A timeless Shabbat tradition sweetly told.
It’s time to make the challah, and this loving Jewish family is ready for a day of fun.
It will be a long process, but Mom, Dad, Baby, and the young protagonist have the recipe and all the necessary ingredients and utensils—and they plan to work together. The child narrator invites readers to join them (“Come and bake with us today!”) and describes all the action in rhyming couplets as the family makes the traditional braided egg bread. Even the dog is involved, grabbing the challah in its mouth to help braid it and helping to set the table, which might elicit an “Eww, gross” from readers. Grandparents arrive with hugs, the candles are lit, and the challah is perfect and wonderfully delicious. As the events unfold, the family’s reactions are evident in their body language and facial expressions, with the strongest emotions being the sheer love and joy in being together. Delightful cartoon illustrations—both single- and double-page spreads and vignettes—enhance the slight tale. In the endpapers and in a central double-page spread, the young protagonist is seen as a tiny sprite leaping and dancing among the ingredients. Backmatter explains that challah is customarily eaten on many Jewish holidays, including Shabbat. The brown-haired, light-skinned characters all have large brown eyes, with Dad and the narrator sporting oversized eyeglasses. (This book was reviewed digitally.)
A timeless Shabbat tradition sweetly told. (author’s note, recipe) (Picture book. 4-9)Pub Date: Aug. 1, 2023
ISBN: 9780823454112
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Holiday House
Review Posted Online: May 9, 2023
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 1, 2023
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
New parents of daughters will eat these up and perhaps pass on the lessons learned.
All the reasons why a daughter needs a mother.
Each spread features an adorable cartoon animal parent-child pair on the recto opposite a rhyming verse: “I’ll always support you in giving your all / in every endeavor, the big and the small, / and be there to catch you in case you should fall. / I hope you believe this is true.” A virtually identical book, Why a Daughter Needs a Dad, publishes simultaneously. Both address standing up for yourself and your values, laughing to ease troubles, being thankful, valuing friendship, persevering and dreaming big, being truthful, thinking through decisions, and being open to differences, among other topics. Though the sentiments/life lessons here and in the companion title are heartfelt and important, there are much better ways to deliver them. These books are likely to go right over children’s heads and developmental levels (especially with the rather advanced vocabulary); their parents are the more likely audience, and for them, the books provide some coaching in what kids need to hear. The two books are largely interchangeable, especially since there are so few references to mom or dad, but one spread in each book reverts to stereotype: Dad balances the two-wheeler, and mom helps with clothing and hair styles. Since the books are separate, it aids in customization for many families.
New parents of daughters will eat these up and perhaps pass on the lessons learned. (Picture book. 4-8, adult)Pub Date: May 1, 2019
ISBN: 978-1-4926-6781-0
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Sourcebooks Jabberwocky
Review Posted Online: March 16, 2019
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 1, 2019
An affirming, though lackluster, look at a loving queer family.
For his debut picture book, teacher and activist Chasten Buttigieg draws inspiration from life with husband Pete Buttigieg, former U.S. transportation secretary.
The big day has finally arrived! Rosie and Jojo have been counting down the days until Papa comes home from his work trip. With a little help from Daddy, they make “welcome home” signs to greet Papa at the airport, pick flowers from the garden, and bake a “seven-layer chocolate cake with purple and yellow frosting.” Much to Daddy’s bemusement, the kids gather all of Papa’s favorite things, including his robe and slippers and their adorable pooch, Butter, as they walk out the door to pick up Papa from his travels. The author offers an affectionate portrait of the everyday domestic life of a same-sex family unit. While many kids and adults will be pleased to see their experiences reflected on the page, both the choppy writing and the flat digital artwork are fairly bland. Characters display similarly excited facial expressions throughout, while the portrayal of the children borders on overly cutesy at times, with intentionally misspelled signs throughout the house (“Papa’s Very Spechull Garden. Please do not tutch”). Like the author’s actual children, Rosie and Jojo are brown-skinned, while Daddy and Papa present white.
An affirming, though lackluster, look at a loving queer family. (Picture book. 4-7)Pub Date: May 20, 2025
ISBN: 9780593693988
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Philomel
Review Posted Online: Feb. 15, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 15, 2025
BOOK REVIEW
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