Mixed-Up Mooncakes

A child creatively honors two special fall holidays—the Mid-Autumn Festival and Sukkot—in this uplifting story that twines two cultural practices. As the leaves turn “vivid red, just like my name, Ruby,” the child narrator prepares for both celebrations. Accompanying Nainai to the Chinese market, Ruby helps to buy red chrysanthemums, a persimmon (“round like the moon”), and a garden lantern in the shape of a rabbit. At the Jewish grocer, Ruby and Zayde purchase a lulav and etrog (“bright like the stars”), plus dates and figs. Back at home, the family builds a backyard sukkah and hangs homemade paper lanterns from its evergreen-branch roof. Still, Ruby feels that something is missing, and enlists both Nainai and Zayde to help create a food that honors both observances. Matula and Lyons describe the autumnal events and interpersonal relationships in affectionate prose, and Subisak’s digital, sumi ink, Japanese watercolor, and Chinese brush and pastel images employ transparent washes for scenes of daylight celebration, deepening to shadowy moments of invocation under a full moon. Creators’ notes, more about the holidays, and a recipe conclude. Background characters are portrayed with various skin tones. Ages 4–8. (Sept.)