Shanghai Sukkah

by Heidi Smith Hyde, Jing Jing Tsong (Illustrator)

Fleeing the Holocaust in Europe, Marcus moves with his family from Berlin to Shanghai, where he doubts this unfamiliar city will ever feel like home. But with help from his new friend Liang, and the answers to a rabbi's riddle, Marcus sets out to build a unique sukkah in time for the harvest festival of Sukkot.

Genres: Picture Books, Historical Fiction, Jewish, Holiday, Asia, World War II, China

32 pages, Kindle Edition

First published August 1, 2015

About the author

Heidi Smith Hyde is the director of education of Temple Sinai in Brookline, Massachusetts. She lives in Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts. Her books include Feivel's Flying Horses, a National Jewish Book Award Finalist, and Mendel's Accordion, winner of the Sugarman Award for Best Jewish Children's Book.

Reviews

[Lisa Vegan · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a wonderful friendship story! This is a lovely book, and perfect for readers looking for a good friendship story. It’s also a good introduction to Holocaust studies. One of the two main characters, Marcus, and his parents are among those who moved from Berlin/Nazi occupied Europe to Shanghai in order to save their lives. The other main character is a Chinese boy named Liang, who becomes good friends with Marcus. Via the story there is information about Sukkot and about the Moon Festival, two different cultural ways to celebrate the harvest season.

I knew the answer to the riddle right away, and I think many other readers will too, even some of the young listeners. It’s a great riddle and the riddles are a wonderful tradition.

The illustrations are lovely. In the illustrator bio section, it says: “Her technique, which layers color and texture, is influenced by her experiences working in traditional stone lithography and monoprints.” I think the art is beautiful.

There are two pages at the end with a historical note and photos, giving more information about Jewish refugees in Shanghai in the late 1930s-early 1940s.

4-1/2 stars

[Abigail · Rating 4 out of 5]

When Marcus and his family must leave Berlin in the years before World War II, the young Jewish boy mourns the loss of his home, and worries that he won't like his new life in Shanghai, where his family is headed. Although they are poor in this new place, and living in a crowded apartment building, Marcus soon adjusts, going to a newly established yeshiva, and making new friends. Amongst these is Liang, a young Chinese boy who aids Marcus and his Jewish peers, when they decide to build a Sukkah on the roof of their apartment building. Liang invited Marcus to join him in the local celebration of the Mid-Autumn Moon Festival, and gives him a riddle - "What adds light and warmth, even though you can't see it?" - the solution of which (friendship) proves what is truly valuable, and makes the Shanghai Sukkah the most beautiful Marcus has ever seen...

I found myself tearing up as I read the conclusion of author Heidi Smith Hyde's story in Shanghai Sukkah, which explores the power of friendship across cultural and religious lines. Although aware of the refugee community that settled in Shanghai before and during World War II - Ed Young mentions how his family befriended and took in a Jewish refugee couple in his autobiographical The House Baba Built: An Artist's Childhood in China - this is the first story I have read that centers that experience. Author Heidi Smith Hyde, whose historical Hannukah tale, Emanuel and the Hanukkah Rescue , was set in Colonial Massachusetts, seems to have a passion for exploring lesser-known chapters of the Jewish experience. I'm so glad she penned Shanghai Sukkah, as it is a poignant and ultimately heartwarming tale, highlighting an aspect of history not always explored in American children's books. The accompanying artwork from Jing Jing Tsong is colorful and engaging, and a two-page afterword, complete with photographs, gives more information about the Jewish community in Shanghai. Recommended to anyone looking for children's stories featuring Jewish refugees in the WWII era, or the holidays of Sukkot and the Mid-Autumn Moon Festival. Also recommended to anyone seeking stories about the beauty of cross-cultural friendship.

[Margaret Klein · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have known many Holocaust survivors who left Europe and made their way to Shanghai. About 40,000 Jews were rescued this way. This book describes the journey of a 10 year old boy who makes friends with a Chinese boy. Together they decorate a Sukkah. This year in my congregation we are marking Kristalnacht, the night of broken glass, with a presentation about Shanghai. I am using this book with the kids to talk about welcoming guests, going on a journey, and ultimately, friendship.

[Dennis Fischman · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very sweet children's book about a part of Jewish history that I knew about from Marge Piercy and her novel Gone to Soldiers and, more recently, from The Last Kings of Shanghai: The Rival Jewish Dynasties That Helped Create Modern China but that many adults, let alone children, have never heard of. The book will pique children's interest in WW II, Shanghai, Sukkot, and the Moon Festival in Chinese culture. My only objections are that the Chinese characters look very much like the Jewish characters (only with straight hair) and that we never meet any of Liang's family. 3.5 stars, rounded up.

