bookshelf

NOT FOR ALL THE HAMANTASCHEN IN TOWN

Name: NOT FOR ALL THE HAMANTASCHEN IN TOWN
Author: Laura Aron Milhander
ISBN: 978-1-4677-5928-1

by Laura Aron Milhander ; illustrated by Inna Chernyak ‧ RELEASE DATE: Feb. 1, 2016

Irksome and even a bit dimwitted.

bookshelf

The three little pigs of fairy-tale fame attend a Purim carnival and once again outwit the big bad wolf.

Rishon, Sheni, and Shlishi (“First,” “Second,” and “Third” in Hebrew) live together in a brick house. Following the fairy-tale pattern, each spends more time and thought than the pig before in making a King Ahasuerus crown. Rishon uses purple paper, Sheni uses poster board, gold foil, and glue, and Shlishi’s is a sturdy papier-mâché. Meanwhile, the big bad wolf smells hamantaschen and decides to go to the carnival to buy some. But wait—without a costume, the sinister-looking wolf with his curled mustache, bushy eyebrows, and fancy laced shoes will be feared and unwelcome. So he decides to steal the crowns, with this familiar-sounding exchange. “Little pig, little pig, give me your crown!” / “Not for all the hamantaschen in town!” / “Then I’ll huff and I’ll puff, and I’ll blow your crown off!” The two lightweight crowns blow away, but when the wolf goes to grab Shlishi’s relatively sturdy one, a child dressed as the good Mordechai offers the wolf the evil Haman hat; a bullying lesson ensues. Chernyak’s bright, mixed-media, folk-art–inflected illustrations present an all-animal cast. Unfortunately, at its root this parody makes little sense. If the wolf was willing to steal a crown, readers will wonder why he didn’t just go ahead and steal the hamantaschen?

Irksome and even a bit dimwitted. (recipe, author’s note, glossary) (Picture book. 3-5)

Pub Date: Feb. 1, 2016

ISBN: 978-1-4677-5928-1

Page Count: 32

Publisher: Kar-Ben

Review Posted Online: Nov. 16, 2015

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Dec. 1, 2015

Categories:

CHILDREN'S RELIGIOUS FICTION

bookshelf

PIPPA'S PASSOVER PLATE

by Vivian Kirkfield ; illustrated by Jill Weber ‧ RELEASE DATE: Feb. 12, 2019

In the end too much is left unanswered, making this book pleasant but only passable

bookshelf

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

Categories:

CHILDREN'S SOCIAL THEMES | CHILDREN'S HOLIDAYS & CELEBRATIONS | CHILDREN'S RELIGIOUS FICTION

- BOOK REVIEW
PEDAL, BALANCE, STEER
by Vivian Kirkfield ; illustrated by Alison Jay

- BOOK REVIEW
FROM HERE TO THERE
by Vivian Kirkfield ; illustrated by Gilbert Ford

- BOOK REVIEW
MAKING THEIR VOICES HEARD
by Vivian Kirkfield ; illustrated by Alleanna Harris

bookshelf

LATKE, THE LUCKY DOG

by Ellen Fischer ; illustrated by Tiphanie Beeke ‧ RELEASE DATE: Sept. 1, 2014

Though it’s fairly unoriginal at its core, this story’s charismatic star will have appeal in dog-loving households.

bookshelf

A rescued dog chosen as a Hanukkah present at an animal shelter relates his good luck as he learns to adapt to his new family and home.

Zoe and Zach welcome their new pet, a playful, medium-sized, golden-brown dog, and name him Latke (he’s exactly the color of one). The newest member of the family assumes all the celebratory aspects of the eight-day Hanukkah holiday are just for him and innocently creates a mild disturbance on each night. Latke eats the sufganiyot and latkes, rips open presents, chews up the dreidels and candles, slobbers all over the chocolate gelt and knocks the bowl of applesauce over. With each mishap, Zoe and Zach find a way to forgive, letting the curious new dog know he is very fortunate indeed. Ever remorseful, Latke finally accepts his own gift of a chew toy and understands he is one lucky dog to be part of a great family. Latke relates his own story, folding his innocent misdeeds into the basic structure of the eight nights of remembrance. Simple, childlike gouache scenes favor the star of the story, a sweet and personable mutt sporting floppy black ears against a brown happy face. He has rather more personality than the overall presentation, which cannot shed its inherent didacticism.

Though it’s fairly unoriginal at its core, this story’s charismatic star will have appeal in dog-loving households. (Picture book. 3-5)