What do you think?
Rate this book
Ellie's Deli: In a Pickle!: Vol. 2
Ellie's Deli: In a Pickle, is the sequel to Wishing on Matzo Ball Soup! After saving her family’s deli from going out of business, 11-year-old Ellie is ready to embark on her next mission—plan her friend’s Bat Mitzvah party.
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, 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
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, 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
224 pages, Hardcover
Published September 17, 2024
About the author
Lisa Greenwald
41 books513 followersA long bio can be kind of boring, so instead I'm going to pretend
that a famous journalist (maybe Barbara Walters) is interviewing me.
The only thing is, I'm making up the questions.
If you think of any other questions you'd like me to answer, send me an email and ask away!
Q. Where did you grow up?
A. I lived in Fairfield, Connecticut until the end of fifth grade and then I moved to Roslyn Heights, New York. That's on Long Island. But I don't have a bad Lawn Guyland accent, I promise.
Q. Do you have any siblings?
A. Yes, I have two younger brothers. I always wanted a sister, but it's kind of nice being the only daughter in the family, and my brothers and I are really close.
Q. What about the rest of your family? Are you close with them too?
A. Yes, family is really important to me. I talk to my parents and grandparents every day.
Q. Are you married?
A. Yes, to a fabulous guy named Dave. We met at sleep away camp when I was sixteen.
Q. Do you have any kids?
A. Yes, my daughter Aleah Violet Rosenberg was born on May 28th, 2010 and I personally think she's the cutest baby in the world, but of course I am biased.
Q. Do you have any pets?
A. I had a miniature toy poodle named Yoffi, but he died in 2007. I miss him so much.
Q. That's sad. Do you think you will get another dog?
A. I would love to adopt one very soon!
Q. What is your favorite book?
A. Tuck Everlasting by Natalie Babbitt is my favorite book in the whole entire world. I read it in sixth grade in Ms. Mayer's class. I have read many books since then, but Tuck Everlasting is still my absolute favorite.
Q. What is your favorite movie?
A. I have two. Clueless and Avalon.
Q. What's one of the craziest things that's ever happened to you?
A. I won a radio contest at the end of eighth grade! Someone from Z100 called me up and asked me to say the "phrase that pays" and I answered correctly. I won a thousand dollars.
Q. Did you always want to be a writer?
A. No, not always. I wanted to be a hair stylist, then a concert pianist, then a rabbi. But I always loved making up stories, so I think writing is the perfect job for me.
Q. Where did you go to college?
A. I went to Binghamton University in upstate New York. I was an English major with a concentration in creative writing. It's reallllllllly cold in Binghamton. Then two years after I graduated college, I went to The New School to get my MFA in writing for children.
Q. You mentioned that you met Dave at sleep away camp. Did you really like sleep away camp?
A. YES! I loved it. I went to Eisner Camp in Great Barrington, Massachusetts. I would go back to camp forever if only I could. Sleep away camp is the best place in the world.
Q. Tell me some other things you really like.
A. Okay. Here's a short list: sleeping late, fancy hotels, reading and writing (duh!,) peanut m&ms, flip flops, sweatpants, people watching, New York City, cheese omelets, weddings, pedicures, looking at old pictures and re-reading old cards and letters.
Q. Tell me some things you really dislike.
A. Peas, mean people, rats and mice, sweating, pants and skirts with a side zipper, spicy food, uncomfortable shoes, people clipping their nails on the subway, feeling lonely or thinking about other people who might feel lonely.
Q. MY LIFE IN PINK & GREEN is about a pharmacy. Do you really like pharmacies?
A. Yes, I love them! I love the way they smell and the way the aisles are arranged. I love when the pharmacists know the customers and I love looking at all the beauty products.
Q. Do you write every day?
A. I try to, but in addition to writing I also work in the library at The Birch Wathen Lenox School in Manhattan. I love being around kids and books and talking to kids about books!
Q. I don't have any more questions. Is there anything else you'd like to add?
A. Just that I hope readers like my book, and I'd love to hear from all of them if they want to talk to me!
that a famous journalist (maybe Barbara Walters) is interviewing me.
The only thing is, I'm making up the questions.
If you think of any other questions you'd like me to answer, send me an email and ask away!
Q. Where did you grow up?
A. I lived in Fairfield, Connecticut until the end of fifth grade and then I moved to Roslyn Heights, New York. That's on Long Island. But I don't have a bad Lawn Guyland accent, I promise.
Q. Do you have any siblings?
A. Yes, I have two younger brothers. I always wanted a sister, but it's kind of nice being the only daughter in the family, and my brothers and I are really close.
Q. What about the rest of your family? Are you close with them too?
A. Yes, family is really important to me. I talk to my parents and grandparents every day.
Q. Are you married?
A. Yes, to a fabulous guy named Dave. We met at sleep away camp when I was sixteen.
Q. Do you have any kids?
A. Yes, my daughter Aleah Violet Rosenberg was born on May 28th, 2010 and I personally think she's the cutest baby in the world, but of course I am biased.
