This is a heartwarming novel about grief, healing and finding inner strength and happiness again. The story is about an 11-year-old Jewish girl named Cara Segal who loses her mother and younger sister in a tragic house fire. Now it's just her and her father left to pick up the pieces. In the aftermath, Cara begins to question her belief in God and wonders if she and her her father will ever feel and act normal again. Then one day, a call to her mother's catering business, Julia's Kitchen, for an order of cookies gives Julia an idea and way to reconnect with what was lost. As a reader, I thought this was a touching story about loss and the power of the human spirit. The emotions portrayed, especially by young Cara, are vivid and relatable to anyone who has ever lost someone they loved. I thought the following quote from page 108 was really powerful and a true turning point in the story: "All at once I felt my whole body tingle. I knew it seemed crazy, but I felt as if Mom were there with me in the kitchen. No, not just in the kitchen, but inside of me, helping me along." I really liked that the author included a glossary of Hebrew and Yiddish terms and a recipe for Cara's chocolate chip cookies. What a great touch! As a teacher, this book would be more appropriate for older students, as it touches on difficult and controversial topics, like death and religion. Along with this book, students could learn more about the Jewish faith and write in journals and discuss personal experiences with loss. Students could also bring in a favorite family recipe to share and compile a classroom cookbook or make the cookies featured in the book.
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