Review: Bring Back the Babka
Bring Back the Babka! by Marilyn Wolpin, illustrated by Madison Safer Barefoot Books, 2023 Category: Picture Books Reviewer: Rebecca Greer Buy at Bookshop.org Sammy and Sol go on a mission to help their mother find her missing “just-baked babka” for Shabbat. As they search the neighborhood with their dog Mazel, they meet kindly neighbors who offer samples of their own homemade food. The boys get offered leftovers to take home and they invite everyone to their house for dinner. Told with repetition that makes it easy for kids to follow along and know what's coming next, the boys explain what they’re looking for and how it’s their favorite kind of babka, “cinnamon” with “golden-brown crust and sugar-sweet filling.” Simple artwork brings a rustic, homey feeling to the book, inviting readers in with scenes of cooking and walking around a neighborhood. At the end is a recipe for “Mama’s Missing Babka” with detailed step-by-step directions. Additionally, there is a pronunciation guide an...