Shanghai Sukkah

K-Gr 2—Marcus tries to make the best of his new home after his family flees Berlin for Shanghai to escape the Nazis. There, he makes friends with other Jewish boys and a Chinese boy named Liang. As the Sukkot holiday nears, Marcus wonders where and how his family can build their sukkah. With the help of his friends, they build one out of bamboo on the roof of their building. Due to food shortages, they cannot decorate the hut with the traditional fruits and vegetables. Liang tells Marcus about the upcoming Moon Festival, which is happening the next day. The boys celebrate both holidays together, and Liang adds red Chinese lanterns to the sukkah to help illustrate the warmth of friendship. A spread at the end gives some basic information about Jewish refugee life in Shanghai, including photographs. Tsong mixes printmaking and digital art for large, bright illustrations. The endpapers, which feature a street scene depicting Jewish and Chinese life, are especially lovely. The reasons why Marcus's family need to leave Europe are glossed over, keeping this holiday story light.