In Melissa Stoller’s picture book STELLA’S SPECIAL RECIPE: A ROSH HASHANAH STORY (Kar-Ben, 2026), illustrated by Valerya Milovanova, Stella learns about her family’s cabbage roll recipe that has been passed down for generations. Each family member adds their own special ingredient, and this year it’s Stella’s turn to add her spin on the recipe. As she prepares her cabbage rolls for the Rosh Hashanah celebration with her mom, Stella considers different ingredients and finds the perfect way to add her personal touch to the recipe. This multigenerational story offers a sweet look into how traditions are passed down through the generations. Valerya Milovanova’s adorable illustrations are warm and inviting. I look forward to learning more about this wonderful book. Welcome back, Melissa!
In STELLA’S SPECIAL RECIPE, Stella and her mom make stuffed cabbage, but more than that, they use a recipe that becomes a living document for their family. Can you tell me a bit about how many generations had a hand in the same recipe?
First – thank you so much, Barbara, for featuring STELLA’S SPECIAL RECIPE: A ROSH HASHANAH STORY on your blog! I’m so happy to chat with you.
This story is all about Stella – who is finally old enough to help cook her family’s favorite holiday recipe. Like her relatives, she wants to add her own special touch and a little bit of love to the dish. I appreciate your term for the recipe – “a living document.” That’s exactly what this special recipe is – a living, breathing part of Stella’s family that has been handed down through the generations, particularly through the women in Stella’s family. First, Stella’s great-grandmother Bubbe Sophie (whom Stella is named for) added diced onions and some cheek pinches to the recipe. Then Stella’s Nana added raisins and hugs. And Sophie’s mother added garlic and a hand squeeze. Stella tries and tries to find just the right ingredient, and eventually she does add her perfect sweet touch. I wanted to tell this story that includes the concept of l’dor v’dor – from generation to generation – to highlight the importance of sharing family recipes, heritage, stories, and love.
The book includes a recipe and photo at the end of the book. Is the story inspired by your family?
Yes! This book was inspired by the stuffed cabbage rolls that my nana Jessie, and my mother Connie, made for many Jewish holiday dinners. They taught me to make holiday recipes like this one, and we spent time together over the years – cooking, sharing family history and customs, and enjoying dashes and dollops of laughs and love. In fact, when I was getting ready to submit this manuscript, my mother spent the day with me and with my youngest daughter, Maddie, making sure the recipe was just right. Sadly, my mother passed away in 2024, but she knew and was thrilled that Kar-Ben had acquired the manuscript. I’m so happy she knew that our family recipe and holiday tradition inspired this book! I dedicated the book to my mother and Nana, “For all the special recipes and love they shared.”
What were your thoughts when you first saw the illustrations by Valerya Milovanova?
When I first saw Valerya’s exquisite artwork, it took my breath away! I absolutely adore the cover – it contains all the elements of the story, and puts Stella directly at the center of the action. And – I love how Valerya included so many details in her illustrations, such as: the heart necklace, butterflies, bees, all the fresh ingredients, and of course the recipe card. And I smile every time I see Stella’s expressions and her mother’s loving face as Stella helps prepare the dish. I also appreciate that Valerya hand-lettered the recipe at the end of the story. I know that young readers are enjoying finding all these special details on each page, and I hope they read the story over and over again.
Do you have a favorite illustration?
That’s a hard question – I truly love them all. A few of my favorites are the opening page, where Stella is looking at the recipe card and wondering if she could add her own special touch to the recipe, the page where she is considering ingredients to add like marshmallows and pickles, and the page toward the ending where Stella is adding her own handwriting to the recipe card. But truly, each page holds special surprises in the artwork that readers can discover!
What do you hope young readers take away from Stella’s story?
I hope that young readers see themselves in this book and relate to the idea of celebrating holiday traditions, talking with family members about older relatives and learning more about their stories, and maybe even cooking some recipes together. And – I hope readers are inspired by Stella’s can-do spirit and her willingness to try different things before landing on something that feels just right. In this story, that idea revolved around finding an ingredient to add to a treasured recipe, but the same blueprint can be used to try and try again in many different areas. And finally, children and their adults can think about all the special customs and objects, and all the love, that has been handed down in their families. Beyond that, I hope readers leave the story and perhaps want to try foods like stuffed cabbage rolls!
Thank you again for these wonderful questions, Barbara! I loved chatting with you! Happy reading!
Thank you, Melissa!
Melissa Stoller writes to bring heartfelt connection and joy to her readers. Melissa’s newest picture book, Stella’s Special Recipe: A Rosh Hashanah Story, illustrated by Valerya Milovanova, released from Kar-Ben Publishing on August 4, 2026. Her recent picture books include: Hazel and Mabel: Two Hearts Apart, illustrated by Anita Bagdi (Gnome Road Publishing, 2025) and Mojo’s Return: A Story of Resilience and Hope, illustrated by Uzi Binyamin (co-authored with Lishay Miran Lavi and Mary Millman) (Niv Publishing, 2025). Melissa is a Blogger for the Children’s Book Academy, a Rate Your Story Judge, a member of SCBWI, a Westhampton Beach Performing Arts Center Trustee, and a former school and synagogue trustee. In other chapters of her life, Melissa has worked as a lawyer, legal writing instructor, freelance writer/editor, and early childhood educator. She lives in New York City with her family, and enjoys theatre, museums, and cooking special holiday recipes.