MAKE A WISH, MOLLY

In a companion to Molly's Pilgrim (1983), Molly Hyman—still in third grade and still struggling to adjust to American customs- -attends her first birthday party, only to be hideously embarrassed: since it's Passover, she can't eat any of the elegant cake and is thus exposed to the scorn and prejudice of her nemesis, Elizabeth. But Molly's own birthday, several days later, is unexpectedly happy: there's a surprise visit from the friends she'd feared lost, while snide Elizabeth is put in her place (at least temporarily) by resourceful Mrs. Hyman. Slightly longer and more complex than Molly's Pilgrim, the story is given added depth by totally believable portraits of Molly's strong, level-headed mother and of Elizabeth as a carrier of inherited bigotry, while Jones's misty gray drawings show more mature and individualized characters. Altogether, a worthy continuation of a justly celebrated story. (Picture book. 6-9)