I Know an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Dreidel

This isn’t just a holiday-themed spoof of the classic cumulative song—Slonim (Digger, Dozer, Dumper) takes readers through a nothing-sacred salute to art history. It all begins as the old lady gulps down a growing litany of Jewish-related food and nonfood items (brisket, candles) in search of a remedy for the triggering mishap of the title; she inadvertently swallows a “Chanukah dreidel she thought was a bagel” after her cat knocks it onto the cream cheese–schmeared item. All the while, Slonim’s illustrations parody, among others, Hopper’s Nighthawks, Wyeth’s Christina’s World, Munch’s The Scream, and van Gogh’s Starry Night, complete with menorah. An artist’s note at the back identifies all of the original works. It’s meshugenah in the best sense of the word. Ages 4–8. Author’s agency: Adams Literary. (Aug.)