Larry's latkes

Food-truck owner Big Larry (an alligator) has always sold latkes made from Grandma Golda Gator's recipe, but this year he decides to try new flavors. The farmers' market provides options, but his peach-, turnip-, and Camembert-based latkes are each missing a key ingredient. Never fear: he comes to his senses, and the results are a delicious innovation in fusion dining. A well-metered text and friendly, cartoonish digital illustrations make for an inviting story of mixing old and new. Back matter gives brief, miracle-focused information about the holiday as well as a recipe for latkes -- with fresh rainbow salsa. Shoshana Flax November/December 2021 p.27(c) Copyright 2021. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

Can a Hanukkah latke be potato-less? Larry is an alligator with a food truck. His customers range from mice to moose, and all are eager eaters. Larry uses his granny's recipe but wonders if there is more to a latke than potatoes, onions, and matzo meal. Holding his basket, he visits a busy farmers market, selecting peppers, tomatillos, and pears, among other ingredients--but no potatoes. The culinary results are unsuccessful. He continues to pursue a new recipe in trial-and-error fashion using the newfound ingredients. It's a catalog of foodie delicacies: leek, Camembert, kale, quince, chard, and more. He produces "a soggy mess" and "mushy-gushy glop." With failure over the stove about to befall him, Larry turns back to the tried-and-true potato, returning to the farmers market on a "gator-tater quest." At last the something-old, something-new formula achieves success. It's a Hanukkah party for all as his very happy and hungry friends celebrate the first night of the holiday with a new twist on a traditional treat. The cartoon illustrations are bold and brash, brimming over the pages with activity. With more to say about farmers markets and cooking than Hanukkah (though a short note discusses the miracle of the oil), this title gives readers who celebrate the holiday the sort of playful, largely secular experience found in countless Christmas books. Try this different but tasty recipe for latkes. (recipe) (Picture book. 4-7) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.