This modern-day Jewish tall tale makes for an unconventional, fun Shabbat read-aloud.
Matzoh balls go flying across the kitchen when the soup pot boils over, propelling Bubbe and her beloved dog, Bart, into a game of chase and catch.
Shabbat will soon be here, and Bubbe is preparing for the celebratory meal with her family. But as the traditional soup burbles on the stovetop, she suddenly hears “a weird K-KNOCK” and realizes the pot is boiling over—and her matzoh balls are jumping out of the bubbling soup. Bart is ready to help by fetching, catching, and eating the first few. Chaos overtakes the kitchen, but together Bubbe and Bart retrieve as many escaped matzoh balls as possible, using everything from a baseball mitt to an umbrella, even performing as stage magicians “Bubbe and the Great Bartini.” The soup settles down to a simmer, and the cleaning and sprucing up commence before Bubbe and Bart welcome the family at their Shabbat table. Children can count the matzoh balls from one to seven (seven, for the seventh day of rest) careening around the room and finally back in the pot. The silliness—a little reminiscent of Strega Nona’s pasta pot—is recounted in a rhyming text; though not consistently set in verse form, it scans and reads aloud well. Active cartoon illustrations of a rambunctious pooch and a hip grandmother in jeans and Converse high-tops add to the pandemonium. Bubbe presents White, as does most of her family, though two members present East Asian.
This modern-day Jewish tall tale makes for an unconventional, fun Shabbat read-aloud. (author’s note, glossary) (Picture book. 3-5)Pub Date: Nov. 2, 2021
ISBN: 978-1-951365-08-0
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Intergalactic Afikoman
Review Posted Online: Sept. 23, 2021
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Oct. 15, 2021
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
A heartwarming story about facing fears and acceptance.
A boy with wings learns to be himself and inspires others like him to soar, too.
Norman, a “perfectly normal” boy, never dreamed he might grow wings. Afraid of what his parents might say, he hides his new wings under a big, stuffy coat. Although the coat hides his wings from the world, Norman no longer finds joy in bathtime, playing at the park, swimming, or birthday parties. With the gentle encouragement of his parents, who see his sadness, Norman finds the courage to come out of hiding and soar. Percival (The Magic Looking Glass, 2017, etc.) depicts Norman with light skin and dark hair. Black-and-white illustrations show his father with dark skin and hair and his mother as white. The contrast of black-and-white illustrations with splashes of bright color complements the story’s theme. While Norman tries to be “normal,” the world and people around him look black and gray, but his coat stands out in yellow. Birds pop from the page in pink, green, and blue, emphasizing the joy and beauty of flying free. The final spread, full of bright color and multiracial children in flight, sets the mood for Norman’s realization on the last page that there is “no such thing as perfectly normal,” but he can be “perfectly Norman.”
A heartwarming story about facing fears and acceptance. (Picture book. 3-5)Pub Date: May 1, 2018
ISBN: 978-1-68119-785-2
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Bloomsbury
Review Posted Online: March 3, 2018
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 15, 2018
In the end too much is left unanswered, making this book pleasant but only passable
A mouse searches for and finally finds her missing Seder plate.
Pippa is an industrious house-cleaning mouse. And no wonder—Passover is starting this very evening. Dusting and sweeping finished, she turns her attention to setting the table as a pot of chicken stew bubbles away on the stovetop. But there is one very important object that is missing: the “special Seder plate.” Frantically, the mouse searches through boxes and cupboards and finally ventures into the yard. First she encounters a very large cat and asks if it has seen the plate. “No,” answers the cat and points her to a snake, who sends her to an owl, who directs her to Golda Fish, prettily swimming in the water. Success! Kirkfield’s little tale is written in rhyming couplets with much repetition of “QUIVER! QUAVER! SHIVER! SHAKE!” for emphasis with each interaction with a predator, so readers will be mightily puzzled when the formerly frightful critters join Pippa at the holiday table. Weber’s gouache, crayon, and collage illustrations are sweetly pretty. The final illustration features a Seder plate with transliterated Hebrew and an English translation of the components. Readers familiar with the holiday may find this mildly enjoyable, but others will likely want and need more information.
In the end too much is left unanswered, making this book pleasant but only passable . (Picture book. 3-5)Pub Date: Feb. 12, 2019
ISBN: 978-0-8234-4162-4
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Holiday House
Review Posted Online: Nov. 11, 2018
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 1, 2019
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