Stella's excited! Rosh Hashanah is approaching and in Stella's family, that means cooking stuffed cabbage rolls. And they're not just using any recipe—it's a treasured one handed down from Bubbe to Nana to Mama. Along the way, each of them has added a special ingredient, as well as a dash of love. This year, Stella is old enough to help and add her own unique touch. What will it be? The reader follows Stella and Mama through all the steps and the process of preparing this traditional dish from scratch. As they work together—Stella wearing Bubbe's apron and Nana's heart necklace—they talk about their beloved family members and how this dish evolved. When Stella's running out of time to come up with her own special ingredient, a visit to her backyard garden prompts the perfect idea.
This charming book, filled with heart and humor, sparks the Jewish joy we like to share with the children in our lives. The author's language is lovely and lyrical, yet very accessible to young readers. The illustrator animates the narrative with spirited, detailed art that captures and embraces the beautiful messiness of life. Melissa Stoller and Valerya Milavanova have whipped up a story of family, food, and tradition with just the right ingredients. Fittingly, the back matter includes Stella's recipe for stuffed cabbage.
Stuffed cabbage is generally associated with Ashkenazi Jews of Eastern European origin, and Mama and Stella are light complected. To me, this book illustrates the concept of l'dor v'dor (from generation to generation): the Jewish value of passing down our history, knowledge, and wisdom.
Although Stella’s Special Recipe will clearly be of interest to Jewish families, its rich themes of connection and legacy will have universal appeal and relatability. This book could serve as an easy entree into discussions about recipes, food, holiday traditions, and other family lore. It would be a good choice for a home, synagogue, or school library.
Reviewer Belinda Brock earned a MS in Literacy and Language from University of Chicago and her background is in teaching and educational publishing. She authored GG and Mamela, the first children’s book to address hospice care. Her essays have been featured on Kveller, Jewish Women’s Archive, and HuffPost.
I've read this book and love, love, love it! It brought back memories of my own grandmother's recipes and the slight tweaks over the years. A perfect holiday book for the new year.
Thank you so much for this beautiful review! I am thrilled to see STELLA’S SPECIAL RECIPE in the Jewish Book Garden! Filled with smiles and gratitude!