Izzy the Whiz and Passover McClean

PreS-Gr 2—In this playful and appealing picture book, young Izzy is busy inventing a machine that will rid the house of hametz, primarily foods such as bread and grains that are forbidden during Passover. Seeking out all the nibbles and crumbs that have accumulated throughout the year can be daunting, so it's understandable when Izzy's mother says the mere thought of cleaning is giving her a "bread-ache." But Izzy assures her that help is on the way in the form of "His special invention! His brand new machine!/The Super-McDuper Passover McClean!" a robot-type creation that swallows up everything in the room and spits it back out clean and hametz-free. The well-paced, snappy and expressive rhyme is accompanied by watercolor-and-pencil spreads in spring colors that perfectly suit the energetic text. With his plaid shirt, big round glasses, and baseball cap, Izzy looks the part of a child who loves to tinker with stuff in his room, and his McClean is anthropomorphized into a visually amusing character with jagged teeth and a big metal belly. When Izzy, his mother, and his brother sit down for Seder, the house is "Passover clean—not a speck of real bread." Given that many families begin to clean weeks in advance, kids everywhere will be wishing for a Passover McClean of their own.—Teri Markson, Los Angeles Public Library