Challah, Challah for You and Me

Challah, Challah for You and Me

"Reminds us to be grate­ful for the bread we eat every day—to appre­ci­ate the sat­is­fac­tion of sit­ting around the table and shar­ing chal­lah with fam­i­ly on any occa­sion at all."— Jewish Book Council Challah can warm a table with love , whether it's a part of a Shabbat meal or Sunday morning French toast or shared with friends on a picnic. This rhyming sequel to Apples, Apples All Year Round! introduces young children to the many ways challah is an important cultural element in everyday Jewish life. "In the simple and joyful text, Bietz and Sobel offer young readers all the yummy ways to make and enjoy challah. Rhymes are pleasing. The art is bright and definitely helps keep the reader engaged. Kids will love pointing out the colorful challah, a heart-shaped chocolate chip challah, and of course, challah French toast (my favorite)." The Sydney Taylor Shmooze "Challah is also one of the first foods a Jewish child might help bake. If you think about it, this makes sense. It's pretty resilient, and is even meant to be pounded a bit. Which is why Challah, Challah For You and Me, written by Barbara Bietz and June Sobel is likely to be a topic of interest for picture book readers. The illustrations by Ruth Waters feature a variety of animals baking and eating challah, adding a little charm for our young readers who might also enjoy pointing out the different creatures and naming them." Bookishly Jewish "The authors rein­force these asso­ci­a­tions through live­ly text, lilt­ing rhythm and rhyme, and col­or­ful art depict­ing friend­ly ani­mals, deli­cious treats, Shab­bat close­ness, and a vari­ety of Juda­ic symbols. All the salient fea­tures of chal­lah are includ­ed: its squishi­ness, sweet­ness, warmth, col­or, and, most impor­tant, its asso­ci­a­tion with rit­u­al and the par­tic­i­pa­tion of car­ing fam­i­ly mem­bers and friends. These details pro­vide read­ers and lis­ten­ers alike with a sense of com­fort and joy." Jewish Book Council "A celebration of the many ways to enjoy challah, from the creators of Apples, Apples, All Year Round. In a rhyming text, a group of forest animals enjoy eating their challah in many ways: with honey, at a picnic, as part of Jewish Shabbat traditions, and as delicious French toast. The collage-style art is colorful and cheerful. The sparse black text and bright illustrations stand out against a white background, making it a great choice for a read-aloud. VERDICT A quick yet joyous read, this is a sweet addition to libraries looking to expand any inclusive picture book section." School Libary Journal Barbara Bietz is an award-winning author, educator, and blogger. Raised in Southern California, Barbara attended the University of Arizona where she earned a Bachelor's degree and a Master's degree in Education. She served as the chair of the Sydney Taylor Book Award Committee, and is a former Assistant Regional Advisor for SCBWI Central California. Barbara runs the popular blog where she interviews authors, illustrators, and other creatives involved in children's literature. Her work has also been featured in numerous magazines and online publications. When she isn't writing, Barbara enjoys playing guitar and building dollhouses. She lives with her family in Southern California.