Talia and the Very Yum Kippur (Talia)

Once again, Talia (Talia and the Rude Vegetables, 2011) misunderstands her grandmother, this time for the Yom Kippur holiday “break-fast” meal.

At her grandmother’s farm, Talia is excited to help with the preparation of tomorrow’s “YUM Kippur breakfast” by gathering the ingredients for a noodle kugel that will accompany a spread of cookies, cakes, tuna salad, and blintzes. But the next morning, Talia is served the usual cereal and fruit, while everyone else abjures breakfast altogether and leaves for the synagogue. A bit confused, Talia ponders over her grandmother’s explanation: it is Yom (meaning day) Kippur, a day of remorse and reflection, not YUM (delicious) Kippur, and in the late afternoon, the family will enjoy a big meal that breaks the daylong fast. Marshall adeptly exploits the nuance of language and its use in context to introduce the significance of the holiday’s atonement through prayer and fast in a simple way for young children. The long, slow—the opposite of fast!—day alone with Grandma gives Talia the opportunity to think about her own shortcomings and to apologize. The folk-style illustrations in deep tones evoke this sweet and endearing little girl’s day with her loving elder. 

Copyright 2015 Kirkus Reviews, LLC Used with permission

K-Gr 2—The heroine of Talia and the Rude Vegetables (Kar-Ben, 2012) is back, and she still seems to have a hearing problem. This time she mistakes the Yom Kippur break-fast (when Jews break their fast at the end of the Day of Atonement) for a YUM Kippur breakfast. She helps Grandma make a yummy kugel (recipe included at the back) and is surprised when everyone skips breakfast; she wonders why a "fast day" passes so slowly with most of her family away at synagogue. Grandma finally notices her confusion and explains that it's a holiday of reflection and apology. Talia experiences the deliciousness of forgiveness and concludes that it really was a "YUM" Kippur. This title works better than its predecessor because its pun makes more sense. In the earlier volume, the rudeness of the root vegetables was all in Talia's imagination; here the yum factor of Yom Kippur turns out to be real. Grandma's explanation of the holiday is age-appropriate, and it's a nice touch that Talia not only apologizes and receives forgiveness for having broken a lamp and lied about it, she also looks for more ways to be a better person by offering to set the table. The acrylic illustrations are rounded, childlike and friendly, creating a cozy atmosphere in which Talia can feel safe to admit her misdeeds. VERDICT This pleasant and gentle introduction to the holiday of Yom Kippur includes a brief definition at the back of the book and a kugel recipe.—Heidi Estrin, Congregation B'nai Israel, Boca Raton, FL

The heroine of Talia and the Rude Vegetables (2011) returns with a new tale of Jewish holiday misunderstandings. While visiting her grandparents, Talia is asked to help prepare the Yom Kippur (which she hears as YUM Kippur) break-fast meal. Unaware that the Day of Atonement is a fast day and that this meal will not be served until evening, she nevertheless enjoys helping to prepare a delicious noodle kugel (recipe appended), cookies and cakes, tuna salad, and blintzes. Talia is also confused about this being a 'fast' day, for it seems to go slowly, with everyone away at synagogue. Eventually, Grandma explains fasting and the concept of asking for forgiveness, prompting Talia to confess her own misdeeds to the understanding woman. Assirelli's acrylic folk-style illustrations feature soft, rounded shapes that signal coziness and the security Talia feels as she works through her many misconceptions. Pair with Sylvia Rouss' Sammy Spider's First Yom Kippur (2013) for religious-school story hours or young family sharing. 

Copyright 2015 Booklist Online, LLC Used with permission