Queen of the Hanukkah Dosas

by Pamela Ehrenberg, High (Illustrator)

Overview

In this sweet and humorous picture book, Queen of the Hanukkah Dosas, a multi-cultural family (Mom's Indian; Dad's Jewish) celebrate Hanukkah while incorporating traditional Indian food. Instead of latkes, this family celebrates Hanukkah with tasty Indian dosas. To her brother's chagrin, little Sadie won't stop climbing on everything both at home and at the Indian grocery store, even while preparing the dosas. As the family puts the finishing touches on their holiday preparations, they accidentally get locked out of the house. Sadie and her climbing skills just may be exactly what is needed to save the day.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780374304447
Publisher:	Farrar, Straus and Giroux
Publication date:	10/10/2017
Pages:	40
Product dimensions:	10.20(w) x 7.80(h) x 0.40(d)
Age Range:	4 - 7 Years

About the Author

In addition to Queen of the Hanukkah Dosas, Pamela Ehrenberg is the author of the young readers novels Ethan, Suspended and Tillmon County Fire. She now lives in Washington, DC, where she works at the National Association for the Education of Young Children and lives with her daughter and son near the National Zoo.

Anjan Sarkar was born in the UK and his heritage is mixed British and Indian. Anjan has created work for children’s books, animation, and advertising. Anjan works from a little studio in his home in Sheffield, England. He lives with his wife and two young children. He is the author and illustrator of the graphic novel Dead Man's Shoes, based on a film by Shane Meadows.

Editorial Reviews

…[A] lighthearted holiday mash-up…

The New York Times Book Review - Maria Russo

09/04/2017
Instead of frying latkes on Hanukkah, the family in Ehrenberg and Sarkar’s sweet cross-cultural story makes dosas (a savory pancake served with condiments and side dishes) to honor Mom’s heritage. “Making Indian food that my mom ate as kid for a Jewish holiday that my dad grew up with—that was a lucky combination,” says the boy who candidly narrates. But he is also being sorely tested by his younger sister’s mischievousness: if she won’t behave will they ever get the dosas made—and get to eat them? Ehrenberg’s storytelling leaves little to readers’ imaginations, but there’s something comforting about the steady step-by-step trajectory of the text and Sarkar’s stylish cartooning. Readers will also appreciate how the narrator turns a customized version of “I Have a Little Dreidel” (“I have a little dosa...”) into a sister-wrangling tool. Ages 4–7. Author’s agent: Carrie Howland, Empire Literary. (Oct.)

Publishers Weekly

"The illustrations are bright and cheerful with endpapers that are a mouthwatering display of ingredients for Indian food. A delightful culinary adventure celebrates traditional Indian food as part of a Jewish holiday." —Kirkus

"...there’s something comforting about the steady step-by-step trajectory of the text and Sarkar’s stylish cartooning. Readers will also appreciate how the narrator turns a customized version of “I Have a Little Dreidel” (“I have a little dosa...”) into a sister-wrangling tool." —Publishers Weekly

"Sarkar’s vibrant illustrations focus on the entire family—mom, dad, kids,

amma-amma—and work with Ehrenberg’s accessible text to highlight Jewish and

Indian cultures." —The Horn Book Magazine

From the Publisher

10/01/2017
PreS-Gr 1—Cultures merge in this holiday story about a boy with an Indian mother, a Jewish father, and a mischievous little sister named Sadie. Instead of traditional potato pancakes, this family celebrates Hanukkah by making dosas, a fried Indian pancake of rice and beans. From buying ingredients at the Indian market, to grinding the dal and rice and frying the batter in coconut oil, the process feels both different and familiar, and creates an opportunity for the author to explore the mingling of traditions. Unfortunately, the first-person narrative is bogged down by a contrived plot focusing on Sadie's penchant for climbing on things and her brother's random discovery that he can make her get down by singing a modified version of "I had a little dreidel," which comes in handy when the family gets locked out of the house during their Hanukkah party. The colorful illustrations are festive and bright, including wonderful endpapers that highlight common ingredients used in Indian food, yet the visual appeal of this book does not compensate for the weakness of the text. Furthermore, references to the holiday itself at times seem offhanded: "Just like the Maccabees, my mom rubbed oil in a pan called a tawa, where we cook the dosas." VERDICT An additional selection for large holiday collections.—Teri Markson, Los Angeles Public Library

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