 Hi Melissa! Let's dig right in! Please give us the dish on your upcoming picture book, Stella's Special Recipe: A Rosh Hashanah Story. First – thank you so much for highlighting Stella's Special Recipe: A Rosh Hashanah Story on your blog! When Stella is finally old enough to help cook her family’s favorite holiday recipe, passed down from her great-grandmother, nana, and mama, she tries to add her own special ingredient and a little bit of love so she can take her place among the strong women in her family. This is a mouth-watering tale focusing on the meaning of family traditions, connecting generations through food, and celebrating Jewish heritage. Title: Stella's Special Recipe: A Rosh Hashanah Story Author: Melissa Stoller Illustrator: Valerya Milovanova Publisher: Kar-Ben Publishing Pub Date: August 4, 2026 In this sweet story, emphasis is placed on four generations of women, including the youngest, Stella, who have contributed to a family recipe. How do you think children will respond to this book? Kids can relate to Stella, who is finally old enough to help her mother cook their favorite family holiday recipe that has been passed down through the generations. As each cook in Stella’s family has made the dish, she has added a special ingredient and a little bit of love to the recipe card. Now it’s Stella’s turn. She tries to think of what she could add, and finally finds the perfect ingredient. Kids will enjoy seeing Stella try different items like popcorn, pickles, or peas, and they can root for her as she helps with the cooking process, collecting ingredients from her garden. As Stella wears the heart necklace from her nana and the apron from her great-grandmother, kids can think about what unique and special items they may have from their family members. Kids can ask their adults questions about their ancestors, their faith traditions, and what makes their family special.  It is always rewarding when adults love a book as much as kids. Can you share its appeal for the parents? I totally agree, and I think adults sharing this book with young readers will definitely relate to this story. At its heart, it’s an intergenerational story about how a family shares recipes, food, and love through the years. I was inspired by the strong women in my family who shared holidays and traditions with me, and I am passing that forward to my three children. While this is a specific story about Stella and how she wants to find her place in her family, it is also a universal story about how food, culture, family heritage, and love bind us together. Adults can use the book as a jumping off point for discussions about family stories, important family memories, and family traditions. I hope that readers of all ages will see something of their family in this book. What did you learn by working on this book? I always do lots of research about my topics, and even if the material doesn’t make its way into the story, I feel that it adds depth and context to my writing. Here, I learned how so many cultures make a type of stuffed cabbage recipe, depending on what ingredients are available. As I travel, I hope to try stuffed cabbage rolls in many different locations! A book and cabbage roll tour! Sounds wonderful! Are there any secrets about the process you can share? I dedicated this book to my mother and my nana because they always shared stories, life lessons, family history, holiday recipes, and loads of love. While writing the manuscript, I spent a day with my mother and youngest daughter perfecting the stuffed cabbage recipe that is featured at the end of the book, and we took lots of photos. I cherish this time and memory – my mom passed away in 2024, but she did know that the manuscript was acquired and that the story inspired by our family traditions would become a book. I am so grateful to Kar-Ben for believing in this story!  Well, congratulations, Melissa! I really enjoyed Stella's character and her joyful yet thoughtful approach to cooking with her Mama. It is an uplifting and heartwarming read-aloud! Do you have any final words? I am so excited for this story to be releasing soon from Kar-Ben Publishing. This is truly a story of my heart, and I love how there are so many heartfelt words and images throughout the book. I imagine doing school visits and asking the children to find the hearts as we read! And also, while this story is centered around the Jewish New Year holiday, it’s really a story that is applicable all throughout the year. I can’t wait to share this story with children and their adults! Thank you again, Moni, for featuring STELLA’S SPECIAL RECIPE on your blog! Preorder your copy today! Stella's Special Recipe: A Rosh Hashanah Story  Melissa Stoller writes to bring heartfelt connection and joy to her readers. Melissa’s newest picture book, Stella’s Special Recipe: A Rosh Hashanah Story, illustrated by Valerya Milovanova, releases from Kar-Ben Publishing on August 4, 2026. Her recent picture books include: Hazel and Mabel: Two Hearts Apart, illustrated by Anita Bagdi (Gnome Road Publishing, 2025) and Mojo’s Return: A Story of Resilience and Hope, illustrated by Uzi Binyamin (co-authored with Lishay Miran Lavi and Mary Millman) (Niv Publishing, 2025). Melissa is also the author of the chapter book The Enchanted Snow Globe Collection - Return to Coney Island, and the picture books Scarlet’s Magic Paintbrush; Ready, Set, GOrilla!; Sadie’s Shabbat Stories; Planting Friendship: Peace, Salaam, Shalom; and Building Bridges: Peace, Salaam, Shalom (co-written). Melissa is a Rate Your Story Judge, a Blogger for the Children’s Book Academy, a member of SCBWI, a Westhampton Beach Performing Arts Center Trustee, and a former school and synagogue trustee. In other chapters of her life, Melissa has worked as a lawyer, legal writing instructor, freelance writer/editor, and early childhood educator. She lives in New York City with her family and enjoys theatre, museums, and working with young readers at school and library visits. Additional resources by Melissa: Curriculum guide coming soon Curriculum materials and ideas 3 Question Interviews with Kidlit authors Connect on Instagram with the creators:
Melissa, Valerya, Karben Publishing What is your favorite stuffed cabbage special ingredient? Share it below!
0 Comments
|
By Topic
All Stella's Special Recipe Chasing the Light Friendship and Courage Hot Dog History Being a Full Time Illustrator Librarian stocking MG Titles Dog Tales The Pancake Menu Bookshow Getting a PB Agent She Self-Published Archives
July 2026
|
RSS Feed