Asher and the Capmakers
By Eric A. Kimmel
Eric Kimmel manages to combine tales from Irish, English, and Eastern European folklore in this fanciful story. When Asher's mother needs some eggs to make latkes, Asher offers to go to borrow an egg from a neighbor. This sets into motion a series of events including a blizzard, a trapped fox, a group of capmakers, and a magical trip to Jerusalem. Asher finds himself in a situation where he may be trapped in Jerusalem forever (or hanged on the orders of the pasha) until he comes up with a clever way to go home. Children will love the fantasy setting and the characters Asher meets along the way. A brief author's note explains the origin of a number of the themes and terms used in the story. An excellent choice for preschoolers and early elementary-aged children.
Our Eight Nights of Hanukkah
By Michael J. Rosen
Rosen follows a family through their traditional celebration of Hanukkah. After each activity, there's an explanation of its meaning in the context of the original miracle. On the first night, they read the story of Judah Maccabee and the narrator comments that "nobody in that story gave Hanukkah presents....They were just glad to be free to be Jews." The second night they go to Grandma's and Grandpa's, where Grandma fixes latkes fried in oil. The third night they fix up some of their toys and clothes that they don't think they'll use next year. "Mom likes to remind us that Jews believe in tzedakah, which means that even little kids have something extra they can share." Other nights find them going to the temple party, inviting friends to their home, playing dreidel, bringing their gifts to a shelter, and helping a Christian family trim their tree. "Did I tell you that our Hanukkah is also about people of different religions living alongside one another?" The eighth and last night is for Dad's summary of the meaning, the miracle, and the lights. Every page of this book is a quiet celebration. DiSalvo's paintings are soft and impressionistic, yet full of joy and sweet details of the loving family, their friends, and their faith.
Our Eight Nights of Hanukkah features a family celebrating Hanukkah with new twists on old traditions. They use their great-grandmother's silver menorah ("the oldest thing in the house"). Before the family members can receive gifts, they go through their old clothes and toys and wrap them in homemade paper to donate to a local shelter. They also include their non-Jewish neighbors in their Hanukkah celebrations, and even bring their menorah to their neighbor's house so they can light the menorah while their neighbor trims the Christmas tree. This is a superb book for helping families institute new traditions, especially those involving tzedekeh and friendship.
Inside-Out Grandma :
A Hanukkah Story
By Joan Rothenberg
The Tie Man's Miracle :
A Chanukah Story
By Steven Schnur
Schnur leaves plenty of room for adults to introduce information about the Holocaust (which he describes only as "a terrible war" ) to children if they feel the time is right, and although there's a sense of miracles in the making (as expected, the candles burn down together), there's no pushy resolution: Seth is left to wonder whether, indeed, his generous wish for the old man really comes true. Johnson's fluid watercolors are really quite fine, giving all the characters, especially Mr. Hoffman, substance, individuality, and dignity. Not simply a book about the holiday, this quiet, heartfelt, affirmative intergenerational story speaks to the bonds that hold us all fast and to our belief in miracles. Ideal for lap sharing and for using with small groups.
Hanukkah: The Festival of Lights
By Barbara Soloff-Levy
The Ugly Menorah
By Marissa Moss
Rachel spends the first Hanukkah since her grandfather died at her grandmother's house. She misses her grandfather terribly and the house just doesn't seem the same without him. When it comes time to light the Hanukkah candles, Rachel's grandmother doesn't use a shiny silver menorah like her parents do, but she instead uses a simple wooden board wtih small tin cylinders. When Rachel comments how ugly it is, her grandmother tells the Depression-era story of how her grandfather made the menorah out of scraps when they couldn't afford a store-bought menorah. She finally comes to realize that the wooden menorah is beautiful and she comes to feel that her grandfather is with her again. Marissa Moss effectively brings together themes of dealing with the loss of a grandparent with the Hanukkah time that children will most often feel their grandparent's absence. Children will be able to relate to Rachel's sense of loss. Parents can use this as a springboard for discussions on ways to remember lost grandparents or how heirlooms represent family history.
The Eight Nights of Hanukkah
By Judy Nayer
Happening Hanukkah: Creative Ways to Celebrate
By Debra Mostow Zakarin
This how-to book focuses on how to create homemade Hanukkah gifts and how to throw a perfect Hanukkah party (complete with recipes, songs, and games to play). While some projects have a more secular feel (i.e., friendship bracelets), others are clearly for Hanukkah (wooden and edible menorahs). Incidentally, the recipes for the Hanukkah party include three Israeli dishes and a latkes recipe is only tucked in the back. Overall, this is a good book for creative Hanukkah projects.
Hanukkah Fun : Great Things to Make and Do
By Judy Bastyra
Hanukkah Trivia: Over 150 Fascinating Facts About Hanukkah
By Jennie Miller Helderman & Mary Caulkins
One Yellow Daffodil :
A Hanukkah Story
What a beautifully written story about the rekindling of light in the life of a Holocaust survivor! Morris Kaplan leads a quiet existence, surrounded by the beautiful blossoms in his shop and looking forward only to the frequent visits of Ilana and Jonathan, who buy flowers for Shabbat and special occasions. He shows his appreciation by loading them up with far more bouquets than their few dollars could actually purchase; they reciprocate by inviting him to celebrate Hanukkah with their family. The warmth and joy of their holiday observance melts the ice which has long encased his sad memories, and Morris himself blooms again, as did the flower of the title in the dark days of Auschwitz. The pictures are stunning, from deepest darks to glorious lights, and the tilted faces lend a legendary quality to this touching tale.
This understated picture book effectively tells the story of a Holocaust survivor in a subtle way that doesn't overwhelm young children. Morris Kaplan is a Holocaust survivor who runs a neighborhood flower shop. He befriends Ilana and Jonathan Becker who invite him to their house to celebrate Hanukkah. He hasn't celebrated Hanukkah since his childhood in Poland, but Ilana and Jonathan won't accept "no" for an answer. They light candles, sing songs, play dreidels, and chat after dinner. The evening inspires Morris to take out the menorah that belonged to his family. He thinks about life in Auschwitz and about how a yellow daffodil gave him the strength to survive; if a flower can survive in such a dark place, so could he. He brings his menorah and tells his story to the Beckers who give him his first sense of family since the Holocaust. David Adler brings an emotional story to a young audience. The horrors of the Holocaust are only hinted at, but children can grasp the concept that it was a sad time. The dark, muted watercolors convey the depth of emotions Morris feels.