Ellie's Deli: In a Pickle! - (Ellieâ (Tm)S Deli) by Lisa Greenwald

Book Synopsis

When her BFF's cousin Charlie announces that her Bat Mitzvah venue closed and now she's probably not going to have a Bat Mitzvah party, tenacious 11-year-old Ellie takes it upon herself to be a party planner. In fact, the whole idea inspires her to be a party planner when she grows up. How fun would that be?!

But party-planning isn't all fun and games--Ellie also has to navigate her changing middle school friendship dynamic, get good grades in school, and help renovate her family's deli's attic into a swanky event space.

Ellie thinks she can handle everything, but soon feels like she's, well, in a pickle. With the help of some reinforcements, like her Bubbie's best friend, Gloria the event planner; her school advisor, Ms. Sinitz; maybe even her super annoying big sister, Anna; and her even more annoying little sister, Mabel; Ellie might just put a lid on this situation after all.

Ellie's Deli: In a Pickle! contains 40 black-and-white illustrations and 14 recipes for scrumptious foods like chocolate-covered macaroons, baked salmon, and potato curry. It's a relatable and heartwarming story that's all about friendship, family, and learning when to ask for help.

"... 11-year-old Ellie Glantz loves her family's kosher deli almost as much as she loves her grandparents Bubbie and Zeyda....[R]eligious practices and Yiddish words suffuse the story with a lived-in Judaism--unrelated to a specific holiday--that does not often appear in mainstream children's books. In buoyant middle-grade fashion, Ellie and [her best friend] Ava join forces to rally the community and update the business in an effort to save the deli....A cute and concretely Jewish take on a classic storyline. (Kirkus Reviews for Ellie's Deli: Wishing on Matzo Ball Soup!)

"A fun story with believable characters and solvable problems, this easy-to-read, middle-grade book will hold the reader's interest and provide excellent, humorous entertainment along the way. (Michael Hoschander Malen, Jewish Book Council for Ellie's Deli: Wishing on Matzo Ball Soup!)

Review Quotes

About the Author

Galia Bernstein was born and raised in Israel. Today, she is a full-time illustrator and author who also works in textile design and ceramics. Her debut author/illustrated picture book, I AM A CAT, was published by Abrams Books for Young Readers in 2018, received 3 star reviews, and was translated into 15 languages. Her second picture book, LEYLA, was published May 2019, with a starred review from PW, was named as a Summer 2019 Selection by the Junior Library Guild and was translated to 6 languages.​ Galia lives in Brooklyn, New York.