Max’s Mask: A Purim Story

K-Gr 2–A superhero mask and cape conceal Max’s anxiety as the young boy with pale skin and dark hair enters his new kindergarten classroom. He builds with the blocks and lines up toy cars; but David, a bothersome boy with pale skin and blonde hair, knocks down the blocks and kicks the cars. Each day, Max wears a new superhero costume, and each day David pesters Max. On one of these days, their teacher, Miss Tzipi, leads a class discussion on the upcoming Jewish holiday of Purim. Miss Tzipi announces that the children will wear costumes to represent Queen Esther’s courage to show her true self when called to do so. Max deeply contemplates his costume and ultimately decides, “I don’t need a costume anymore.” As Max plays alone without a guise, a classmate dressed as an astronaut joins him. The two play together until the astronaut removes his helmet; Max is stunned at who he sees. Deevon’s sensitive story delves thoughtfully into the tradition of wearing Purim costumes and is a unique addition to the collection of children’s books available on the holiday. Bekin’s gently moody, watercolorlike illustrations augment the emotional ambiance of the story and support the text in conveying the underlying tension between Max and David. Some wordy moments weigh down the progression of the story but can be overlooked for the attention given to the vulnerable experience of children as they develop new friendships.