Way Too Many Latkes

September 4, 2017
Faigel makes the most delicious latkes in her village—but only in tiny batches. Those lucky enough to taste one of them “dream about it for the rest of the year.” Then Faigel forgets her famous recipe, and because she lives in Chelm, the legendary village of fools, the solution is far from simple—and deeply silly. With nonsensical advice from her rabbi (“Use all the eggs you’ve got”) and acquiescence by her literal-minded husband, Faigel ends up making enough latkes to feed the entire town. Latke makers and their young assistants should easily identify with the muscles and tears involved as Faigel preps mountains of potatoes and onions. Glaser leavens the story with lots of performance-ready, Yiddish-punctuated dialogue (“The rabbi?” Faigel gripes. “What does he know about making latkes? Bupkes!”), and Zolotic’s characters have a vivid presence and energy reminiscent of animated films. Ages 3–8.

October 1, 2017

K-Gr 2-Faigel, the best latke maker in the town of Chelm, has forgotten her recipe on the first night of Hanukkah, so her husband Shmuel goes to ask the wise rabbi for help. The rabbi is so hungry that he tells Shmuel Faigel should use everything-all the potatoes, all the eggs, all the onions-to make her perfect golden latkes. The predictable result is way too many latkes and not enough mouths to eat them, until the whole village is invited "to bring one mouth each. On Hanukkah, that's what mouths are for." In spite of a rather thin plot, the use of folkloric phrasing and humorous patter moves the story along, with a few typical Chelmish misunderstandings thrown in for good measure. Digital cartoon illustrations depict an Old World scene with big-eyed expressive characters. VERDICT This story has enough humor and appeal to find a place on most holiday shelves.-Teri Markson, Los Angeles Public Library

Copyright 2017 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

September 1, 2017
Oy! Only in Chelm could there be such a problem--and such a solution. Chelm, that beloved but very foolish village of old-time Eastern European Jewry, has a problem as the first day of Hanukkah approaches. Faigel makes the best latkes (potato pancakes fried in oil). But what is the recipe? She cannot remember. Her husband has the answer--or, rather, he knows whom to consult for the answer: the rabbi, who is the wisest man in the entire town. How many potatoes? All of them, says the rabbi. How many eggs? All of them, says the rabbi. How many onions? All of them, says the rabbi. How many mouths to eat all those mounds of deliciousness? All the villagers, says the rabbi. Glaser's riff on a holiday tradition is told with lots of dialogue and the necessary understatement so important to Chelm tales. Zolotic's flat, digitally composed illustrations, based on his background in animation, portray expressively bewildered and hungry white Chelmites with googly eyes and ultimately happy faces. A fun story to share at Hanukkah--especially with the oil in the pan hot and ready for those yummy, crispy, fried holiday treats. (note on Chelm stories) (Picture book. 4-7)

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January 1, 2018
When Faigel forgets how to make potato pancakes for Hanukkah, the hungry rabbi's advice leads to more latkes than any one person can eat. They solve the problem by inviting all the villagers to celebrate together. The original tale reads like a traditional Chelm story; the illustrations, which set the tale in what looks like early-twentieth-century Eastern Europe, have a more modern Disney-cartoon vibe.

(Copyright 2018 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)