The Sydney Taylor Shmooze

The Day I Became A Potato Pancake by Arie Kaplan, illustrated by Beilin Xu Apples & Honey Press (imprint of Behrman House Publishers), 2024 Category: Middle Grade  Reviewer: Denise Ross Buy at Bookshop.org The Day I Became A Potato Pancake is a graphic novel combining science fiction with a Hanukkah theme, for students in grades 2-3. The story follows the adventures of two best friends, Naomi Hirsch and Ben Sherman. One day they are visiting Naomi’s family garage that is also her mom’s science lab. They are not supposed to touch or play with any of her experiments. Ben notices a new device that is called the “Transfogram”. The notes explain that the experimental machine will transform a person into whatever they are thinking about at the moment. Ben is eating a potato pancake and decides to push the button to see what the machine will do; Ben is transformed into a potato pancake! Ben attends school as a potato pancake and the reader will enjoy the reactions of their friends an...

Eighteen Flowers for Grandma: A Gift of Chai by Alison Goldberg, illustrated by Jesse White Red Comet Press, 2024 Category: Picture Books Reviewer: Denise Ross Buy at Bookshop.org A young girl named Sadie spends time with her grandma creating art when they have their special day together. Grandma is getting ready to graduate from art school and Sadie wants to give her the perfect gift. Grandma gave Sadie a chai charm necklace when she graduated from kindergarten. Grandma explained that chai means life in Hebrew and she wished for Sadie to have a life that is full of wonder. While Sadie and her family attend her cousin’s wedding, she is inspired to create a gift of eighteen flowers for her grandma’s graduation. The next day Sadie finds all the supplies and materials at home to make her gift: eighteen flowers that are special, just like her grandma. The story explains the meaning of chai with beautiful illustrations that show the reader the Hebrew concepts, and all the materials used to ...