Welcoming the new year with a new Ladino/English children’s book

By Daniel Santacruz

Anyada Buena, Shanah Tovah, Sarah Aroeste. Illustrated by Maria Mola. Kar-Ben Publishing, New York, NY. $8.99.

Sarah Aroeste, singer, composer, author and mother of little children, has surprised her fans with this new board book, just in time for Rosh Hashana, or Jewish New Year.

Anayada buena is one of the many greetings in Ladino with which Sefardic Jews wish others a "happy new year.” Others are Anyada buena, dulse i alegre (“May you have a good, sweet and happy New Year) or Anyos munchos i buenos ke tengas kon tu famiya (May you and your family have a good year).

Written in simple rhyme, the book delves into the different traditions of a Sefardic family and illustrates how they joyfully greet the new year. "When leaves begin falling, the shofar comes calling. The halá golden brown is shaped round like a crown. Anyada Buena! Shanah Tovah!”

The book introduces the reader to the Rosh Hashana seder, which is another name for the plate that holds traditional foods that Jews all over the world display and over which a blessing over each is said, asking God to hear our hopes and wishes for the incoming year.

The foods are full of symbolism and vary according to communities, families and countries. The ones included in the book are apples, leeks, beets, dates, squash (zucchini, or pumpkin), pomegranate black-eyed peas and the head of a fish.

An educator’s guide can be downloaded from her site, saraharoeste.com, which also includes activities to create a seder plate and a recipe for pumpkin burekas.

To her credit, Aroeste is the only author introducing Sefardic-themed books to young readers in English.

Her first book, Buen Shabat, Shabbat Shalom, was published in 2020 also by Kar-Ben publishing. Two of her other books are reviewed below.

Rosh Hashana, a two-day holiday, starts this year the night of September 22, or 1 and 2 Tishrei 5786.

Mazal Bueno! Congratulations!, Sarah Aroeste. Illustrated by Taja Morley. Kar-Ben Publishing, New York, NY. $8.99.

This-easy-to-read board book will delight Ladino-speaking parents or grandparents or those who wish to teach the language to their children.

In this heartwarming story, which features rich, colorful, double-page illustrations, parents cheer mazal bueno, a ladino expression meaning "good luck," or "good fortune," each time their child reaches a milestone in his life.

The first is when he grinned his first grin, as they tickled his chin, followed by when he tried his first food by himself and then when he lets go of his mother’s hand and tries to stand. The last one is the best and it has to do with words. What will be?

The expression mazal bueno is made up of the Hebrew word for "luck" (mazal) and the second with the Spanish word for "good" (bueno).

A note on the back cover briefly explains the origin of Ladino and who its speakers are.

The book’s publisher, Kar-Ben Publishing, specializes in books of Jewish content for children. It’s a division of Minneapolis-based Lerner Publishing Group.

Ora de despertar/Time to Wake Up!, Sarah Aroeste. Illustrated by Miriam Ross. www.saraharoeste.com. $11.99.

This entertaining book describes a little girl's daily routine in Ladino and English, from the moment she wakes up until she has breakfast with her parents.

The chorus Ora de despertar, ora de aferrar el dia! Ora de despertar, Ora de despertar, Es un muevo dia (Time to wake up, time to wake up, Time to catch the day, Time to wake up, time to wake up, It’s a brand new day. Time to wake up, time to wake up) sets the tone for the book.

The gorgeous full-page illustrations add a touch of charm to the story.

The Questions for Discussion page, at the end of the book, is a great way to encourage children to describe their own routine,

The Author’s Note briefly describes what Ladino is and who speaks it, and it’s honest about its future: it’s fading today. The book, which won a Parents' Choice Award in 2016, is part if the Ora de Despertar children's project produced by Aroeste Music.

September 18