"On Friday Afternoon: A Shabbat Celebration" by Michal Babay offers a delightful and lively peek into the bustling preparations for Shabbat in a Jewish household. Through the playful antics of Leelee and her furry companion Pickles, readers are whisked away on a whirlwind adventure filled with mitzvot and mayhem.

As the clock ticks closer to Shabbat, Leelee and Pickles find themselves at the center of a series of humorous mishaps and distractions, from cleaning the house to collecting donations. Despite their best intentions, the duo's misadventures threaten to derail the family's preparations for candle lighting.

Babay's rhythmic prose and vibrant illustrations capture the excitement and chaos of Friday afternoon, making this book a joy to read aloud. Children will be enchanted by the colorful characters and humorous situations, while also gaining insight into the traditions and rituals of Shabbat.

At its heart, "On Friday Afternoon: A Shabbat Celebration" is a heartwarming tale of family, community, and the joy of coming together to celebrate sacred moments. Through Leelee and Pickles' antics, Babay highlights the importance of perseverance, cooperation, and the true meaning of Shabbat.

This book is not only a delightful read for Jewish families looking to share the magic of Shabbat with their children but also a charming introduction to the traditions and values of Judaism for readers of all backgrounds. "On Friday Afternoon: A Shabbat Celebration" is sure to leave readers of all ages smiling and inspired to embrace the spirit of Shabbat in their own lives.

Mischievous yet respectful good deeds. Fluffy portrayal of the traditional Jewish Shabbat. Celebrates in various different ways with fun and faith. Shows and does not tell. Delightful illustrations that are full of rambunctious energy. Humour is mixed into the layers of routine. Builds up to satisfying resolutions that are reminiscent of real-life. Summons chaos and gratitude. Recommended for those seeking an easygoing introduction to religion. Overall, a good read.

One interesting book on Shabbat, and what people do on these days. Here portrayed by cheeky LeeLee and her dog Pickles who did a lot of mischiefs just before Shabbat, with an eye on the time, so they are well prepared when Shabbat comes. And some explanation by the author on what Shabbat really means.

This was an cut little story about Shabbat.

I come from a non-Jewish family, and so to be honest I was a bit lost on some of the celebration. But that isn't a critique... This book will be loved by families who do celebrate.

Thank you publisher and NetGalley for the book in exchange for my honest opinion.

"On Friday Afternoon" is a delightful story about getting ready for Sabbath.

Leelee is Jewish and on Friday afternoons, everyone must help in the preparations for Sabbath. At sunset, Shabbat begins and once the candles are lit, everyone eats a festive sabbath dinner. But before that, there is work to be done. Not just a meal to prepare, but the house must be clean, family members need to be clean and dressed nicely, and Tzedakah or charity is set aside. There are other mitzvot or good deeds that can be done too. This humorous book follows Leelee and her dog pickles as they do their part to “help” out. Any Jewish youngster is sure to identify with these characters.

Menahem Halberstadt’s colorful illustrations delightfully show all the mischief that the duo gets into. I also liked the grumpy cat, who was often in the background. Michal Babay’s story is warm and funny and does a beautiful job of showing all the work that is done preparing for a traditional Jewish sabbath. The afterward explains various traditions in detail, thus making this an excellent book for teachers or parents who wish to share more about the holiday.

I requested and received a review copy from the publisher, Charlesbridge via Edelweiss. I recommend this book for any young Jewish child, but also for teachers or parents who wish to explore religious diversity.

On Friday afternoon is the story of prepping for Shabbat as told through the eyes of young Leelee and her dog Pickles. The two add fun and whimsy to the usual routine of the event. For readers unfamiliar with the tradition, key terms were illuminated naturally in the story rather than over-explained, which I appreciated. For example, I did not know what tzedakah was, but this vignette played out in a fun and informative way., showing rather than telling.

About halfway through the book, I found that the story paid homage to the snowball effect a la “If you give a mouse a cookie,” with one thing naturally leading to another in the mind of a child.

The color scheme makes the story feel like it came from the author’s memory.

I greatly appreciated that equal teamwork was shown by the parents, with mom making challah and soup while dad vacuumed and fed the baby.

The final page with a glossary of terms was perfect and is something I wish similar picture books would feature to teach readers young and old.

