In Barbara Lerman-Golomb’s board book THE SUKKAH HOP (Green Bean Books, 2026), illustrated by Talia Drigues, a family celebrates Sukkot by visiting a different sukkah each day. At each stop, they participate in holiday festivities, including making decorations, shaking the lulav and etrog, and more. The rhyme is engaging, and the bold illustrations beautifully depict the joy of the holiday. I’m so pleased to chat with the author to learn more about the tradition of sukkah hopping!
Welcome, Barbara!
How did you come up with the idea for a Sukkah Hop, where a family visits several sukkahs?
When I thought about writing a holiday book, I recalled the sweet memory of going sukkah hopping with my kids when they were little during the Festival of Sukkot. The Sukkah Hop refers to the tradition of moving from sukkah to sukkah to participate in various holiday activities, embracing the joy and gratitude of the journey along the way.
More inspiration came from an event a few years back. A group called Reboot launched Sukkah City in New York City, a design competition featuring installation-art. Twelve sukkahs were constructed in Union Square Park for a three-day celebration. The focus was on fragility, humility, and a connection to nature. The arts are a huge part of life, particularly visual arts, and so I was thrilled by the high-concept designs and varieties of natural materials used.
The holiday of Sukkot was a natural choice for me–a happy harvest holiday that takes us outdoors to connect with our ancient, agrarian roots. In addition to my writing life, I trained as an experiential environmental educator. Wearing my Barbara WOW (Wonders of the World) hat, I led eco awareness programs in schools and camps, encouraging kids to be shomrei adamah, caretakers of the Earth. I’ve always enjoyed the cozy feeling of being surrounded by the greens in a sukkah.
I hope The Sukkah Hop leaves young children with the overall message that Sukkot is a festive, inclusive holiday, and that they will have a greater appreciation for nature and our connection to the fall harvest, food, and farming. With my background as an edutainment materials designer, this is an engaging way for them to learn traditions of the holiday (and for an added bonus, they get to do some counting too!)
I didn’t realize it at first, but I am surmising now that while this idea was percolating, at the back of my mind was the popular song, “At the Hop,” which was co-written by the band leader of my wedding band! I have also created a hop/dance to make my book readings even more interactive. I am told it’s the only book on this topic for young readers. It would be fabulous if it inspired more families and friends to go sukkah hopping!
What were your thoughts when you first saw the illustrations by Talia Drigues? Do you have a favorite illustration?
Talia’s illustrations capture the spirit of Sukkot with their wonderful sense of whimsy and evoke the joy and energy of moving from sukkah to sukkah that I wanted to convey through my lively text. Her art elevated the story with the variety of family groupings and its playfulness, especially the cat and dog motif, providing extra fun for young children to seek out the different characters. It also exemplifies that all are welcome in the sukkah, a concept that is more important than ever!
If I had to choose a favorite illustration, I’d have to say the last spread.
Why do you think board books are important for young readers and families?
Great question! Initially, board books were often condensed versions of popular picture books, but that has changed with their unique format.
I was a total bookworm from a young age. My mother instilled her own love of writing and books in me. A key reason my parents chose the house I grew up in is because it was walking distance to our local library. It’s wonderful that this age group is able to experience and connect to books that are just for them.
I have always loved writing in rhyme. Writing for very young children and their families allows me to channel what I most enjoyed about the holiday as a child and the freedom to express it through rhyming text.
What is your favorite Sukkot memory?
Sukkot encourages us to get creative by decorating with elements of nature and art. While each sukkah has its own identity, at the same time, it is a communal place to bring people together and of course to eat, and so in celebrating the holiday, I have enjoyed sharing meals in our own sukkah and ones we visited!
A central theme of Sukkot is “welcoming the stranger.” A few years back I was interviewed by the magazine Lilith for an article about the tradition of inviting mystical guests into the sukkah–ushpizin. Two guests I invited in were Rachel Carson, whose landmark book “Silent Spring” helped launch the modern environmental movement, and my mother, Etta Freed Lerman, who was my biggest champion. I am thankful for her every day. With the concept of “radical hospitality” being passed down from our matriarchs, everyone was welcome at my mother’s table.
For the matriarchs of my foodie family, the sukkah has been a place to literally “share a meal.” My great-grandmother, Anna Bernstein Freed, aka Bubba Freed, famously made trays of gefilte fish to feed the elders of the synagogue who slept in the sukkah for the week of Sukkot. She left strict instructions in her will that after her passing my Nana, Myne Cohen Freed, pick up the task. She knew she would carry out her wishes and get the job done (and she did!). Years ago I shared this anecdote in an article I wrote for The Forward, “Why Gefilte Fish is the Perfect Symbol for Sukkot.” My matriarchs (and patriarchs) lived the value of tikkun olam, repairing the world.
And for a purely fun memory, when I was around 10 years old, we adopted a dog on Sukkot that I named Sooki!
Thank you, Barbara!
Barbara Lerman-Golomb has written for a variety of platforms that help kids think big, ask questions, and engage with the world around them. Books, television, educational software, the arts, magazines, and more. Her creative ventures include designing content for major edutainment and publishing companies like Nickelodeon and Scholastic, co-creating and scripting an award-winning full-motion video language learning adventure, writing and developing content for a national multimedia program promoting children’s literacy, authoring a book on HIV/AIDS for teens, establishing community gardens, and designing hands-on experiential activities that turn learning into play. Her articles and essays often explore themes of food, sustainability, environmental stewardship, and social justice. Barbara loves spending time with her family, exploring art, beach days, nature treks, and travel, and values her work with an environmental education nonprofit connecting people and resources to make meaningful change. Barbara is thrilled her new children’s book with Green Bean Books will be available in 2026.