No one in Shirley’s family thinks she’s old enough to help at the family store, even though she’s full of big ideas. But not even Shirley has been able to convince customers to buy gefiltefish. When Aunt Ida goes into labor, and Mama and Papa rush to the hospital, Mrs. Gottlieb and Shirley are on their own at the store. “Shirley wasted no time. She straightened. She decorated. She modernized. She advertised.” When her parents return, Shirley’s mother is pleased: The gefiltefish is gone! But when they look in the register her parents are dismayed. There’s so little money! It turns out Shirley gave the gefiltefish away with a “Buy anything and get a surprise!” offering: one can with every purchase. The next morning, however, neighbors are lined up out the door, waiting to buy more of the new (to them) delicacy. “You know Shirley, you have some pretty good ideas in that keppele after all.” The spirited illustrations are a perfect match for the energy of this story about a white Jewish girl living in a diverse neighborhood in the early 20th century. Yiddish words and phrases are incorporated throughout the story. (Ages 4-8)