What a lovely little book that features an interesting story while teaching children about diversity. Not only could this be a great book to include in a Jewish child library but it would be a great addition to any child's library. The story itself is lovely and captivating enough for all small children and it has interesting enough illustrations.
It would offer non-Jewish children a glimpse into a Jewish tradition and with the informational author's note at the end, it would surely teach both the child and potential adult reading with them something new.

A relatively diverse Jewish family and community celebrating a weekly occurrence--this is a worthwhile addition to a collection. For a non-Jewish reader, there is also sufficient information to understand the sequence of events are their significance.

On Friday Afternoon
by Michal Babay

The activities of a young girl on Shabbat from sneaking snacks, finding lost things, getting the whole neighborhood involved. A good book that shows the relatable religious practices and the ideas of Jewish heritage that can be seen as common and understood. Its a good resource for classrooms to allow students to understand religious and cultural practices they may not have had exposure to.

On Friday Afternoon is a lovely children’s story about Shabbat, effective for both Jewish and non-Jewish readers. I enjoyed learning more about traditions through mess-making and cleaning up and especially liked seeing how the community was invited to celebrate with the family. The final page had a breakdown of mitzvahs that was accessible and helpful for grownups to help children with further understanding.

The family is getting ready for Shabbat and there is much to be done before the candles are lit! Everyone has tasks (even the dog!) and some things go awry but turn out well. When it's almost time, a little parade is organized, and EVERYONE gets to pray and enjoy their special meal.
At the end there is an explanation page of examples of what a Mitzvah means to Jews.
The illustrations by Menahem Halberstadt are fun, complex, colorful, and delightful.
Well suited for reading WITH someone of any age including ESL, and great for gifting to anyone, but especially to a school or your local public library!
I requested and received a free temporary e-book on Adobe Digital Editions from Charlesbridge via NetGalley. Thank you!

This was an entertaining story about Shabbat. From a non-Jewish family reading this, there was enough information to understand the celebration. Definitely worth adding to a collection.

On Friday Afternoon is a fun and joyous Shabbat celebration. Leelee and her dog, Pickles are adorable and are impossible not to love. The story builds in a way similar to If You Give a Mouse a Cookie. As they get ready to welcome Shababt, the mayhem builds. The story is rhythmic and wonderful. It's a great book for those familiar with Shabbat and those that aren't will also feel welcome too.

A fun and joyful pre-Shabbat romp as Leelee and Pickles (the dog) "help" Mom and Dad get everything ready. Children who observe Shabbat will appreciate all of the details. For those who don't, there is an author's note at the end. Recommended for preK & up.

I absolutely enjoy reading this book! The concept of Shabbat and mitzvah have been explained/shown very well in this well illustrated seemingly chaotic yet loving characters!

The kids are helping their parents in their own ways and it’s such a delight to see this in books!

Thank you, Charlesbridge, for the advance reading copy.

Miigweetch to Charlesbridge and Netgalley for the DRC.
All opinions are my own.

This is an illustrated children’s book about one family’s routine on Friday afternoons. This family is Jewish and so this influences what needs to happen in their household on this day. I believe children for whom these routines are already familiar will delight in seeing themselves reflected in the pages of these books.

To make the book more accessible for secular readers, I would suggest moving the information page that is currently located at the back of the book to the front, before the story begins. This will give reader’s context. There were several vocabulary words and plot points that didn’t resonate with me as being significant until after I had read the explainer.

I enjoyed the illustrations and thought they were an appropriate complement to the writing.
Three out of five stars for me.

**Thank you to NetGalley and Charlesbridge for this ARC in exchange for an honest review**

Leelee's family is Jewish, and this story follows them as they prepare for Shabbat dinner. This includes cooking, cleaning, bathing, and participating in tzedakah, which is charity. A great book about tradition, faith, and family.

I loved this little book about what goes on Fridays in Jewish homes! The illustrations make you feel like you are in the house! You get excited for everything that comes next! This would be a great read aloud book in the classroom while talking about different religions. I liked how there is an Authors note that tells you all you need to know about the Jewish tradition.

Wow I didn't love all the mischief in the beginning of this book. But I liked how Leelee tried to help clean up for Shabbat and helped bring in everyone for dinner and candle lighting.

Lovely illustrations.

Thanks NetGalley for this ARC.