THE RABBI SLURPS SPAGHETTI

Name: THE RABBI SLURPS SPAGHETTI
Author: Leslie Kimmelman
ISBN: 978-1-68115-543-2

by Leslie Kimmelman ; illustrated by Sharon Davey ‧ RELEASE DATE: April 1, 2019

Though not much of a challenge, Lena’s detective work helps solve the mystery of a rabbi’s professional life from a child’s...

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Young Lena, an aspiring detective, secretly observes the rabbi of her synagogue doing his numerous tasks and performing his varied responsibilities.

As Lena and her dog assistant, Sandy, crouch behind a bush with dark glasses and a notepad, “the mysterious rabbi…seems to be everywhere.” His many jobs include teaching, conducting ceremonies, celebrating holidays, providing comfort and advice, and participating in the overall life of his Jewish community. Though he may seem like a “superhero,” Lena acknowledges the rabbi’s peculiarities. He “slurps spaghetti,” strews his floor with dirty socks, and even attends playtime tea parties (at which he looks “quite elegant”). Lena discovers a lot, declaring, “Rabbi Max is just one AWESOME PERSON”—but what endears him to her most is that, as his daughter, she can “slurp spaghetti right beside him” at the dinner table. Childlike cartoon drawings reflect a multigenerational suburban Jewish community; Rabbi Max, his daughter, and their family present white, but the broader congregation is racially diverse, and at least one member uses a wheelchair. An author’s note includes four questions for discussion to extend the basic information presented through Lena’s narration.

Though not much of a challenge, Lena’s detective work helps solve the mystery of a rabbi’s professional life from a child’s perspective. (Picture book. 5-8)

Pub Date: April 1, 2019

ISBN: 978-1-68115-543-2

Page Count: 32

Publisher: Apples & Honey Press

Review Posted Online: Feb. 5, 2019

Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 1, 2019

Categories:

CHILDREN'S RELIGIOUS FICTION

- BOOK REVIEW
EVE AND ADAM AND THEIR VERY FIRST DAY
by Leslie Kimmelman ; illustrated by Irina Avgustinovich

- BOOK REVIEW
EIGHT NIGHTS OF LIGHTS
by Leslie Kimmelman ; illustrated by Hilli Kushnir

- BOOK REVIEW
READY, SET, RUN!
by Leslie Kimmelman ; illustrated by Jessie Hartland

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SALAT IN SECRET

by Jamilah Thompkins-Bigelow ; illustrated by Hatem Aly ‧ RELEASE DATE: June 6, 2023

An empowering and important tale of bravery.

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A Black Muslim boy must summon the courage to ask for a place at school to pray.

It’s Muhammad’s seventh birthday, and Daddy has a special gift for him: a prayer rug that’s royal blue with gold stitching and that smells of incense. Muhammad is now old enough to independently offer the five Muslim daily prayers, or salat. He packs the rug before school the next day and plans to find a private place for salat. But asking his teacher for help feels harder than anticipated—especially after seeing mean passersby jeer at his father, who prays in the open while working as an ice cream truck driver. To claim a space, Muhammad will need to be brave, just like his joyful, hardworking Daddy. Once again, Thompkins-Bigelow (Mommy’s Khimar, 2018) has written a beautiful, positive, and welcome portrayal of Black Muslim families. Her melodic writing captures Muhammad’s feelings as he works to find his voice and advocate for his needs. Aly’s playful, energetic illustrations offer a nod to Islamic art traditions and work in tandem with the text to give readers a glimpse into Muhammad’s hopes, fears, and growth. An author’s note explains what salat is, the times and names of the prayers, how it is performed, and other relevant terms used within the text. (This book was reviewed digitally.)

An empowering and important tale of bravery. (Picture book. 5-8)

Pub Date: June 6, 2023

ISBN: 9781984848093

Page Count: 40

Publisher: Random House Studio

Review Posted Online: March 28, 2023

Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 15, 2023

Categories:

CHILDREN'S SOCIAL THEMES | CHILDREN'S RELIGIOUS FICTION

- BOOK REVIEW
SISTER FRIEND
by Jamilah Thompkins-Bigelow ; illustrated by Shahrzad Maydani

- BOOK REVIEW
GROUNDED
by Aisha Saeed , Huda Al-Marashi , Jamilah Thompkins-Bigelow & S.K. Ali

- BOOK REVIEW
HOLD THEM CLOSE
by Jamilah Thompkins-Bigelow ; illustrated by Patrick Dougher ; photographed by Jamel Shabazz

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BADIR AND THE BEAVER

From the Orca Echoes series

by Shannon Stewart ; illustrated by Sabrina Gendron ‧ RELEASE DATE: April 16, 2019

A beautifully written page-turner about belonging.

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Badir, a newly arrived Tunisian immigrant to Canada, rallies along with his classmates to save a beaver’s natural habitat from destruction by local residents annoyed by the animal’s constant damage to surrounding trees.

Badir is captivated by what he initially thinks is a huge, swimming rat, an animal he briefly spotted in a pond on his way back from school. With the help of the internet, his teacher, classmates, and also forthcoming strangers eager to share what they know, Badir soon learns that the little creature he spied in darkness is in fact a beaver, Canada’s national symbol. He also finds out that local residents, worried by how the beaver might harm the trees around its habitat, are starting a petition to have what they regard as a pest removed from the park. Unfazed by the task ahead, Badir, along with his classmates, organizes a countercampaign—brainstorming sessions, banners, and all. Who will ultimately get the upper hand? Will the beaver saga have a happy ending? With her gentle tale, Stewart does an excellent job at promoting cultural understanding, not only by foregrounding a young Muslim character and his family, but also by setting the story during the holy Muslim month of Ramadan, introducing the reader to many of its facets and doing so with effortless grace. Gendron’s black-and-white illustrations depict a multiracial urban setting.

A beautifully written page-turner about belonging. (Fiction. 6-8)