Review by Booklist Review
Authors and illustrator draw on their biracial and bicultural heritages to share a story of food, family, and history. Autumn is Ruby's favorite time of year because she gets to participate in the Mid-Autumn Festival and Sukkot. First, she goes to the Chinese market with Nainai to buy juicy persimmons, pomelos that look like the moon, and red-bean mooncakes. Then she goes to the Jewish grocer with Zayde to get lulav, etrog, dates, and figs. Meanwhile, the other family members build the sukkah in the garden. Nainai and Zayde tell Ruby the histories of the celebrations so readers can share in the significance of the events too. Inspired by these preparations, Ruby has the idea to make mooncakes decorated with the Star of David to symbolize the blending of her cultures. Crisp, colorful illustrations mirror the text and provide additional context. The back matter adds the authors' and illustrator's personal connections and will surely invite readers to consider the cultural combinations they're familiar with in an increasingly multicultural world.
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
A child creatively honors two special fall holidays--the Mid-Autumn Festival and Sukkot--in this uplifting story that twines two cultural practices. As the leaves turn "vivid red, just like my name, Ruby," the child narrator prepares for both celebrations. Accompanying Nainai to the Chinese market, Ruby helps to buy red chrysanthemums, a persimmon ("round like the moon"), and a garden lantern in the shape of a rabbit. At the Jewish grocer, Ruby and Zayde purchase a lulav and etrog ("bright like the stars"), plus dates and figs. Back at home, the family builds a backyard sukkah and hangs homemade paper lanterns from its evergreen-branch roof. Still, Ruby feels that something is missing, and enlists both Nainai and Zayde to help create a food that honors both observances. Matula and Lyons describe the autumnal events and interpersonal relationships in affectionate prose, and Subisak's digital, sumi ink, Japanese watercolor, and Chinese brush and pastel images employ transparent washes for scenes of daylight celebration, deepening to shadowy moments of invocation under a full moon. Creators' notes, more about the holidays, and a recipe conclude. Background characters are portrayed with various skin tones. Ages 4--8. (Sept.)
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Review by Kirkus Book Review
A family observes two autumn holidays in this multicultural celebration. Ruby's family is preparing for the Mid-Autumn Festival and Sukkot. Ruby and Nainai go to the Chinese market to buy fresh fruit, flowers, lanterns, and mooncakes filled with lotus seed paste and sweet red bean. Then Ruby and Zayde go to the Jewish grocer for fruits mentioned in the Torah such as figs and dates, plus the four species used in a Sukkot ritual. The family builds a sukkah, a hut made of plywood and evergreen branches, and decorates it with lanterns, including one that represents the jade rabbit from the Mid-Autumn Festival legend. Next, Ruby comes up with a perfect plan to combine both holidays: whipping up mooncakes that incorporate the traditional flavors of Sukkot and are festooned with Stars of David. The recipe is included at the book's conclusion. While the mooncakes bake, the family briefly shares the stories of both holidays, which often occur simultaneously due to the lunar calendar. The colorful digital illustrations include Chinese brushwork--a lovely touch. The authors and illustrator effectively convey the fundamentals of both holidays to newcomers while also providing readers of Chinese and Jewish descent with a wonderful mirror that reflects their experiences. A much-needed exploration of the intersection of two significant Chinese and Jewish holidays. (authors' and illustrator's notes, information on the holidays)(Picture book. 4-10) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
