OY! WayToo Many Latkes: A Hanukkah Story in Chelm by Linda Glaser

Everyone in Chelm agrees that when it comes to latkes for Hanukkah, Faigel makes the best in her village. But this year, Faigel can't remember her special recipe! Her husband comes in with a big basket of fresh potatoes. Even he knows she needs potatoes to make latkes.

"BUT HOW MANY?" MOANED FAIGEL.

I'LL ASK THE RABBI," SAID SHMUEL.

"WHAT DOES A RABBI KNOW? BUBKES! NOTHING!" WAILED FAIGLE.

"HE IS THE WISEST MAN IN CHELM," INSISTED SHMUEL.

The rabbi of Chelm's stomach is already rumbling at the thought of crispy Hanukkah latkes when Shmuel arrives with his question: How many potatoes does Faigel need for her latkes?

"ALL OF THEM!" PRONOUNCED THE RABBI. "THAT'S WHAT POTATOES ARE FOR AT HANUKKAH!"

"YOU ARE SO WISE" SAID SHMUEL.

Soon Faigel has peeled and grated the whole batch of potatoes. Now she needs chopped onions. But how many for such a lot of potatoes?

Back goes Shmuel to ask the wise Rabbi, who says she should chop all she's got. On Hanukkah, onions are meant for latkes. Weeping from the onions, Faigel chops and chops. But now Faigel has no idea how many eggs she needs to mix in this huge batch of latkes.

"HOW MANY HAVE YOU GOT?" THE RABBI SAID.

Shmuel can hardly believe what the Rabbi is saying, but back he goes, and Faigel mixes and stirs and begins to fry up latkes. Soon she's up to her eyebrows in delicious golden cakes. But how can Faigel and Shmuel EAT so many? They only have two mouths, you know. Back to the Rabbi's house goes Shmuel.

"THERE'S NO SUCH THING AS TOO MANY LATKES!" CRIES THE RABBI. "YOU NEED MORE MOUTHS!

And the rabbi calls out the whole village of Chelm, mouths and all, and along with the wisest of rabbis, nobody's stomach is grumbling that day as they finish off Faigel and Shmuel's latkes together.

And on Hanukkah, that's what mouths are for, in Linda Glaser's comic tale of the famous foolish people of Chelm, in her Way Too Many Latkes: A Hanukkah in Chelm (KAR-BEN Books). Humorously and deliciously illustrated by Aleksandar Zolotic, in elaborate and charming scenes of manic cookery, this story of too much of a good thing is a tasty treat for the holiday season, one that makes even people who've never had a latke long for one--or more. Share this one with Tomie de Paola's similarly-themed and delightful noodle tale, of the foolish helper who tries out the magic pasta pot and happily fills his little town with pasta for everyone, Strega Nona.