Review: Fairy GodbBubbie's Shabbat
Fairy Godbubbie's Shabbat
written and illustrated by Ann Diament Koffsky
Intergalactic Afikoman, 2025
Category: Picture Books
Reviewer: Amy Brook Cohen
Fairy GodBubbie’s Shabbat is a gem of a book; beautifully written and vibrantly illustrated. The book tells the story of what happens to young Sara and her parents when they’re visited by a Fairy Godbubbie on a mission. Fairy Godbubbie desires to bring magic into every home during Shabbat. She starts by freezing all electronic devices - dad’s laptop, mom’s phone, and Sara’s iPad. She also provides the family with Shabbat candles and sets the table with challah, wine, Kiddush cups and a whole dinner, too. Even when each family member is showing clear signs of screen time withdrawal, they are left with no other choice than to enjoy spending time together and to embrace the magic of Shabbat.
When Shabbat comes to a close, Fairy Godbubbie gives the family a Havdalah candle, spices, and grape juice and sings the blessings, too. After wishing them a good week: “Shavua Tov!” she disappears, and all of the family’s electronic devices come back to life. Life carries on as usual ... until the next Shabbat, when Sara and her family decide to keep the magic of Shabbat going, using all the gifts they gleaned from their special visitor. Fairy Godbubbie shows readers, just as she showed Sara and her parents, that Shabbat is a special time, one filled with magic. The joyous illustrations really bring the point home - Shabbat is both meaningful and enjoyable.
Yiddish and Hebrew are interspersed a few times within the book in a conversational and meaningful way, bringing a real sense of Jewish authenticity to the book. While the content of the book is unmistakably Jewish, and Sara’s family are clearly secular Jews, this book will appeal to non-Jewish readers, too. In this digital age, at a time in which so many of us are figuring out how to draw boundaries with screen time in our homes, we could all do with this uplifting reminder to switch off, slow down and reconnect. Fairy Godbubbie’s Shabbat is a delight to read aloud, and its message has never been more relevant. Highly recommend!
When Shabbat comes to a close, Fairy Godbubbie gives the family a Havdalah candle, spices, and grape juice and sings the blessings, too. After wishing them a good week: “Shavua Tov!” she disappears, and all of the family’s electronic devices come back to life. Life carries on as usual ... until the next Shabbat, when Sara and her family decide to keep the magic of Shabbat going, using all the gifts they gleaned from their special visitor. Fairy Godbubbie shows readers, just as she showed Sara and her parents, that Shabbat is a special time, one filled with magic. The joyous illustrations really bring the point home - Shabbat is both meaningful and enjoyable.
Yiddish and Hebrew are interspersed a few times within the book in a conversational and meaningful way, bringing a real sense of Jewish authenticity to the book. While the content of the book is unmistakably Jewish, and Sara’s family are clearly secular Jews, this book will appeal to non-Jewish readers, too. In this digital age, at a time in which so many of us are figuring out how to draw boundaries with screen time in our homes, we could all do with this uplifting reminder to switch off, slow down and reconnect. Fairy Godbubbie’s Shabbat is a delight to read aloud, and its message has never been more relevant. Highly recommend!
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Reviewer Amy Brook Cohen is a writer and teacher; her essays and articles have been published widely on both sides of the Atlantic. Amy is currently at work on her first children's picture book. She lives in London, England, with her husband and two children.
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