Latkes and Applesauce

October 1, 1990
In old Poland, Papa, Mama and children Rebecca and Ezra are surprised by an early blizzard on the first night of Hanukkah. Unable to dig up potatoes for latkes or pick apples for applesauce, they huddle in a darkened room lit only by the shammes and the first candle on the menorah. Over the next two nights, the family gives shelter to a stray dog and a bedraggled kitten. On the holiday's last night, the sky finally clears and they all venture outdoors. The dog miraculously digs up buried potatoes; Papa, rescuing the cat from a tree, discovers some apples. The family can now feast on the traditional holiday foods while they enjoy their new pets--Latke the dog and Applesauce the cat. Written in evocative Yiddish-inflected language, this is a pleasing addition to the holiday bookshelf. Spowart's soft, blurred pastels give the story an added sense of warmth and security. Included are an afterword on the ``Story of Hanukkah,'' a latke recipe and instructions on how to play dreidel. Ages 3-7.

September 28, 1992
A storm that has trapped a family in their house since the start of Hanukkah clears on the final night. PW noted that ``Spowart's soft, blurred pastels give the story an added sense of warmth and secrity.'' Ages 6-8.

November 1, 2022
It's Hanukkah, and the Menashe family is stuck at home during a blizzard in this picture-book reissue, with new illustrations and an updated text. The family is out of apples, and their potatoes are buried under the snow. As the snow keeps falling throughout the holiday and the lack of food becomes more serious, a cat and then a dog arrive in need of help -- and ultimately lead the family to discoveries that feel miraculous...and are definitely delicious. The tale of generosity rewarded draws readers (and listeners) in with a storyteller's cadence, and the mixed-media illustrations show deep-blue winter nights and warm, glowing family scenes. Back matter gives more information about various elements of Hanukkah. Shoshana Flax

(Copyright 2022 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)

Starred review from September 1, 2022
A heavy snowstorm affects a family's Hanukkah celebrations. This new version of a tale originally published in 1989 with illustrations by Robin Spowart sees the Menashe family planning to celebrate Hanukkah with the traditional candles, games, and, most especially, delicious feasts of latkes and applesauce. But the snow is falling relentlessly, there are no apples in the house, and the potatoes are covered under the heavy snow. Still, Papa, Mama, Rebecca, and Ezra find joy in lighting the candles, one more each night, playing the dreidel game, and eating their quickly dwindling chicken soup. Two visitors, a small kitten and a skinny dog, provide a surprising and very satisfying conclusion, reflected in the wonderfully appropriate new names they are given. The narrative feels like a folktale, with simple, descriptive language that highlights ever hopeful Papa's charming phrases as he encourages a cheerful outlook. Easler's large-scale, digitally rendered graphite and gouache illustrations complement the text and add lovely touches of humor. The family members are expressive, depicted with tan skin and dark brown hair. Although the tale is set "long ago in a village far away," there is a definite modernity to the family's clothes and furnishings. The author addresses young readers at the end, asking if the story is a miracle ("Who can say? It happened, and maybe that is miracle enough for anyone!"). (This book was reviewed digitally.) A warm and tender tale of a loving Jewish family celebrating an ancient tradition. (information on Hanukkah, latkes and applesauce, and the dreidel) (Picture book. 3-8)

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July 1, 2022
It's Hanukkah, and the Menashe family is stuck at home during a blizzard in this picture-book reissue, with new illustrations and an updated text. The family is out of apples, and their potatoes are buried under the snow. As the snow keeps falling throughout the holiday and the lack of food becomes more serious, a cat and then a dog arrive in need of help -- and ultimately lead the family to discoveries that feel miraculous...and are definitely delicious. The tale of generosity rewarded draws readers (and listeners) in with a storyteller's cadence, and the mixed-media illustrations show deep-blue winter nights and warm, glowing family scenes. Back matter gives more information about various elements of Hanukkah.

(Copyright 2022 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)