Goodnight Bubbala: A Joyful Parody

by Sheryl Haft (Author) Jill Weber (Illustrator)

Reading Level: K − 1st Grade
This festive parody reimagines a classic bedtime book as a lively Jewish family gathering complete with bubbies and zeydes, a dreidel, and a shmear on a bagel. Includes an exclusive latke recipe by Ina Garten, TV's Barefoot Contessa! In the small blue room there was a bubbala, and a little shmatta, and then--oy vey!--came the whole mishpacha! This zesty parody of one of America's favorite picture books offers a very different bedtime routine: one that is full of family exuberance and love. Instead of whispers of "hush," this bedtime includes dancing and kvelling, and of course, noshing--because this little bunny is a Jewish bunny, and this joyous book celebrates the Jewish values of cherishing your loved ones, expressing gratitude, and being generous. Filled with Yiddish words, the book includes a phonetic glossary and even an easy latke recipe by beloved cookbook author Ina Garten, who calls the book "brilliant, beautiful, important, and so much fun!"
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Publishers Weekly

"In the small blue room/ There was a bubbala" begins this parody of Margaret Wise Brown's classic; here, the narration is Yiddish-inflected and the young rabbit's bedtime room becomes anything but quiet. In fact, "the whole mishpacha" drops by to boisterously celebrate Hanukkah (a menorah in the window indicates the eighth night) and make a big fuss over their youngest member ("Such a shayna punim!"). The room accommodates neither hush nor mush, but a very extended family ("two little bubbies schlepping their hubbies") and some serious noshing: on latkes "so good I could plotz!" and "one dozen bagels/ And a pot of kneidels." As dreidel spinning and song slowly wind down, the revelers (and one yarmulke-wearing mouse) make it clear that this bubbala is part of a lively, affectionate family--and very loved, indeed. Haft and Weber include a glossary of Yiddish words and a latke recipe by Ina Garten. Ages 2-5. (Oct.)

Copyright 2019 Publishers Weekly, LLC Used with permission.
Sheryl Haft
Sheryl Haft is the founder of Kids Engineer!, an elementary after school program that teaches engineering principles through design and invention. She is also a teacher volunteer with pARTners Jackson Hole, a program that inspires a passion for the arts through K-12 education. The author of Baby Boo, I Love You and the upcoming Amazing Mazie McGear, Kid Engineer, Sheryl, her husband, and their daughters divide their time between New York City and Wilson, Wyoming.

Jill Weber has illustrated and designed many children's books, including the Sydney Taylor Book Award Winner The Story of Passover by David Adler and the New York Times Bestseller The Christmas Tree by Julie Salamon. When she isn't illustrating, she can be found in her garden. She and her husband live in New Hampshire with various pets.
Classification
Fiction
ISBN-13
9780525554776
Lexile Measure
-
Guided Reading Level
-
Publisher
Dial Books
Publication date
October 20, 2019
Series
-
BISAC categories
JUV010000 - Juvenile Fiction | Bedtime & Dreams
JUV033020 - Juvenile Fiction | Religious | Jewish
JUV017110 - Juvenile Fiction | Holidays & Celebrations | Hanukkah
Library of Congress categories
Humorous stories
Bedtime
Picture books
United States
Stories in rhyme
Jews
Parodies (Literature)

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