[Shoshanna · Rating 5 out of 5]

I literally gasped while reading this picture book. An interesting part of Jewish history that I had never known is told in this book, about the Jewish families who moved to Shanghai before World War II to escape Nazism and the holocaust. Beautiful pictures, sweet story. Only problem, and this is a big one, there are not many girls in this book. I think the only woman is the mom... :/ But this is still an important book because of what it discusses and its message! :D

[Dhanashri Matondkar · Rating 5 out of 5]

No matter how many books I read about the world wars, there's always something new I come across, something that touches my heart...which stays with me ...
Shangai Sukkah is one such book which gave an insight into the lives of newly arrived Jewish refugees to Shanghai and their slow but sure assimilation in to the local community
At the end of the day we are all humans, with similar hopes and dreams and fears...
A truly beautiful story

[Chris · Rating 4 out of 5]

Here's another wonderful picture book that sheds light on yet another aspect of history that I was totally unaware of. It leaves me with many questions....are there still Jewish communities in Shanghai? I'll have to research farther. This was a book celebrating history, friendship, traditions, and cultures. Wonderful!

[Danielle T · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'll confess this is a part of history I am unfamiliar with (though unsurprised- in an age of countries having exclusion bans, refugees are limited to where they can flee), so a nice surprise when browsing kids picture books. Probably one to revisit later, but otherwise a nice cross-cultural story in a pre-WWII setting about friendship.

[King Kimi · Rating 5 out of 5]

I learned something new reading this book. China allowed immigration of the European Jews prior to World War II. They mainly settled in Shanghai. This book shares a story about friendship over the Sukkah holiday.

[Valencia · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was an excellent book! I really liked it and found it very interesting that Jewish people did emigrate to Shanghai to avoid Jewish persecution in Europe.

[Rowan Egoryshev · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a contemporary realistic fiction book meant for ages 5 to 9. It's about a kid named Marcus who moves with his family from Berlin to Shanghai during the Holocaust. Marcus meets a kid named Liang who makes his new city feel like home.

This is a wonderful book that thanks Shanghai for accepting so many refugees and shows how cultural diffusion can be a beautiful thing. It's a good book to read to a kid, because it can teach them about the red lantern festival, Sukkot, and it teaches them about cultural inclusivity. It also shows that kids who come from vastly different cultural backgrounds and who speak entirely different languages can be friends. This is also a good book to teach kids about history through an interesting lens. It's always better to teach history through personal stories, whether those are real or historical fiction. I think a kid would enjoy this book because it breathes life into an aspect of history that is not often explored, and does it through adorable and personable characters.

[Xixitang · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the best book to tell a story about a traditional Chinese festival. at the same time, it contains a misery history.

[KaitandMaddie · Rating 5 out of 5]

We loved the way this story explained about the Moon Festival and Sukkot.

[D · Rating 3 out of 5]

3+

[K.L. Bernard · Rating 5 out of 5]

In the 1930s Jewish families escaped from Berlin and the war and fled to Shanghai. A young boy named Marcus had to learn to adapt. He made a friend named Liang and they learned to communicate and became good friends. Marcus needed to build a Sukkah to celebrate the fall harvest holiday of when the Jewish recall the biblical days of wandering the desert, living in huts, after the Exodus from Egypt. The only place to build one is on the roof. Marcus and his friends worked hard but the Sukkah was very plain. After sharing in the Chinese Moon Festival with Liang perhaps there was a way to bring both holidays together and add zest to his Sukkah.

Author Heidi Smith Hyde shares a story of Jewish culture but also about what it must have been like for Jews living in China. Colorful illustrations depict the life style of that era. Simple sentence structure makes this a good read for beginners. The back of the book has a historical note that shares true stories alongside actual photos of Jews and their homes in Shanghai. Parents and teachers can discuss history, a people and their cultures.

[Barbara · Rating 3 out of 5]

When Marcus and his family flee Germany to escape Hitler's reprisals against Jews, he misses his friends and traditions. But in Shanghai, he finds a new friend in Liang as well as some new traditions. Both cultures celebrate harvest with a festival and various rituals. Marcus and his friends use bamboo to create a sukkah under which the family can celebrate on the roof. The structure is sturdy enough but seems plain to Marcus. His friend surprises him by adding Chinese lanterns for a touch of color, thus blending parts of both of their cultural practices. The story is sweetly moving, and the back matter describing how many Jews relocated to China between 1939 and 1941 is informative. There are even photographs showing how crowded the living conditions in Shanghai were. This is a useful book to expand what others know about the Holocaust and how one country opened its doors to those seeking a new home.

