Brand-New Bubbe

"A winning reminder that though family might evolve, it’s always anchored by love."—Kirkus Reviews   By: Sarah Aronson / Illustrated by: Ariel Landry Who needs three grandmas? Jillian's totally on board with her new stepdad—but his mom, her new Bubbe, is a tougher sell. When Jillian joins Bubbe for some mom-mandated matzo ball soup making, she realizes she has room in her heart (and at her dinner table) for one more grandmother. But how can she convince Noni and Gram she still loves them just as much? A super soup celebration, of course! Chaos in the kitchen leads to matzo ball soup, spicy gazpacho, meatball soup, and a trio of grandmas united in their love for their family. Complete with all three soup recipes, Brand-New Bubbe captures the warmth of blended family and honors the joys of cooking with the ones you love. If you like this book, you’ll enjoy these: How Long Is Forever? The Ugly Vegetables [TABS] Look Inside Downloadables Download the Cover The Family Constellation Author & Illustrator Sarah Aronson, author Sarah Aronson is the author of Just Like Rube Goldberg, the middle grade series, The Wish List, and YA novels Head Case, Beyond Lucky, and Believe. She holds an MFA in writing for children and young adults from Vermont College of Fine Arts. Read more about Sarah. Ariel Landry, illustrator Ariel Landy is an educator and illustrator of books for children, including This is the Church and The Riddle of the Wild Dogs. Landy began writing and illustrating stories as soon as she could hold a pencil and she never stopped. She currently lives in France with her husband and their dog, Sid. Read more about Ariel.  Awards & Honors Coming soon! Editorial Reviews Shelf Awareness, starred review 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. Kirkus Reviews Jillian likes her new stepfather but isn’t sure about her new grandmother. Bubbe, Yiddish for grandmother, is very loving, but Jillian does not appreciate this affection. She already has two grandmas—Gram and Noni—and a great-grandma. She doesn’t need a person who gives lipstick-laden kisses and introduces new holidays and words (kvelling and kvetching) she doesn’t understand. When her mom insists that Jillian “give Bubbe a chance,” Jillian, tan-skinned with brown hair, reluctantly agrees to join her “brand-new” grandmother as Bubbe prepares soup and teaches Jillian to make perfect matzah balls. After tasting the delicious concoction, Jillian plans a celebration for everyone: her mother, her stepfather, her father, and all her grandmothers (and her great-grandma). The three grandmas make their special soups and create a feast for everyone—a lovely way to bring a blended family together. Humorous, expressive illustrations track Jillian’s many moods; the interactions between Bubbe’s dog and her cat are especially funny. Filled with good tastes and intentions, the story will ring true where families have stayed friendly after divorce and remarriage. Jillian’s family is a diverse one—Bubbe is Jewish, and the family members range in skin tone. Backmatter includes recipes for all three grannies’ soups (Bubbe’s matzah ball soup, Noni’s Italian wedding soup, and Gram’s gazpacho). A winning reminder that though family might evolve, it’s always anchored by love. Jewish Book Council When her mom remarries, Jillian gets a new stepdad and a new bubbe. Since she already has a Noni and a Gram, Jillian is not interested in adding anyone else new to her family. Bubbe can’t seem to win Jillian’s affections no matter what she tries. But when she brings over the ingredients to make matzo ball soup, Jillian can’t resist.. After slurping down a few bowls, she has an idea. Jillian invites all three of her grandmothers — plus her dad and her great-grandmother —for a “Super Soup Celebration.” Noni makes Italian meatball soup, Gram makes gazpacho and of course, Bubbe makes matzo ball soup. And, Jillian quickly realizes, “Like soup, family was made with love. And there was always room for more.” The final page spread shows Jillian’s pregnant mother, and observant readers will be delighted to discover an adorable new sibling running across the endpages. Bright, colorful, expressive illustrations depict a fun-loving, contemporary, multicultural, and interfaith blended family. And it’s refreshing to see three bicycle-riding and basketball-playing grandmothers: Bubbe with frizzy red hair and hip purple glasses; petite Gram in a stylish headband, hiking boots, and shorts; and tall, slender Noni with a red beret and pearls. All three soup recipes, with detailed instructions, are appended along with a list of resources for inter-faith and blended families. Similar to Chicken Soup, Chicken Soup by Pamela Mayer, illustrated by Deborah Melmon (Kar-Ben, 2016), and Tale of Two Seders by Mindy Avra Portnoy, illustrated by Valeria Cis (Kar-Ben, 2010), young readers who can personally relate to Jillian will feel validated and seen, and all readers will discover that “family is more than blood” and “there is no one right way to blend a family.” As Aronson writes in her afterward: “The only mandatory ingredients for celebrating your family are patience, humor, and of course, lots and lots of love!”—Rachel Kamin Children's Literature When Jillian's mom remarried, that meant that she was getting a new grandma, Bubbe. At first, Jillian did not want to spend time with Bubbe because she already had two grandmothers who she loved very much. Bubbe tried to get to know Jillian by making her matzo ball soup. But after Bubbe exclaimed that her soup was the best in the universe, Jillian drew the line by protesting since she felt there was nothing better than her Noni's meatball soup and her Gram's spicy gazpacho. Later when Bubbe gifted her a teddy bear, invited her to play basketball, and cooked her all of her favorite meals, Jillian ignored her. So Jillian's mom sat with her to explain that family is more than blood and Bubbe deserves a chance. The next time Bubbe came to visit, she brought ingredients to make soup with Jillian. While Jillian was not happy, she helped Bubbe make the soup and ended up realizing Bubbe was not all that bad. Still, she couldn't help but wonder if her other grandmothers felt replaced. She came up with a plan to invite all of them over for a celebration where they would each cook their own soup. After they finished cooking, the book closes with Jillian's family all sitting down to eat a delicious feast together. This heartwarming story showcases the challenges that can come when blending families. Through charming illustrations, readers clearly see Jillian's emotional struggle as well as the immense love her family has for her. Aronson created a character and diverse family that children are able to relate to. Overall, readers learn that blending families is not always easy, it takes patience, openness, and a whole lot of love! Also, the final pages contain three recipes for the soups Jillian's grandmothers made in the book. Details Hardcover ISBN: 978-1-62354-249-8 E-book ISBN: 978-1-63289-759-6 EPUB Ages: 4-7 Page count: 32 81/2 x 11 [/TABS]