Review: The Henna Helper

The Henna Helper

by Tami Lehman-Wilzig, illustrated by Yinon Ptahia

Apples & Honey Press (imprint of Behrman House), 2025

Category: Picture Books

Reviewer: Rachel J. Fremmer

 

Buy at Bookshop.org

The theme of The Henna Helper is summed up by its protagonist, Gali, as she waits for her flower girl dress for her cousin Yael’s wedding to be made. Preempted by the henna ceremony which takes place a week before the wedding, Gali bursts out, “Our family doesn’t live in Yemen anymore. Yael is a modern Israeli! Why is she having a henna?”

The age-old push-and-pull of old and new, tradition and reinvention is highlighted here. Her grandmother wisely asks Gali to help her prepare for the henna ceremony. Of course, Gali learns the value of retaining traditions and learning about her heritage, even going so far as to declare that when she gets married, she too will have a henna ceremony. When the flower girl dress which her grandmother has sewn is revealed, it also has Yemenite embroidery, uniting old and new traditions. With warm brown tones echoing the rust-colored henna, and rich red, yellow, and teal clothing worn by the characters, the illustrations by Yinon Ptahia are transporting.

Backmatter provides more information about henna and Yemenite Jews, making this an important addition to the growing number of picture books about Mizrahi traditions. 

 

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Reviewer Rachel J. Fremmer is a lawyer-turned-elementary-school librarian. She writes an annual round-up of the best Jewish children’s books for Tablet, the online magazine. She is a native-and-forever New Yorker and lives there with her family. She is continually inspired by the city even though apartment living means she is running out of room for her picture book collection. She was selected by PJ Library for their inaugural Picture Book Summer Camp for Emerging Writers. When she is not reading or writing, she is baking or doing crossword puzzles.