The Very Best Sukkah: A Story from Uganda

PreS-Gr 2--This Sukkot story offers a unique view into a little-known community as they celebrate the Jewish harvest festival. Shoshi lives with her brothers and grandparents in the Abayudaya Jewish community in Uganda. Every year, the members of her community celebrate Sukkot by building the traditional sukkahs, or huts. They make them as beautiful as possible in the hopes of winning a contest. Villagers use their talents and resources to make each one special. One villager buys, rather than makes, the items that make his the fanciest. But when a storm goes through, it gets destroyed. The villagers come together to rebuild it, bringing items from their own sukkahs. When it wins, Shoshi declares that she is happy because they all won. The first-person text effectively explains the holiday and offers a window into this unique community, while simultaneously providing an engaging story that includes a gentle, nondidactic message. Shoshi is a well-rounded character; her experiences and feelings are universal and will speak to the audience. The brightly colored linocut-like illustrations have a slightly flat, naïve style that fits the setting, while the characters' large, expressive eyes and colorful clothing are appealing. Extensive back matter gives a view into both the history of the Abayudaya community and the Jewish holiday. VERDICT This unique title would be a welcome addition to any collection looking to broaden their offerings of sukkot books.--Amy Lilien-Harper

Copyright 2022 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

Sukkot is coming to the small Ugandan Abayudaya Jewish community. We share the fun with super competitive Shoshi and her two brothers as they build their own sukkah, hoping theirs wins the annual village competition. The vibrant linoleum cut artwork brings the reader right into life in the village, showing us the natural environment and day to day lives of the people. When a wild storm comes through the night before Sukkot, it damages all the huts, totally destroying the challenging front runner's sukkah. The whole village rallies, helping to rebuild this one, which wins the contest. But Shoshi doesn't mind, her competitive streak has mellowed as she learns, "Everyone wins when neighbors work together". Generous backmatter includes a history of the Abayudaya Jewish community, a glossary of Luganda words used in the text and the lovely bonus of the Luganda text of Hinei Ma Tov. Their rabbi's teaching about the lulav, with its three different types of branches laced together, much as people are joined together in a community, is a wonderful message of hope for our world. The Very Best Sukkah meets all the requirements for consideration for a Sydney Taylor Book Award. Of most significance, the author is a member of the Ugandan Abayudaya Jewish community and is able to bring this world to life accurately in a way children can easily relate to. The writing is clear and appropriate for the target audience in a smooth style, helping to bridge cultural differences. The pictures are vivid and engaging, helping to make foods, animals, plants and other unfamiliar items mentioned in the text easy to visualize. It is consistent in its positive Jewish religious content surrounding Shabbat and the holiday of Sukkot with details unique to this community. This book was included in the Association of Jewish Libraries' Fall 2022 Holiday Highlights list for the best Jewish holiday books for children of the fall 2022 publishing season.—Suzanne Grossman, Reviewer, Association of Jewish Libraries "Association of Jewish Libraries / Syndey Taylor Shmooze, September 30,2022"