SOMEONE FOR MR. SUSSMAN

Bubbie is a matchmaker with a great record of success. Her motto is, “No pot is so crooked that there isn’t a lid to fit it,” but Mr. Sussman is a most difficult case. Her grandson Jerome, who witnesses and participates in the whole endeavor, speaks directly to the reader, explaining Jewish traditions along the way even as he itemizes Mr. Sussman’s endless, picky demands, which include someone who is observant and kosher, loves blue, is a wonderful baker, is health-conscious and physically fit and is a dynamite dancer. The love-struck Bubbie goes over the top to make herself fit each requirement, but Mr. Sussman finds it all too much. When Bubbie refuses to accept one more demand and stops trying so hard, Mr. Sussman discovers that his perfect match has been in front of him all the time. Taking the form of such cumulative folktales as “Too Much Noise,” Polacco’s story brims with heart, warmth and joy. Her signature illustrations, rendered in brightly colored pencil and marker, add hilarity to the proceedings. Another winner from a master. (Picture book. 6-10)