Review: A Book About Bupkes
A Book About Bupkes by Leslie Kimmelman, illustrated by Roxana de Rond Kar-Ben Publishing, 2023 Category: Picture Books Reviewer: Rebecca Klempner Buy at Bookshop.org Leslie Kimmelman begins A Book About Bupkes with a brief explanation of the Yiddish word "bupkes." However, rather than delving into the usually negative connotation of this term (meaning "nothing"), she begs us to ask the question, "Where did everything go?" Sometimes, a place or a container is empty because their contents were relocated to a place where they can serve an important purpose. A bowl of chicken soup, for example, empties as its contents fill the belly of a patient. In addition to this heart-warming message, Kimmelman's joyful tone and delightful diction won me over. There are a couple of pages that are so well-written, I just sat with them a moment to enjoy the language. Roxana de Rond's playful art charmed me and suited the goofy tone of the book. I appreciated that t