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“Miriam and her family live in Fès in Morocco, and as Passover concludes, she and her mother walk to the house of a Muslim family for flour. Miriam meets Jasmine, a girl her own age, and watches as her mother gifts Jasmine’s mother with a jar of fig jam in exchange for a sack of flour before inviting the family to join them for the Mimouna celebration…Families unfamiliar with Mimouna will welcome the discovery. Those whose cultures involve frying bread and visiting neighbors on holidays will also find connections here…A festive holiday celebration.”

– Kirkus Reviews

A Sweet Meeting on Mimouna Night

Written by Allison Ofanansky
Illustrated by Rotem Teplow
Published by Groundwood Books

It’s Mimouna — the Moroccan Jewish holiday that marks the end of Passover, and when blessings are given for a year of prosperity and good luck. Miriam wants to help her mother make the sweet moufletot pancakes they always eat at their Mimouna party, but after following the rules of Passover, they don’t have any flour in the house! So Miriam’s mother takes her to visit their Muslim neighbors, who are happy to share.

The women drink tea together, and Miriam makes friends with a young girl named Jasmine. Miriam almost drops the bag of flour when she and Jasmine go to fetch it from the storeroom — but luckily Jasmine is there to catch it! Jasmine and her family then join Miriam’s family and friends to celebrate Mimouna.

This sweet story of friendship and shared customs will introduce North American readers to the Mimouna holiday. The book concludes with an author’s note and a recipe for making moufletot, the sweet, paper-thin pancakes featured in the story, so that readers can enjoy, too.

Primary ISBN: 9781773063973
Publication Date: October 2020
Available As: Hardcover
Picture Book, Age 04 or older

Community Represented:

Themes: , , , , , , , , , ,

Setting: Morocco (Fès), Israel (Jerusalem)

Character's Place in the Immigration Journey: Home Country, Immigrant

Book Creator(s) Connection to the Community Represented: Own Voices/Lived Experience

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Engagement Materials:

A Sweet Meeting on Mimouna Night – Reading Guide

Source: PJ Library

Author Allison Ofanansky reads from her picture book, A Sweet Meeting on Mimouna Night

Source: House of Anansi