Q. Do you have any pets?
A. I had a miniature toy poodle named Yoffi, but he died in 2007. I miss him so much.
Q. That's sad. Do you think you will get another dog?
A. I would love to adopt one very soon!
Q. What is your favorite book?
A. Tuck Everlasting by Natalie Babbitt is my favorite book in the whole entire world. I read it in sixth grade in Ms. Mayer's class. I have read many books since then, but Tuck Everlasting is still my absolute favorite.
Q. What is your favorite movie?
A. I have two. Clueless and Avalon.
Q. What's one of the craziest things that's ever happened to you?
A. I won a radio contest at the end of eighth grade! Someone from Z100 called me up and asked me to say the "phrase that pays" and I answered correctly. I won a thousand dollars.
Q. Did you always want to be a writer?
A. No, not always. I wanted to be a hair stylist, then a concert pianist, then a rabbi. But I always loved making up stories, so I think writing is the perfect job for me.
Q. Where did you go to college?
A. I went to Binghamton University in upstate New York. I was an English major with a concentration in creative writing. It's reallllllllly cold in Binghamton. Then two years after I graduated college, I went to The New School to get my MFA in writing for children.
Q. You mentioned that you met Dave at sleep away camp. Did you really like sleep away camp?
A. YES! I loved it. I went to Eisner Camp in Great Barrington, Massachusetts. I would go back to camp forever if only I could. Sleep away camp is the best place in the world.
Q. Tell me some other things you really like.
A. Okay. Here's a short list: sleeping late, fancy hotels, reading and writing (duh!,) peanut m&ms, flip flops, sweatpants, people watching, New York City, cheese omelets, weddings, pedicures, looking at old pictures and re-reading old cards and letters.
Q. Tell me some things you really dislike.
A. Peas, mean people, rats and mice, sweating, pants and skirts with a side zipper, spicy food, uncomfortable shoes, people clipping their nails on the subway, feeling lonely or thinking about other people who might feel lonely.
Q. MY LIFE IN PINK & GREEN is about a pharmacy. Do you really like pharmacies?
A. Yes, I love them! I love the way they smell and the way the aisles are arranged. I love when the pharmacists know the customers and I love looking at all the beauty products.
Q. Do you write every day?
A. I try to, but in addition to writing I also work in the library at The Birch Wathen Lenox School in Manhattan. I love being around kids and books and talking to kids about books!
Q. I don't have any more questions. Is there anything else you'd like to add?
A. Just that I hope readers like my book, and I'd love to hear from all of them if they want to talk to me!
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
May 31, 2024
E ARC provided by Edelweiss Plus
Ellie should be able to relax now that her Bubbe's deli, Lukshen, has been saved from being redeveloped by Nina's father, but there is still a lot going on. She's behind in her school work, and her advisor has called her parents and wants her to come in early in the morning for tutoring. Not only that, but she has agreed to help Ava's cousin Charlie find a venue for her bat mitzvah celebration after the venue her mother booked closed down. Ellie wants to help everyone, but it's not working out the way she would like, and making her very stressed. Adding to this stress is the drama that Nina seems to bring with her to every relationship. She seems dedicated to pitting friends against each other and accelerating the drama by asking why no one likes her. When Nina's father has a meeting at Lukshen, the answer to one of Ellie's problems becomes clear: he wants the deli to turn unused upstairs space into an event center. Charlie could hold her party there, and one of Bubbe's friends is a retired event planner who would be glad to help. The only problem? Architects are getting involved, so it looks like the upstairs won't be ready for a year, and Ellie needs it in a MONTH. Even though she is spending more time on her schoolwork (and, not surprisingly, doing better!), she has a lot of anxiety and frequently finds herself using the calming techniques that she knows. After Nina is suspended for mean social media posts, she makes some progress in how she treats others, she still has a lot of work to do. She finally tells her mother and grandmother that she needs some help, and they are able to work with Charlie's mother to have the perfect place for the celebration.
Strengths: Like the first book, Ellie's Deli (https://msyinglingreads.blogspot.com/...) this has a delightful combination of friend drama, illustrations, and RECIPES. I loved the setting of the neighborhood and the deli, and the fact that Ellie enjoyed hanging out there, talking to her grandmother's friends. The friend drama with Nina is so spot on; there's always that one girl who just seems to delight in stirring the pot and getting everyone upset. I've never understood it, but Ellie and her friends deal with it pretty well, talking to each other and getting some help from adults. Like Greenwald's Absolutely, Positively Natty, Ellie is having some realistic problems controlling her emotions and her reactions to other people, but she still has lots of positive interactions and has some fun! Her family is generally supportive, and her sisters appear just enough for us to understand her dynamics with them. I hope that Ellie is able to grow up and run the deli!
Weaknesses: Admittedly, this is a strange complaint: the recipes, while very interesting, don't always correspond to the food being mentioned in the text. It's not a problem, but when rugelach was mentioned towards the end of the book and there wasn't a recipe, it occurred to me that I wanted recipes for things that Ellie was making or eating!