[Dione Basseri · Rating 4 out of 5]

I think my only criticism of this book is how much it glosses over the struggle of learning another's language in the beginning, but it just feels so off for that to have not been mentioned, but for a single line. After we're told they speak different languages, the book just moves on. I don't need a huge focus, but it bugged me.

I like this focus on a story of the Jews with which I was completely unfamiliar, and which will be similarly new to many people. There's just this block in my head that said Jewish refugees went to America, and this book makes sure we know that America wasn't the first refugee site, and wasn't even the friendliest.

A good book for teaching Jewish children more about their history, and for showing children of different backgrounds that we can all bond and get along. Great for a Jewish school or household.

[Maritza Mejia · Rating 5 out of 5]

A young boy named Marcus had to move with his family from Berlin to Shanghai. While playing in his new place with other Jewish boys, he made a new friend named Liang. Although they spoke different languages, they learned how to communicate and became good friends. Marcus needed to build a Sukkah to celebrate the fall harvest holiday. Marcus and his friends worked hard to keep his traditions abroad and found the only place to build one on the roof. Liang shared his harvest holiday called Moon Festival and added enthusiasm by bringing colorful lanterns to Marco’s Sukkah.
Keep traditions alive! I highly recommend this book.

[Maggie Mattmiller · Rating 4 out of 5]

I LOVE when I learn things from picture books. I had no idea that Jewish people in Germany among other countries fled to China! That in itself is a really cool topic to learn about! This book does a good job though of going one step past that, and introducing bits of each culture, and showing how they can go together. Really sweet book- I just wish it had more facts/information/real life examples. There has to be a memoir out there from someone who did this, right? The search is on...

This is a book I would love to have in my classroom library.

[Angie · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a story about a Jewish family who fled to Shanghai during WWII. The boy is disappointed because he doesn't think they can make a Sukkah like they had in Berlin. With the help of his friends he builds one, but it is his new Chinese friend who makes it spectacular with the addition of red lanterns. This book made me want to learn more about how China opened its doors to Jewish refugees. We don't think of China as an open or welcoming place today, so this is an interesting part of their history.

[Becca · Rating 4 out of 5]

Topics : Jewish religious traditions, Chinese traditions, friendship
Characters : two boys, one Chinese from Shanghai the other Jewish from Poland
Classroom relevance : presents perspectives not usually seen in children's literature (historical Jewish and Chinese)
Grade level(s) : 3rd+

Follows the friendship of two boys in Shanghai around WWII and how they bond despite language and cultural differences. (Doesn't include enough information about Chinese tradition, in my opinion)

[Edward Sullivan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fleeing the violent anti-Semitism in Germany that will soon grow into the Holocaust, Marcus moves with his family from Berlin to Shanghai, where with help from his new friend Liang, Marcus sets out to build a unique sukkah, including traditions of a Chinese harvest holiday, in time for the harvest festival of Sukkot. Good story with an informative historical note.

[Crystal · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed learning about this bit of history. I was unaware that Jewish people had fled to China prior to WWII. I think it helps give a broader picture of the past when we see these types of stories. I appreciated the back matter that also included photos from the time.

This will also be another book to add to our harvest festival displays and library lessons.

[Hannah]

I mean.

Really cool part of history I know nothing about, so that's neat. But the whole becoming friends without a common language thing is cute but ridiculous when they go on to have really complex conversations with each other and it never becomes clear just how much time has passed that allows them to describe in detail how their respective holidays work - AND trade riddles. Really?

[Dennis Liverani · Rating 4 out of 5]

Colorful pictures using colored pencils. These pictures are not real fancy but the author gets her point across. This story is about a Jewish family living in China. I like how Marcus meets his new friend Liang, not being able to communicate at first yet still able to be friends in the early 1900's was pretty cool as well.

[Jim · Rating 5 out of 5]

beautifully illustrated book about being a stranger in a strange land.

[Emily · Rating 5 out of 5]

It's so great when I learn something from picture books, other than how to say I love you in Dinosaur. This was a really interesting aspect of history that I had no idea about.

[Tanja · Rating 3 out of 5]

Beautiful illustrations and a story about new beginning, Jewish traditions, and friendship.
I liked it more for its message though than for the way it was told.