Lily's Hong Kong Honey Cake

"Lily’s Hong Kong Honey Cake is a captivating tale weaving together resilience, community, and the power of tradition. It offers young readers a valuable lesson in Jewish history that should never be forgotten." — Abby Lester, Director of the Global Archives of the American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee (JDC)

When Lily is three, she and her family leave Austria and their bakery because of harassment against Jews. They eat their honey cakes on a ship. In 1940, when she is four, and for several more years, Lily celebrates Rosh Hashanah at their new bakery in Shanghai with honey cakes. At age eight, there is little food and no cake. When Lily is nine, the family leaves Shanghai for Hong Kong, where they live in a crowded hotel as refugees. At ten, on Rosh Hashanah, Lily helps the hotel chef make honey cakes, even without honey.

Full-page spreads show each year of Lily’s early life, on Rosh Hashanah. The language and content are repetitive in word or concept—cleverly done, showing that even when things change, some things remain the same. The war and deprivation are hinted at, but the bright colors show the hope and love of Lily’s family. End pages include a map of the fictional Lily’s journey, and detailed information about the Jewish diaspora to Asia. An enjoyable, inspiring story. Ages 3-8. --The Historical Novel Society

"Set amidst the lesser-known history of Jewish refugees’ experiences in Shanghai and Hong Kong during and after the Second World War, Lily’s Hong Kong Honey Cake is a sweet illustration of Jewish tradition, community spirit and human resilience during difficult times, gently inspiring hope and strength. A cozy and heartwarming read." —Fanny Lu, Executive Director of The Hong Kong Heritage Project

"Lily’s Hong Kong Honey Cake is a captivating tale weaving together resilience, community, and the power of tradition. It offers young readers a valuable lesson in Jewish history that should never be forgotten." — Abby Lester, Director of the Global Archives of the American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee (JDC)

When Lily is three, she and her family leave Austria and their bakery because of harassment against Jews. They eat their honey cakes on a ship. In 1940, when she is four, and for several more years, Lily celebrates Rosh Hashanah at their new bakery in Shanghai with honey cakes. At age eight, there is little food and no cake. When Lily is nine, the family leaves Shanghai for Hong Kong, where they live in a crowded hotel as refugees. At ten, on Rosh Hashanah, Lily helps the hotel chef make honey cakes, even without honey.

Full-page spreads show each year of Lily’s early life, on Rosh Hashanah. The language and content are repetitive in word or concept—cleverly done, showing that even when things change, some things remain the same. The war and deprivation are hinted at, but the bright colors show the hope and love of Lily’s family. End pages include a map of the fictional Lily’s journey, and detailed information about the Jewish diaspora to Asia. An enjoyable, inspiring story. Ages 3-8. --The Historical Novel Society

"Set amidst the lesser-known history of Jewish refugees’ experiences in Shanghai and Hong Kong during and after the Second World War, Lily’s Hong Kong Honey Cake is a sweet illustration of Jewish tradition, community spirit and human resilience during difficult times, gently inspiring hope and strength. A cozy and heartwarming read." —Fanny Lu, Executive Director of The Hong Kong Heritage Project