Brand New Bubbe written by Sarah Aronson and illustrated by Ariel Landy is a story about a little girl named Jillian whose mother marries for a second time giving her a total of three grandmothers-----Noni, Gram and now Bubbe! Jillian doesn’t want a Bubbe. She doesn’t want her other grandmothers to feel replaced.
Jillian makes her feelings well known especially when she rolls her eyes in disgust. She rejects all kinds of hugs and gifts from Bubbe including a new teddy bear, plans for trips, her favorite foods, and Bubbe’s kisses! “She smothered Jillian with bright red kissy-lips that took a long time to wash off.”
Mom steps in and strongly tells Jillian to give Bubbe a chance. One afternoon Bubbe decides to make soup with Jillian. It grabs the little girl’s interest so much that she decides to invite her Noni and her Gram who also make special soup and Bubbe to a Super Soup celebration! This creative thought is just perfect to pull a blended family together.
Brand New Bubbe, written by Sarah Aronson and illustrated by Ariel Landy hosts a story that is both real and charming. The illustrations are full of color and are packed full of great details. Young readers 4-8 years of age will also love the tasty back material where the recipe for each soup is available including Bubbe’s World-Famous Matzo Ball Soup, Noni’s Not-Just- for- Weddings Italian Wedding Soup and Gram’s Easy-Peasy As- Spicy- As- You -Like-It Gazpacho. (Charlesbridge, 2022).
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Activity Questions for Brand-New Bubbe
Younger readers: The final picture in this book shows Jillian with her entire family in the backyard happily eating all kinds of food---some food from different cultural backgrounds. Study the illustration and find the following family members: Gram, Great Mama-Nana, Jillian, Jillian’s Dad, Jillian’s Stepdad, Bubbe, Noni and Jillian’s Mom. If you were to give this picture of a family gathering a title, what would it be?
Older readers: What does Jillian’s Mom mean when she tells Jillian that family is more than blood?
Read through the three soup recipes in the back material and note the ingredients. If you were to ask Mom or Dad or in this case Stepdad to help you make one of the three soups discussed, which would you select? Why?
Study the illustrations: Who takes Jillian bike riding? What kind of food is Jillian’s favorite? Name three of Jillian’s stuffed animals? What color is Jillian’s stepdad’s hair? How is Jillian’s family going to change shortly?
