Delicious and guaranteed to leave readers hungry for more helpings.
In this tale set in Australia, a girl and her grandmother demonstrate that it’s what comes out of the pot that matters.
Amira and Nana are entering their special cholent (a slow-simmering stew cooked overnight on Friday and eaten for lunch on Saturday, when observant Jews are forbidden to cook) in the “annual Best Cholent Competition Down Under.” As they add their ingredients—chicken, eggs, tomatoes, garlic—to the pot, the onlookers comment skeptically, “This is not a cholent.” That’s because the naysayers are accustomed to cholent made from beef, potatoes, barley, and beans. But Nana explains that this is a traditional recipe in her family that she’ll pass down to Amira. The next day, the judges are unanimous: “This is not a cholent…But it’s delicious! What is it?” Amira explains it is a cholent, an Iraqi one, a stew called t’bit or hamin, prepared for Shabbat lunch, like cholent, “but it smells and tastes like other languages and other lands.” The ecstatic judges ask for seconds; others follow suit and agree it’s the best cholent ever. This is a charming story about the beauty of honoring one’s culture even in the face of those who don’t understand. Sassoon closes with her own grandmother’s recipe for t’bit, as well as information on Australia’s Jewish population. The lively, colorful illustrations are delightful. Amira and Nana have light brown skin; background figures are diverse.
Delicious and guaranteed to leave readers hungry for more helpings. (Picture book. 4-8)Pub Date: May 7, 2024
ISBN: 9781728486482
Page Count: 24
Publisher: Kar-Ben
Review Posted Online: March 9, 2024
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 1, 2024
BOOK REVIEW
With a universal message of love and community, this book offers a beautiful representation of a too-often-overlooked...
From a debut author-and-illustrator team comes a glimpse into a young American Muslim girl’s family and community as she walks around in “Mommy’s khimar,” or headscarf.
The star of this sunny picture book is a young girl who finds joy in wearing her mother’s khimar, imagining it transforms her into a queen, a star, a mama bird, a superhero. At the core of the story is the love between the girl and her mother. The family appears to be African-American, with brown skin and textured hair. The girl’s braids and twists “form a bumpy crown” under the khimar, which smells of coconut oil and cocoa butter. Adults in her life delight in her appearance in the bright yellow khimar, including her Arabic teacher at the mosque, who calls it a “hijab,” and her grandmother, who visits after Sunday service and calls out “Sweet Jesus!” as she scoops her granddaughter into her arms. Her grandmother is, apparently, a Christian, but “We are a family and we love each other just the same.” The illustrations feature soft pastel colors with dynamic lines and gently patterned backgrounds that complement the story’s joyful tone. The words are often lyrical, and the story artfully includes many cultural details that will delight readers who share the cheerful protagonist’s culture and enlighten readers who don’t.
With a universal message of love and community, this book offers a beautiful representation of a too-often-overlooked cultural group . (Picture book. 4-8)Pub Date: April 3, 2018
ISBN: 978-1-5344-0059-7
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Salaam Reads/Simon & Schuster
Review Posted Online: Feb. 2, 2018
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 15, 2018
Lively, funny, and child-friendly.
A young girl is upset when her mother defers her promises.
When Ranya asks her mother if they can go to the park, Mama replies, “Insha’Allah.” Ranya fumes—that’s what her parents always say when they mean no! Mama explains that the sky’s looking overcast and adds that “insha’Allah“ means “God willing.” People say it when they hope for something that they aren’t sure will happen: “Sometimes Allah has other plans.” Ranya pries a little more: Is that why they didn’t bake cookies last night? And why her sleepover with her friend Jayda fell through? And why her parents have never taken her to Disneyland? Mama replies that it was getting too late to bake and that Jayda’s grandmother became sick, but she promises to take Ranya to Disneyland before she turns 18…insha’Allah. Ranya negotiates with her mother, who agrees that they can bake cookies later and Ranya can plan another sleepover. Mama notices the weather has improved and says they can go to the park. But first, she asks Ranya to clean up her toys. Ranya impishly replies, “Insha’Allah!” This is a sweet introduction to an expression often used in Muslim and Arabic-speaking communities. The playful banter between mother and daughter forms the heart of the story. Ranya and Mama are illustrated with warm brown skin tones; theirs is a diverse neighborhood. Homey illustrations in bold primary colors create a sense of coziness.
Lively, funny, and child-friendly. (authors’ note) (Picture book. 4-8)Pub Date: May 14, 2024
ISBN: 9780823454419
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Holiday House
Review Posted Online: March 9, 2024
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 1, 2024
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
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