This year we came across many Hanukkah books both old and new. All were new to the Junior Book Worm. I think it fun to add a couple of Hanukkah books to our holiday library. This year the choice seems immense (not on the book shelves of our local English bookstore, mind you, but on the Internet).
Eric A Kimmel must love Hanukkah. He has written so many books on the subject or rather using the subject as a base for his stories. Anyone who has not read our review a few years ago of Herschel and the Hanukkah Goblins should. Another dark and eerie Kimmel Hanukkah story is Zigazah! A Magical Hanukkah Night (illust by Jon Goodell). Unlike in Herschel where the demons are nasty and Herschel's job is to trick them into going away, Zigazah has us look into their hearts. Even in the most unpleasant of creatures there is something redeeming. The last Kimmel to mention today is The Chanukah Bear (illust by Giora Carmi). A 97 year old nearly blind Granny mistakes a woken winter bear for the rabbi. This is the Tiger Who Came to Tea Jewish style. It is a highly amusing book.
One need not go any further, but if one does, The Inside-Out Grandma by Joan Rothenberg is well worth a read. Why does she wear her clothes inside out, to remind her to buy oil for frying the latkes. Her grandson's red hair reminds her of shiny copper pennies - gelt - that she will give out. Her turns-on-a-sixpence, as they call it in England, are as amusing for children and adults. A latka recipe is included.
Why do we Jews torture ourselves with Chelm stories. I will never understand. But as they are a birthright we must pass on David Adler and Kevin O'Malley's Chanukah in Chelm, seems like the most rewarding. Mendel, a foolish caretaker must dust off the menorah and put it on a table by the synagogue window. He takes the menorah off the table in the store cupboard and spends the rest of the story looking for a table to put by the window. O'Malley's pen and watercolors are enchanting. Children seem to love to know the answer before the Chelmnik is even close.
From the author of The Matza Man (inspired by the Gingerbread Man), comes Latkes, Latkes, Good to Eat by Naomi Howland. This time Howland is inspired by the ever flowing porridge pot story. Sadie meets an old woman with a magic latke pan. Her brother overhears the magic words to start it but not to stop it. This story begs the questions, has anyone ever made too many latkes? Illustrated with a Russian folk art look, this story is very appealing. Another magic latke pan, for another potato-less family, is found in Moishe's Miracle by Laura Krauss Melmed. Although the theme is the same, David Slonim's illustrations are completely different to Howland and give the book a different feel. There is a more pronounced humor in this book.
I lied when I said that I was finished with Eric Kimmel books. One more in the guise of a Borrowers book. When Mindy Saved Hanukkah is a story of a tiny family who live behind the walls of the Eldridge St Synagogue in New York. They need to find candles but there is a cat prowling. There is great drama in this story of big people and little people. Barbara Mcclintock's illustration add a lot of Jewish color which will amuse children who are familiar with the other Jewish holidays. The 19th Century clothing on the characters sets the time and place.
For those looking to make your child trilingual, Hanukkah, A Counting Book by Emily Sper is for you. The text of this book can be read in English, Hebrew and Yiddish. With simple brightly colored pictures, this book is suitable for toddlers and a bit older. It might interest older children who long for a taste of disappearing tongue.
Lastly, a sure to become our favorite (the current favorite of the last two years is Leslie Kimmelman's The Runaway Latkes) is Linda Glaser's The Borrowed Hanukkah Latkes. This story stars a spirited girl called Rachel. She is determined to have their old neighbor over for latkes on Hanukkah. The woman keeps refusing until they run out of potatoes. Rachel thinks that if she borrows the potatoes, the lady will not be able to refuse the invitation. Nancy Cote's amusing cartoons portray Rachel in all her red, braided hair disarray alongside the old woman's primness.
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