Talia and the Very Yum Kippur

K-Gr 2—The heroine of Talia and the Rude Vegetables (Kar-Ben, 2012) is back, and she still seems to have a hearing problem. This time she mistakes the Yom Kippur break-fast (when Jews break their fast at the end of the Day of Atonement) for a YUM Kippur breakfast. She helps Grandma make a yummy kugel (recipe included at the back) and is surprised when everyone skips breakfast; she wonders why a "fast day" passes so slowly with most of her family away at synagogue. Grandma finally notices her confusion and explains that it's a holiday of reflection and apology. Talia experiences the deliciousness of forgiveness and concludes that it really was a "YUM" Kippur. This title works better than its predecessor because its pun makes more sense. In the earlier volume, the rudeness of the root vegetables was all in Talia's imagination; here the yum factor of Yom Kippur turns out to be real. Grandma's explanation of the holiday is age-appropriate, and it's a nice touch that Talia not only apologizes and receives forgiveness for having broken a lamp and lied about it, she also looks for more ways to be a better person by offering to set the table. The acrylic illustrations are rounded, childlike and friendly, creating a cozy atmosphere in which Talia can feel safe to admit her misdeeds.