Larry’s Latkes

Larry the alligator has made latkes – potato pancakes – every year at Hanukkah time, following Grandma Gator’s family recipe, and the customers queue round the block. One year he wonders if there’s more to latkes than just potatoes? Off he hurries to the market, where he buys peppers, turnips and yellow pears, but no potatoes.

The only problem is that now all his latkes turn out sloppy or too sweet. Perhaps Granny Gator was right after all?

With a recipe for Rainbow Latkes at the back, along with the story of Hannukah, and the history of the potato pancake tradition, this is an informative as well as entertaining book. The rhyming text draws the reader steadily through Larry’s cooking disasters, and the bright illustrations show an animal-led world with lovely details, such as Larry’s helpful friends. It is published by a US publisher, but is available in the UK as well.