All-of-a-Kind Family Hanukkah by Emily Jenkins (review)

Tonight will be the first night of Hanukkah in 1912, and four-year-old Gertie, living with her family on New York's Lower East Side, can't wait for her mother's special treat of latkes. She wants desperately to play a part in their preparation, but as the youngest of five, she's gently shooed aside by her mother while her sisters help. After Gertie has a tantrum, Mama sends her to the bedroom; there Gertie sulks until her father lovingly teases her out again for the celebration. An original story based in the world of Sydney Taylor's All-of-a-Kind Family, this is both a pleasant fanfic and an engaging tale in its own right. Jenkins carefully weaves some explanation of Hanukkah into the story, with Gertie annoyed with her sister Sarah's lectures on the holiday from the get-go, which also sets the stage for her ongoing frustration. Though the text is a little lengthy, it's deftly paced, and the cooking details and family dynamics (it's a nice touch that the sisters, perhaps remembering being on the outside themselves, sometimes invite her participation before Mama bans it) keep the story engaging as well as sweet. The illustrations have a warm and homey period flavor; thick, roughly feathered linework and a limited, earthtoned palette echo linocuts, but the faces have a soft, expressive flexibility and touches of patterning lend a decorous zing to the fabrics. This will be a snug holiday readaloud both for those celebrating and those who are just yearning for latkes, and it could elicit tales of audience family traditions as well. Extensive end matter contextualizes both the events and original books, with a glossary, notes, a list of the original books, and an explanation of the artwork; source notes about the holiday, Sydney Taylor, and Jewish history are included. DS