Mixed-Up Mooncakes

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.)

Copyright 2024 Publishers Weekly, LLC Used with permission.

K-Gr 4--Autumn has arrived! It is Ruby's favorite time of year, because her family celebrates two incredibly special harvest holidays: Chinese Mid-Autumn Festival and the Jewish holiday of Sukkot. Preparing for the Mid-Autumn Festival, Ruby and her grandmother pick out fresh fruit, crunchy nuts, a bouquet of red chrysanthemums, a rabbit lantern, and a big box of mooncakes from the stores in the Chinese market. Ruby also goes to the Jewish grocer with her grandfather to buy dates, a lulav, and etrog for the celebration of Sukkot. After everything is set up for the celebrations, Ruby has an idea: they can combine the celebrations of Sukkot and the Mid-Autumn Festival. With the help of her grandmother and grandfather, she makes Jewish mooncakes, or mixed-up mooncakes, which have a six-pointed star drawn onto the top of the traditional Chinese mooncakes. Not only will this inspirational story appeal to readers of all ages, it also contains educational value by providing insights into the traditional celebrations of Sukkot and Mid-Autumn Festival. The illustrations fit perfectly and help to tell the story. Ruby's grandfather is Jewish, with light gray hair; her grandmother has dark black hair and presents as Chinese. Back matter features authors' and illustrator's notes, as well as more information on both holidays. Details of Ruby's Jewish mooncake recipe complete the book. VERDICT Readers will enjoy this book as a bedtime story or as part of an art activity event where they make their own mixed-up mooncakes.--Anna Ching-Yu Wong

Copyright 2024 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

A much-needed exploration of the intersection of two significant Chinese and Jewish holidays.

Lovely. 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. — Kirkus Reviews (starred review)

"Not only will this inspirational story appeal to readers of all ages, it also contains educational value by providing insights into the traditional celebrations of Sukkot and Mid-Autumn Festival. Readers will enjoy this book as a bedtime story or as part of an art activity event where they make their own mixed-up mooncakes." — School Library Journal (starred review)

"Will surely invite readers to consider the cultural combinations they're familiar with in an increasingly multicultural world." — Booklist