A skeptical girl overcomes hesitations to connect a blended family in Brand-New Bubbe, an interfaith celebration of open-mindedness and the unifying power of a good bowl of soup.
Jillian, happy with her theater-loving Noni and adventurous Gram, greets her new "really nice" stepdad's mother, the boisterous bubbe (Yiddish for grandmother), with outright hostility. "She didn't want [Noni and Gram] to feel left out. Or, even worse, replaced." Eventually Jillian's mom scolds her for her unwelcoming behavior and forces her into a matzo ball soup-making lesson. The delicious broth Bubbe cooks opens Jillian's mind: "Like soup, family was made with love. And there was always room for more." Understanding now that "family is more than blood," Jillian connects several generations of relatives over a homemade, multicultural meal.
Author Sarah Aronson (Just Like Rube Goldberg) offers an empathetic emotional arc for readers who might relate to changes in their family structure. Her presentation of a growing, global and interfaith family speaks to a broad audience, but her story is also culturally specific, highlighting Judaism and introducing the concept of machatunim, a Yiddish word for the relationship between in-laws. There is no English equivalent for the word, but the feelings connected are certainly universal. Illustrator Ariel Landy (Gitty and Kvetch) contributes cheerful characters with lively expressions through cartoonish artwork with soft lines and vibrant colors. The parallel relationship between Jillian's cat and Bubbe's dog adds a particularly humorous substory. Backmatter includes family resources and recipes for three soups. An adorably charismatic and accepting story honoring problem-solving and found families. --Kit Ballenger, youth librarian, Help Your Shelf