The Sydney Taylor Shmooze

P is for Pastrami: The ABCs of Jewish Food written and illustrated by Alan Silberberg Penguin Random House, 2024 Category: Picture Books Reviewer: Mirele Kessous Buy at Bookshop.org Food alphabet books for children have been trendy for some time, but now we can all celebrate Jewish heritage with P is For Pastrami: The ABCs of Jewish Food . Each page presents a Jewish food that begins with a letter from A to Z. Bright, humorous illustrations will appeal to young children, and the bubble captions help explain unfamiliar foods to newbies. The book bills itself as portraying foods all over the world (injera makes an appearance), but it does lean Ashkenaz. The main focus is Jewish food, but it would be relatable to non-Jewish readers and educational too. It’s cute and snappy and delightful–exactly what you’d want in a board book for the younger kinderlach. I even learned a thing or two. Are you interested in reviewing books for The Sydney Taylor Shmooze?  Click here! Reviewer Mirel...

Latke's First Hanukkah written and illustrated by Alan Silberberg Viking Books for Young Readers (imprint of Penguin Random House), 2023 Category: Picture Books Reviewer: Elizabeth Suneby Buy at Bookshop.org While Latke’s First Hanukkah is Alan Silberberg’s first board book, it is not his first book for young children that combines food with fun. Through animated latkes and other holiday food characters and objects—including jelly donuts, chocolate gelt, spinning dreidels, and wrapped gifts, he includes highlights of the holiday: lighting the menorah for eight nights, welcoming friends, celebrating light, and even the applesauce versus sour cream latke topping debate. Simple counting, bright colors, and cheerful illustrations make for an inviting introduction to the Festival of Lights for little ones. Are you interested in reviewing books for The Sydney Taylor Shmooze?  Click here! Reviewer Elizabeth Suneby is an award-winning children's book author whose Jewish-themed titles...

Meet the Hamantaschen: A Purim Mystery written and illustrated by Alan Silberberg Viking (imprint of Penguin Random House), 2022 Category: Picture Books Reviewer: Freidele Galya Soban Biniashvili Buy at Bookshop.org Three hamantaschen detectives – chocolate, poppy seed and jelly-filled, of course – receive a mysterious call to find a megillah that has gone missing from a Purim party, leading them to work on The Case of the Purim Problem. Such is the premise of Alan Silberberg’s latest title Meet the Hamantaschen: A Purim Mystery . In disguise as a cake, a cookbook, and a cactus, the three detectives arrive at the party and question the prime suspects in the play: Beth the lox (Vashti), Melvin the matzah ball (King Ahasuerus). Sam the blintz (Mordecai), Barry the kreplach (Haman) and Zelda the rugelach (Queen Esther). Eventually, the mystery of the missing megillah is solved after the play is performed, followed by a Purim party complete with singing and dancing. A glossary of terms, co...

Meet the Matzah: A Sort-of Passover Story written and illustrated by Alan Silberberg Viking (imprint of Penguin Random House) Category: Picture Books Reviewer: Freidele Galya Soban Biniashvili Buy at Bookshop.org In author / illustrator Alan Silberberg’s Meet the Matzah , Alfie Koman is a matzah who likes to hide. His classmates include Challah Louyah, Na’ancy, Bun and Bun and others. His teacher, Mrs. Crust, has called on him to tell the Passover story and although Alfie attempts to tell the story, Loaf, another classmate, overruns him. Loaf tells his version of the Passover story, that includes the evil Pha-Roach and the Ten Plagues, some of which are No Wi-Fi, Early Bedtime, Broccoli for Dessert and Indoor Recess Forever. Along the lines of a sub-plot of bullying, Alfie manages to regain control of the situation away from Loaf and turns him into a friend, in a most satisfying way. Written in a combination of both text and cartoon bubbles, Meet the Matzah miraculously manages to conv...