“The illustrations [for The Challah Girl] are remarkably lovely and wondrous too, so it is just the kind of book that can repeatedly make bedtime a loving and cozy time to share with a precious child...[This book] also inspires children, in a delightfully creative way, to want to participate in challah baking experiences themselves. Even more subtly, this book instills the desire to show sensitivity and caring to others, as well as having confidence in one’s unique abilities to make a significant impact.”

“The Challah Girl, a charming new illustrated Jewish story for children and young adults, is a traditional fairy tale that carries much contemporary meaning.

[...] Zlatah Leah thus begins the hero’s journey, which, as one might expect, is met with many challenges...It is here that the author skillfully uses the ostensibly simple fairy tale structure to address topics such as sadness, reliance upon one’s strengths (noting that an excess of pride is different than inner belief in one’s capabilities), the utility of prayer, the healing power of gratitude and being concerned for the welfare of others rather than merely for yourself. Sharp, however, weaves these spiritual ideas seamlessly into her story so they are not presented in a didactic or overstated manner. They flow naturally out of the fanciful and engaging tale.

Illustrator Anita Tung’s unpretentious and detailed draftsmanship complements the tone of the narrative. Through Tung’s thoughtful and colorful mixed media paintings, the reader is able to inhabit both Zlatah Leah’s tight-knit Jewish community as well as the royal palace, and is brought closer to experiencing Zlatah Leah’s emotions through the nuanced attention to her expressions.”

“The Challah Girl,” a picture book by author Bracha K. Sharp, bridges the gap between out-of-date and timely in a way that is fun and fresh. The bones of the tale, which involves a despondent prince, his anxious parents, and a community-wide quest to cheer him up, feel familiar, but the author’s lightly humorous writing and contemporary-minded updates serve to make this story timeless.

Particularly well-done is Sharp’s wry refusal to assume that any commoner would leap at a chance to marry a prince, and she weaves the importance of personal compatibility into this ageless formula with a deft touch.

In the scope of the beautifully illustrated tale, values such as compassion, creativity, and persistence are highlighted, in a way subtle enough that the reader will not feel “preached at.”

Moreover, the focus on challah is an excellent choice, as it highlights this important Jewish ritual in a way that is so appealing...”

“The miss­ing ingre­di­ent is nei­ther flour, hon­ey, nor the prop­er num­ber of eggs. Zla­tah Leah’s recipe does the trick because she refus­es to let the many obsta­cles she faces deter her from her goal, and her most impor­tant ingre­di­ents are gen­er­ous help­ings of care and con­cern, accom­pa­nied by prayers for the prince’s wel­fare. The hap­pi­ly-ever-after end­ing, in which the young bak­er wins both a new job and roman­tic love, empha­sizes hard work and seri­ous­ness of pur­pose, remind­ing the read­er that even love between a prince and a loy­al sub­ject needs to be earned by hav­ing them get to know one anoth­er and by shar­ing a com­mon goal.

The pas­tel and mixed media illus­tra­tions show facial expres­sions, while evok­ing a far-away fan­ta­sy king­dom and sub­tly draw the read­er into this tale of love, gen­eros­i­ty, and delec­table, mouth-water­ing challah.”

“In her debut book, Sharp provides a pleasing, well-told variation on classic fairy-tale motifs: the unsmiling royal, three attempts at success, and a happy ending. Though Jewish children may especially like seeing their culture centered, any reader can enjoy it. Tung provides folk art­–style illustrations in rich, earthy shades that feel as warmly inviting as the story itself [...] A charming, well-illustrated fairy tale about nurturing happiness.”