Goodnight Bubbala: A Joyful Parody

“In the small blue room/ There was a bubbala” begins this parody of Margaret Wise Brown’s classic; here, the narration is Yiddish-inflected and the young rabbit’s bedtime room becomes anything but quiet. In fact, “the whole mishpacha” drops by to boisterously celebrate Hanukkah (a menorah in the window indicates the eighth night) and make a big fuss over their youngest member (“Such a shayna punim!”). The room accommodates neither hush nor mush, but a very extended family (“two little bubbies schlepping their hubbies”) and some serious noshing: on latkes “so good I could plotz!” and “one dozen bagels/ And a pot of kneidels.” As dreidel spinning and song slowly wind down, the revelers (and one yarmulke-wearing mouse) make it clear that this bubbala is part of a lively, affectionate family—and very loved, indeed. Haft and Weber include a glossary of Yiddish words and a latke recipe by Ina Garten. Ages 2–5. (Oct.)