Ellie's Deli: In a Pickle! - by Lisa Greenwald Paperback

Book Synopsis

"... 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!

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.

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.