A sweet meeting on Mimouna night

Allison Ofanansky

Book - 2020

"In this beautiful picture book about the Jewish holiday Mimouna, Miriam can't wait to make the traditional holiday pancakes, moufleta. Miriam's neighbour Jasmine, who is Muslim, shares a sack of flour to make the delicious treat, and the new friends celebrate the holiday together. "--

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Location Call Number   Status
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Subjects
Genres
Picture books
Published
Toronto ; Berkeley : Groundwood Books 2020.
Language
English
Hebrew
Main Author
Allison Ofanansky (author)
Other Authors
Rotem Teplow (illustrator)
Item Description
First published in Hebrew in 2019 as A Sack of Luck: A Mimouna Night Tale by Kinneret, Zmora, Dvir -- Publishing House Ltd.
Physical Description
1 volume (unpaged) : color illustrations ; 28 cm
Issued also in electronic formats
ISBN
9781773063973
Contents unavailable.
Review by School Library Journal Review

Gr 1--5--When Passover ends, along with dietary restrictions, the Moroccan Jewish holiday of Mimouna begins, but where do observant Jews find flour at that time of night for the traditional and delicious moufleta? Miriam's mother responds to her daughter's question with a walk to the Muslim part of town, where they have tea with Jasmine, a girl Miriam's age, and her mother. After tea, Jasmine's mother sends them home with a bag of flour and is invited to the celebration. Preparations and the party ensue, quietly conveying the traditions of this holiday. As Jasmine repeatedly saves the day when Miriam keeps tripping, the shy girls shed their fears and become fast friends. The next Mimouna finds Miriam's family in Jerusalem, where she remembers Jasmine fondly. Ofanansky's text is dense but flows nicely. It conveys a lot of information while remaining accessible. In a mix of full- and half-page spreads, Teplow's illustrations depict wonderful facial expressions and add texture and life to the text, while her use of patterns, architecture, and colors effectively evokes Morocco. Despite the North African setting, everyone shown has pale skin, although yarmulkes, fezzes, and other head coverings abound. The back matter provides more loving details and a recipe. VERDICT The lesson of intercultural cooperation is subtle but compelling. This introduction to an important holiday and sharing will be a welcome addition to many collections.--Catherine Callegari, Gay-Kimball Lib., Troy, NH

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Review by Kirkus Book Review

Jews in Morocco celebrate the end of Passover. Miriam and her family live in Fès in Morocco, and as Passover concludes, she and her mother walk to the house of a Muslim family for flour. Miriam meets Jasmine, a girl her own age, and watches as her mother gifts Jasmine's mother with a jar of fig jam in exchange for a sack of flour before inviting the family to join them for the Mimouna celebration. They hurry home, where Miriam helps set a table filled with food and symbols of good fortune, such as five gold coins. The highlights of the table are the moufleta that her mother fries. The paper-thin pancakes are spread with butter and jam and are a special treat at the end of a week of eating unleavened matzo. It is also the custom for families to go from house to house partaking of festive dinners and sharing in blessings for the coming year, and Jasmine joins in. Jasmine then invites Miriam to her upcoming Ramadan party, but Miriam declines. Her family is planning to immigrate to Israel, as indeed they do. The Mimouna holiday is relatively recent, about 250 years old, and its origins are unclear. There are currently celebrations in Israel and in New York. Families unfamiliar with Mimouna will welcome the discovery. Those whose cultures involve frying bread and visiting neighbors on holidays will also find connections here. The colorful illustrations are adorned with decorative patterns, and, yum, a recipe is included. (This book was reviewed digitally with 10.6-by-16.6-inch double-page spreads viewed at 58.6% of actual size.) A festive holiday celebration. (afterword) (Picture book. 4-8) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.

Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.