The Sydney Taylor Shmooze

On Friday Afternoon: A Shabbat Celebration by Michal Babay, illustrated by Menahem Halberstadt Charlesbridge, 2024 Category: Picture Books Reviewer: Ann Koffsky Buy at Bookshop.org With On Friday Afternoon , author Michal Babay and illustrator Menachem Halbertstadt have given us an upbeat and cheerful portrait of a family getting ready for Shabbat—specifically, Friday night dinner. The main characters are a young girl, Leelee, and her dog Pickles. They giggle and race through the house making messes, cleaning up those messes (because Shabbat is coming) and then making still more chaos. Each encounter leads fluidly into the next: when they discover change under the couch, that leads to making a tzedkah box; finding a trombone while cleaning the bedroom leads them to marching in a musical parade. The structure reminded me of the If You Give a Mouse a Cookie series-- in the best of ways. Halbertstadt’s illustrations are exuberant and joyful. Leelee’s slightly rumpled hair gives off oodl...

The Incredible Shrinking Lunchroom by Michal Babay, illustrated by Paula Cohen Charlesbridge, 2022 Category: Picture Books Reviewer: Shirley Reva Vernick Buy at Bookshop.org The Incredible Shrinking Lunchroom is a hilarious contemporary retelling of the Yiddish folktale popularized by Margot Zemach’s 1977 book, It Could Always Be Worse . In Babay’s story, the students at Parley Elementary tell their principal, Mrs. Mensch, that the cafeteria is too noisy and crowded. Mrs. M. responds by moving more and more things into the lunchroom – things like science projects, classroom pets, and school sports teams. When the situation reaches peak chaos, the principal finally returns the cafeteria to its original state. The students are now thrilled with their suddenly roomy and quiet lunchroom. The end note summarizes the original Yiddish folktale and explains the story's importance to the author. The Incredible Shrinking Lunchroom is a warm, smart, and funny demonstration of the importance...