What I really think: I think we need to order up a middle grade trend on family run food shops! What titles can you recall that would go along with Oh's Haru, Zombie Dog Hero, Granillo's Cruzita and the MariacherosCruzita and the Mariacheros, Leali's The Truth About Triangles, The Truth About Triangles, Kuo's In a Beautiful CountryIn a Beautiful Country, Karthik DeliversKarthik Delivers, and Hiranandani's How To Find What You're Not Looking For.
Ellie should be able to relax now that her Bubbe's deli, Lukshen, has been saved from being redeveloped by Nina's father, but there is still a lot going on. She's behind in her school work, and her advisor has called her parents and wants her to come in early in the morning for tutoring. Not only that, but she has agreed to help Ava's cousin Charlie find a venue for her bat mitzvah celebration after the venue her mother booked closed down. Ellie wants to help everyone, but it's not working out the way she would like, and making her very stressed. Adding to this stress is the drama that Nina seems to bring with her to every relationship. She seems dedicated to pitting friends against each other and accelerating the drama by asking why no one likes her. When Nina's father has a meeting at Lukshen, the answer to one of Ellie's problems becomes clear: he wants the deli to turn unused upstairs space into an event center. Charlie could hold her party there, and one of Bubbe's friends is a retired event planner who would be glad to help. The only problem? Architects are getting involved, so it looks like the upstairs won't be ready for a year, and Ellie needs it in a MONTH. Even though she is spending more time on her schoolwork (and, not surprisingly, doing better!), she has a lot of anxiety and frequently finds herself using the calming techniques that she knows. After Nina is suspended for mean social media posts, she makes some progress in how she treats others, she still has a lot of work to do. She finally tells her mother and grandmother that she needs some help, and they are able to work with Charlie's mother to have the perfect place for the celebration.
Strengths: Like the first book, Ellie's Deli (https://msyinglingreads.blogspot.com/...) this has a delightful combination of friend drama, illustrations, and RECIPES. I loved the setting of the neighborhood and the deli, and the fact that Ellie enjoyed hanging out there, talking to her grandmother's friends. The friend drama with Nina is so spot on; there's always that one girl who just seems to delight in stirring the pot and getting everyone upset. I've never understood it, but Ellie and her friends deal with it pretty well, talking to each other and getting some help from adults. Like Greenwald's Absolutely, Positively Natty, Ellie is having some realistic problems controlling her emotions and her reactions to other people, but she still has lots of positive interactions and has some fun! Her family is generally supportive, and her sisters appear just enough for us to understand her dynamics with them. I hope that Ellie is able to grow up and run the deli!
Weaknesses: Admittedly, this is a strange complaint: the recipes, while very interesting, don't always correspond to the food being mentioned in the text. It's not a problem, but when rugelach was mentioned towards the end of the book and there wasn't a recipe, it occurred to me that I wanted recipes for things that Ellie was making or eating!
What I really think: I think we need to order up a middle grade trend on family run food shops! What titles can you recall that would go along with Oh's Haru, Zombie Dog Hero, Granillo's Cruzita and the MariacherosCruzita and the Mariacheros, Leali's The Truth About Triangles, The Truth About Triangles, Kuo's In a Beautiful CountryIn a Beautiful Country, Karthik DeliversKarthik Delivers, and Hiranandani's How To Find What You're Not Looking For.
December 19, 2024
Ellie is still dealing with a lot of anxiety in this book. She has three main things she is worrying about -- she is falling behind in her schoolwork, her friend group seems to be splitting up, and she promised to help Ava's cousin Charlie find a venue to save her Bat Mitzvah party. That's a lot for anyone, especially a sixth grader. Fans of the first book will definitely enjoy this one. This reads a little young, with illustrations throughout, and would be appropriate for 4th grade and up. I love that there are recipes! I recommend reading the series in order for it to make the most sense.
eARC provided by publisher via Edelweiss
eARC provided by publisher via Edelweiss
September 21, 2024
This second book in the Ellie's Deli series is just as much fun as the first one: Wishing on Matzo Ball Soup. Now that the Deli is safe, Elli should have time to concentrate on her school work. But when her best friend's cousin suddenly loses the venue for her Bat Mitzvah party, Ellie is begged to help solve the problem. Ellie wants to help others, but she needs to deal with over-welming school work and a changing balance in her friendship group. Readers can identify with Ellie who tries to handle everything by herself and must learn to know when to ask for help. This delightful story includes lots of cute line drawings and yummy recipes.
October 12, 2024
What I liked: This second book in the Ellie’s Deli series is just as fun as the first. Great to have a YA with Jewish representation.
What I disliked: The recipes interspersed among the chapters should have corresponded to food being eaten in the story.
What I disliked: The recipes interspersed among the chapters should have corresponded to food being eaten in the story.
May 14, 2024
Thank Edelweiss for the eARC, this is the second in the series, the first is equally great. Fun middle school read with lots of non preachy life lessons
June 16, 2025
Love this series by Greenwald. Hope to read more stories about Ellie and Lukshen Deli!
May 22, 2026
This book was great! It really explore some of the struggles teens go through, and I thought it had a great plot, though it was very easy reading for me
June 7, 2026
Got this for my great-niece Ellie, so had to read it. SO REPETITIVE and feel as if I also completely read the first book while reading this one.
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews