Book picks similar to
Papa's Latkes by Michelle Edwards


picture-books
jewish
holidays
picture-book

Grandma's Tiny House: A Counting Story!


JaNay Brown-Wood - 2017
    Neighbors, aunts, uncles, nieces, nephews, and grandkids crowd into the house and pile it high with treats for a family feast.But when the walls begin to bulge and no-body has space enough to eat, one clever grandchild knows exactly what to do.Where there's a will there's a way when families grow and come together."A warmhearted tribute to the messy joys of a big, impromptu gathering" -- Publisher's Weekly STARRED review"A fine addition to book collections about families, food, counting, and joyous gatherings" -- The Horn Book "This counting story will have repeated readings during the holidays and all year round" -- School Library Journal"Grandma's lucky to have all these family members, and young readers are even luckier to be invited to this wonderful family gathering." -- Kirkus ReviewsChicago Public Library's 2017 Best of the Best Books selection

Henry's First-Moon Birthday


Lenore Look - 2001
    And even though Jenny's sure he doesn't deserve it -- all Henry does is sleep, eat, and cry -- there's a big celebration planned for him. Together, Jenny and her grandma get everything ready, from dyeing eggs a lucky red to preparing pigs' feet and ginger soup. And someday, when Henry's old enough to appreciate all her hard work, Jenny will tell him how lucky he was to have her in charge. The childlike charm of Lenore Look's story is perfectly captured in Yumi Heo's naïve illustrations, which give readers the impression that Jenny drew them herself.

It's a No-Money Day


Kate Milner - 2019
    Forced to visit the local foodbank, Mum feels ashamed that they have to rely on the kindness of others. Maybe one day things will be different but for now together they brighten up even the darkest of days.

Looking for Me


Betsy Rosenthal - 2012
    Between working at her father’s diner, taking care of her younger siblings, and living in the shadow of her more mature sisters, Edith feels lost in a sea of siblings. When a kind teacher encourages Edith to be a teacher herself one day, Edith sees prospects for a future all her own. Full of joy, pain, humor, and sadness, this novel in verse is a wonderful look at the life of Edith Paul, the author's mother, and is an enduring portrait (complete with family photos and an author's note at the end) of one family's pursuit of the American dream.

A Chair for My Mother


Vera B. Williams - 1982
    After their home is destroyed by a fire, Rosa, her mother and grandmother save their coins to buy a really comfortable chair for all to enjoy.

I Love Saturdays y Domingos


Alma Flor Ada - 1999
    On Saturdays, she visits Grandma and Grandpa, who come from a European-American background, and on Sundays -- los domingos -- she visits Abuelito y Abuelita, who are Mexican-American. While the two sets of grandparents are different in many ways, they also have a great deal in common -- in particular, their love for their granddaughter. While we follow our narrator to the circus and the pier, share stories from her grandparents' pasts, and celebrate her birthday, the depth and joy of both cultures are conveyed in Spanish and English. This affirmation of both heritages will speak to all children who want to know more about their own families and ethnic backgrounds.

A Shelter in Our Car


Monica Gunning - 2004
    Since she left Jamaica for America after her father died, Zettie lives in a car with her mother while they both go to school and plan for a real home.

Light The Lights! A Story About Celebrating Hanukkah And Christmas


Margaret Moorman - 1999
    Warm, color illustrations help families who honor both festive days.

Tomatoes for Neela


Padma Lakshmi - 2021
    It makes her feel closer to her paati who lives far away in India. On Saturdays, Neela and Amma go to the green market and today they are buying tomatoes to make Paati's famous sauce. But first, Neela needs to learn about all the different kinds of tomatoes they can pick from. And as Neela and Amma cook together, they find a way for Paati to share in both the love and the flavors of the day.

Winter's Gift


Jane Monroe Donovan - 2004
    Mother Nature has other plans, however, and a chance snowstorm brings together two unlikely hearts, one human and one beast, yet both yearning for comfort, companionship, and that most elusive gift of all, hope. This lustrous jewel of a story, quietly told and perfectly complemented by soft, evocative paintings, reminds even the most cynical of readers that the heart indeed can recover and go on.

An Ordinary Day


Elana K. Arnold - 2020
    But then two visitors arrive at two houses, one to help a family say hello to a new baby and one to help a family say goodbye to a beloved pet.

Kamala and Maya’s Big Idea


Meena Harris - 2020
    A big idea: they would turn their empty apartment courtyard into a playground!This is the uplifting tale of how the author’s aunt and mother first learned to persevere in the face of disappointment and turned a dream into reality. This is a story of children’s ability to make a difference and of a community coming together to transform their neighborhood.

Yaffa and Fatima: Shalom, Salaam


Fawzia Gilani-Williams - 2017
    When they both fall on hard times, can they find a way to help each other? In Fawzia Gilani's retelling of this folktale, which has both Jewish and Arab origins, differences are not always causes for conflict and friendship can overcome any obstacle.

Mommy Sayang


Rosana Sullivan - 2019
    Aleeya loves to ask Mommy if she will always be by her side. Mommy assures her that she will, Insh'Allah. But one day, Mommy becomes sick. Alone, Aleeya waits for her return, and it's in this moment that Aleeya realizes she can always be by Mommy's side. With a hibiscus flower in hand, Aleeya goes to Mommy's bedside to bring her love and hope. Little by little, Mommy sayang gets better.

Migrant


Maxine Trottier - 2011
    Sometimes she feels like a bird, flying north in the spring and south in the fall. Sometimes she feels like a jack rabbit living in an abandoned burrow, as her family moves into an empty house near the fields. But most of all she wonders what it would be like to stay in one place.The Low German-speaking Mennonites from Mexico are a unique group of migrants who moved from Canada to Mexico in the 1920s and became an important part of the farming community there. But it has become increasingly difficult for them to earn a livelihood, and so they come back to Canada each year as migrant workers in order to survive. And while they currently have the right to work in Canada, that right may be challenged. Working conditions are difficult for all migrant workers, most of whom have to leave families far behind. And yet countries like Canada and the United States benefit greatly from their labor.Beautifully written by Maxine Trottier and imaginatively illustrated by Isabelle Arsenault, this book describes what it is like to be a child in a migrant family.