Editorial Review

“Glaser (author of Stone Soup with Matzoh Balls, BCCB 3/14) returns for a second visit to Chelm, the village of fools from Jewish folklore; now it’s the first night of Hanukkah and Faigel can’t remember her latke recipe. She knows she uses potatoes, but how many? Her husband Shmuel runs to ask the rabbi for help, and the rabbi—whose stomach is growling—advises Faigel to use all the potatoes; after all, ‘On Hanukkah, that’s what potatoes are for.’ The same goes for eggs and onions, and before long Faigel and Shmuel have more latkes than they can possibly eat. Luckily, the rabbi once again has wisdom to share: ‘There’s no such thing as too many latkes,’ he intones. ‘Just not enough mouths.’ Warmly illustrated in brown and red tones, this tale of Chelm will have viewers giggling as wide-eyed Shmuel runs back and forth between his frazzled wife and the hungry rabbi, offering plenty of opportunities for readaloud performance. The characters and scenes create a world that’s an inviting mix of the cartoonish and realistic, and viewers will want to step inside—especially to share the latke feast with the villagers of Chelm at the end. A note at the end provides additional information on Chelm.—Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books