Review: Mixed Up Mooncakes
Mixed-Up Mooncakes
by Christina Matula and Erica Lyons, illustrated by Tracy Subisak
Quill Tree Books (imprint of HarperCollins), 2024
Category: Picture Books
Reviewer: Sarah Aronson
Buy at Bookshop.org
When autumn arrives, so do two special holidays: the Mid-Autumn Festival and Sukkot. If you are a family that comes from two different cultures, what do you do? In Mixed-Up Mooncakes, you combine them. And the result: a lovely family story filled with food, traditions, and love.
Matula and Lyons have written a story as delicious as the mooncake recipe that comes at the end of the book. Ruby loves both holidays. This is her favorite time of year—when the moon is the biggest and brightest in the sky. She enjoys all the activities associated with both holidays, from going to the Chinese market and picking out lanterns, as well as finding the most perfect yellow etrog for Sukkot. Of course, the reader sees them build the sukkah and hang the lanterns.
There’s just one thing missing: A treat that combines both cultures. That’s where mixed up mooncakes come in. (Don’t worry. There’s a recipe. And it’s great!)
Readers have been looking for books with diverse Jewish representation, and this satisfies all my palates. The story is delightful. Both cultures are honored. And the illustrations draw the reader into the joy this family experiences during this holiday. Ruby is a great protagonist with lots of agency and a family that adores her.
I highly recommend this book and expect to see it mentioned among many other award-winning titles for its joy, representation, and art. I have heard books that are fun to read called “dessert books.” Well, to me, dessert is the best meal of the day, and this one is sweet and satisfying. Authentic and diverse. Based on two holidays. It definitely increased my understanding.
When autumn arrives, so do two special holidays: the Mid-Autumn Festival and Sukkot. If you are a family that comes from two different cultures, what do you do? In Mixed-Up Mooncakes, you combine them. And the result: a lovely family story filled with food, traditions, and love.
Matula and Lyons have written a story as delicious as the mooncake recipe that comes at the end of the book. Ruby loves both holidays. This is her favorite time of year—when the moon is the biggest and brightest in the sky. She enjoys all the activities associated with both holidays, from going to the Chinese market and picking out lanterns, as well as finding the most perfect yellow etrog for Sukkot. Of course, the reader sees them build the sukkah and hang the lanterns.
There’s just one thing missing: A treat that combines both cultures. That’s where mixed up mooncakes come in. (Don’t worry. There’s a recipe. And it’s great!)
Readers have been looking for books with diverse Jewish representation, and this satisfies all my palates. The story is delightful. Both cultures are honored. And the illustrations draw the reader into the joy this family experiences during this holiday. Ruby is a great protagonist with lots of agency and a family that adores her.
I highly recommend this book and expect to see it mentioned among many other award-winning titles for its joy, representation, and art. I have heard books that are fun to read called “dessert books.” Well, to me, dessert is the best meal of the day, and this one is sweet and satisfying. Authentic and diverse. Based on two holidays. It definitely increased my understanding.
Editor's Note: This book was selected for the Association of Jewish Libraries' Fall 2024 Holiday Highlights list.
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