be good for the repeating parts and the fact that it is based on a story that most kids already know.