Papa's Latkes

A recent discussion in the children’s books group I run on another site, about the potential for sadness at the holidays, reminded me that this is a time of year when we are particularly conscious of the absence of loved ones, and find their loss especially painful. This is turn reminded me of

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Papa's Latkes, a picture book I had been meaning to read for some time.

It is the story of Selma and Dora Skolnick, two young girls facing their first Chanukah after the loss of their mother. When their father arrives home on the first night of the holiday, with all the ingredients necessary for latkes, the girls try to do everything just as Mama would have. But Papa's latkes just aren't the same...

A sensitive portrayal of a family struggling to cope with their loss, while carrying on the holiday traditions, Edwards' narrative never descends into sentimentality. Accompanied by Stacey Schuett's expressive gouache illustrations, this lovely picture book would make an excellent reading selection for a young child facing his or her first holiday without a loved one.

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The author portrays the struggle of losing a loved one. The family tries to prepare for Hanukkah, but realizes how sad it is without the mother of the family. The father makes latkes, but it does not taste like the mother's latkes. The author shows that families can still move on after the death of

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a loved one. The father explains to them the importance of honoring her memory while still enjoying the holidays. This story also showed aspects of the Jewish culture, by the family eating latkes, lighting the menorah, and playing dreidel.

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This is a good book for young children who may have lost a parent. Dora, Selma, and their father celebrate their first Chanukah without their mother. Selma the oldest always use to help her mom make latkes, a traditional Chanukah meal. When their father arrives home from the grocery, he brings with

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him all the ingredients needed to make latkes. Selma had always been their mama’s right hand man when it came time to make latkes. Now Selma is on her own and she wonders if they can make it without mama. Selma, Dora, and their father work together to make the meal. While their father fried the latkes, Dora stood by his side, and Selma set the table. She kept reminding herself three plates and she left her mother’s plate inside the cabinet. When the latkes were done her papa brought them to the table. Selma got upset because they didn’t look like her mother’s latkes. As her father and sister dug into the food, Selma sat quietly. She began crying because she couldn’t bring herself to eat the latkes, they didn’t look like her mothers and there should be four people at the table not three. Selma’s father says that they aren’t like momma’s latkes, they are like his—round in the middle. Selma’s dad reminds her that even though her mother isn’t there with them, they can still remember her. This book reminds me about my mom. Even though she is not here with me I still remember her in almost everything that I do.

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