The Sydney Taylor Shmooze

Frankenstein's Matzah, A Passover Parody by K. Marcus, illustrated by Sam Loman Intergalactic Afikomen, 2024 Category: Picture Books Reviewer: Arlene Schenker Buy at Bookshop.org Frankenstein’s Matzah is a wacky, entertaining, very colorful graphic picture book. It combines diversity (a non-binary main character) with a Jewish holiday (a Passover seder), STEM (science experiments and back matter about the scientific method), Yiddish puns, and some moral questions for main character, Vee. Vee is the great, great, great descendant of Victor Frankenstein of monster fame. Vee aspires to be the greatest scientist of all time (not surprising considering their heritage) by bringing a piece of matzah to life, which they then plan to enter in the school’s science fair. They succeed. Manny the manztah (matzah + monster) escapes from the basement and, to Vee’s dismay, makes a surprise appearance at the family seder. Manny pleads with Vee’s astonished parents, “People, let me go.” At first ...

The Unexpected Adventures of C.A.T. by Johanna Hurwitz, illustrated by Sam Loman Apples & Honey Press (imprint of Behrman House), 2023 Category: Middle Grade Reviewer: Beth Gallego Buy at Bookshop.org Chaya is in the fourth grade, lives with her family in an apartment in New York City, and loves cats. She loves everything about them. She loves that her initials - from Chaya Ann Tober - make her a cat, or at least a C.A.T. Her initials aside, Chaya describes herself as thoroughly average. She is in the middle of her class academically, and also when they line up by size. She lives with her parents and older brother in a New York City apartment. She dotes on the family’s pet cat, Ollie. After accidentally taking a bite of Ollie’s food, Chaya has an exceptionally vivid dream of becoming a cat with fur the same bright ginger as her hair. The next night, she finds herself once again a cat, and realizes it was no dream. She quickly discovers that cat life brings its own challenges. Chaya...