Summary: Goldie Simcha makes cholent every Saturday night for the neighbors in her building. It is a special night where everyone comes together and hears Goldie's stories from her childhood. One Saturday, Goldie is sick and there is no cholent. The neighbors decide to bring their own special dishes over to Goldie's and Goldie appreciates her community.
Review: This is a modern, multicultural Stone Soup. It's a beautiful tribute to diverse communities taking care of each other. This picture book is great for urban communities with many different ethnic groups living in close proximity.
Diversity: Goldie Simcha is a Jewish woman who lives in an apartment building with a Latino family, an Italian woman, a Korean man and an Middle Eastern family. Goldie shares the Jewish tradition of Shabbat with her neighbors and when she can't cook for them, they cook for her sharing their cultural treats. Most importantly, they enjoy each other's company and the idea of not being together with Goldie sick is unfathomable to them. This picture book portrays diverse groups of people taking care of one another. It is not about one group of people, but a celebration of various cultures who appreciate one another.
Diversity: Goldie Simcha is a Jewish woman who lives in an apartment building with a Latino family, an Italian woman, a Korean man and an Middle Eastern family. Goldie shares the Jewish tradition of Shabbat with her neighbors and when she can't cook for them, they cook for her sharing their cultural treats. Most importantly, they enjoy each other's company and the idea of not being together with Goldie sick is unfathomable to them. This picture book portrays diverse groups of people taking care of one another. It is not about one group of people, but a celebration of various cultures who appreciate one another.
Suggestions for Teachers: This picture book would be a great addition for a unit study on community and/or neighborhoods. It would ask students to think about their own neighborhoods and the people in their neighborhoods who take care of them.
Reading Level:
- Quantitative: Lexile 690L, ATOS Book Level 4.3, Flesh-Kincaid 4.7, Readability 5.9, 5.4 RMM
- Qualitative: This text is moderately complex; it is fairly chronological except for one flashback that Goldie has. There is some repetition with the appearance of the various neighbors. The language is simple although there are some cultural words like cholent and Shabbat which may need more explanation. The theme of community taking care of one another is simple and applicable in a school setting. Students who have prior knowledge of Shabbat and Jewish culture will access this book more easily though students who have no prior schema can make great inferences about Shabbat and cholent based on the context of this book. The pictures help give the sense of a busy apartment complex and give meaning to the text.
Common Core State Standards:
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.1.2
Retell stories, including key details, and demonstrate understanding of their central message or lesson.
Retell stories, including key details, and demonstrate understanding of their central message or lesson.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.1.3
Describe characters, settings, and major events in a story, using key details.
Describe characters, settings, and major events in a story, using key details.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.1.4
Identify words and phrases in stories or poems that suggest feelings or appeal to the senses.
Identify words and phrases in stories or poems that suggest feelings or appeal to the senses.
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Series Information: N/A
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