NOT THIS TURKEY

Jessica Steinberg

Picture Books, Albert Whitman, 2016

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Mel's family has never celebrated Thanksgiving before. But when his father wins a giant turkey in a raffle at work, and leads it home on a leash via the New York City subway system, the Silberklang family decides to start a new tradition. Mel and his little brother befriend the turkey as it lives with them in their tenement apartment in Williamsburg for the days leading up to Thanksgiving; they even name it Indik, the Yiddish word for turkey. Mel is excited that they will be celebrating Thanksgiving, which he's heard about in school -  but he's heartbroken when he find out that Thanksgiving will mean the end of his new pet.

When Mr. Cohen, the butcher, tells Mel and his father that the turkey is too old to eat, Mel secretly rejoices. His father however, has no idea what he's going to tell Mrs. Silberklang when he comes home from the butcher empty-handed. "Eat the side dishes, those are the best part of the meal, anyway," the butcher tells him, and so, the Silberklang family decides to have kugel for Thanksgiving instead. And Indik? He moves in to the butcher's yard and gets to eat all the leftovers.

The book will include a recipe for Cranberry Apple Kugel.

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Rights Sold:

World rights: Albert Whitman

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