Review: The Secret of the Scent Map

The Secret of the Scent Map (A Saralee Siegel Book)

by Elana Rubinstein, illustrated by Jennifer Naalchigar

Apples & Honey Press (imprint of Behrman House), 2025

Category: Early Chapter Books

Reviewer: Rochelle Newman-Carrasco

 

Buy at Bookshop.org

 

The Secret of the Scent Map is narrated by protagonist Saralee Siegel, a girl with an “amazing, incredible, totally awesome ability”—a super-nose! Her extraordinary sense of smell helps her create innovative recipes for her family’s restaurant, especially during Passover. Saralee loves working alongside her beloved Zaide, but tensions rise when her Aunt Lotte refuses to help, complains about having to polish silverware, and even sneaks bites of food meant for customers.

Saralee, a natural helper, is frustrated by her aunt’s laziness—especially when Lotte knocks over a bowl of painstakingly prepared horseradish, an essential ingredient for maror. Furious, Saralee has an outburst, yelling, “YOU’RE RUINING EVERYTHING!” The next day, Aunt Lotte is gone.

This heartwarming story explores family dynamics, misunderstandings, and hidden similarities between Saralee and her aunt. As Passover approaches, Saralee’s journey is filled with humor, tradition, and delicious food, culminating in a sweet resolution and a few recipes at the back of the book. Elana Rubenstein does an effective job at setting up tension and stakes and then holding the suspense as Saralee tries to figure out where her aunt could have disappeared to. Jennifer Naalchigar enhances the storytelling with fun, spirited black and white line drawings and simple cartoon-like images. The visual choices add a dimension that furthers the relationship building between the reader and Saralee and her family. The first person narration also brings in the reader in powerful ways.

The Secret of the Scent Map is centered on a Jewish holiday that does indeed require a lot of food preparation, family dynamics, and other potentially stressful rituals. Add to that the idea that this family owns a restaurant and caters, and the stress level goes up. That said, the love for the holiday, for the food, and for the family and community is evident – complaints are just part of the process and the joy shines through. Also, admittedly the idea of a “super-nose,” had me worried for a mega-second, because unfortunate stereotypes using this body part persist. But how the author has turned the nose into a badge of honor is a lovely twist, and why shouldn’t Jewish writers shine a spotlight on and celebrate the nose? Saralee’s heightened sense of smell has an upside and has its challenges, and the dilemma all feels very relatable in terms of what makes family members similar and different. This isn’t about the physical look of one’s face, it’s about the use of one of our valued senses. It’s a book that anyone, Jewish or not, can appreciate, and it does share some Passover insights and food ideas that all readers should love.This is a fun continuation of the series about Saralee and her family's restaurant.

 

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Reviewer Rochelle Newman-Carrasco credits her love of literature to her Lower East Side NYC roots. She is the co-author of ZigZag, a bilingual English-Spanish children's book. She has written for The New York Times, Lilith, The Forward, The Ethel, Off Assignment, The Independent and more. She holds a BFA in Theater from UC Irvine and an MFA from Antioch University, Los Angeles. Rochelle is also a recognized expert in the field of culturally specific marketing and advertising, with an emphasis on diverse cultural segments. She is working on a memoir based on her solo theater show Hip Bones and Cool Whip.