A Thanksgiving Wish

Amanda is worried that Thanksgiving won't be the same without her beloved grandmother Bubbe, but when she remembers Bubbe's favorite custom--making wishes on the wishbones she saved throughout the year--Amanda and her family find comfort and solace in tradition.

Kindergarten-Grade 4-Amanda and her extended family spend every Thanksgiving at her grandmother's house and love Bubbe's wonderful Jewish and American foods. Even more, Amanda loves the stories, the togetherness, and especially the wishes that she and her cousins get to make with Bubbe when there's nothing left of the turkey but the wishbone. After she dies, the family attempts to re-create the traditional dishes, but, because they try to cook everything at once, they lose electrical power before the meal is finished. Kindly neighbors come to their rescue, and the dinner is saved. Amanda even makes a wish with her neighbor, Mrs. Yee, who offers to serve as a surrogate grandmother, and Bubbe's tradition continues. Rosen's story is filled with the warmth of family togetherness and the comfort of holiday traditions. Thompson's realistic, acrylic paintings complement the story beautifully, focusing on the characters' relationships. Small inserts hone in on smaller details that elucidate specific aspects of the text, and the artist is particularly adept at portraying facial expressions and physical features. A good choice for a holiday read-aloud that is sure to prompt discussions of listeners' own Thanksgiving traditions.
Nancy Menaldi-Scanlan, LaSalle Academy, Providence, RI
Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Amanda and her family have always celebrated Thanksgiving with her grandmother, Bubbe: "Even more than Chanukah or Passover... Thanksgiving had always been Bubbe's special holiday." Bubbe begins preparing the extravagant meal weeks in advance, and all year long saves wishbones so there are enough for each of the grandchildren. When Bubbe dies, Amanda can't imagine how she'll ever stop missing her. Fortunately, Amanda's mother finds a way to recreate the annual feast in Bubbe's honorAright down to the wishbone. Although the narrative gets off to a strong start, the transition that relates Bubbe's death is jarring ("And so for the first Thanksgiving without Bubbe... "), and soon thereafter takes on the feel of a memoir with one too many anecdotes. Thompson's (O Jerusalem) paintings are strongest when focused on Amanda and her grandmother; the rest are surprisingly static. Ages 6-up. (Oct.)
Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Sure to touch adult readers as much as (perhaps more than) children, this picture book describes the first Thanksgiving for an extended family the year after their beloved grandmother, Bubbe, dies. When the electricity fails, a new friend helps out by placing their turkey, vegetables, and pies in ovens all over the neighborhood. As the family gathers around the table for dinner at last, they remember Bubbe, her Thanksgiving dishes and rituals, and her love for them all. The illustrations vary in style from small, sketchy pictures of houses to large, detailed, highly individualized portraits of people. Realistically, almost photographically, rendered and well composed, the figures sometimes seem posed to dramatize a scene. This large, handsomely designed volume has a heartfelt story and obvious visual appeal. Carolyn Phelan