On the first night of Hanukkah, two tricky devils arrive in the town of Brisk to cause mischief. They use a magic word -- zigazak! -- to make dreidels dance and latkes fly. The good citizens of Brisk panic and appeal to their wise rabbi for help. He triumphs over the devils in a contest of wits, and soon sends them packing. But his real triumph is the ability to see the good in all things, even devils' tricks, helping the townsfolk enjoy their most magical Hanukkah ever.
Is Hanukkah really all about dancing dreidels and high-flying latkes? Maybe not, but Eric Kimmel and Jon Goodell have put these devilish phenomena to good use in a lighthearted story that teaches Hanukkah traditions--from kazatzkas to gelt--along with a wise, timeless moral. The tale's decidedly unscary antagonists are a couple of bumbling devils determined to cause Hanukkah-night mischief in the village of Brisk. Goodell's clearly having fun as he sends five dreidels into a tight little jig, launches latkes around Hannah Leah's kitchen, and sets off some menorah pyrotechnics in Menachem Mendel's home. But Brisk's frightened villagers need not worry: they've got a clever rabbi who's not only unafraid of the devils' antics--he enjoys them! When dreidels sprout legs and dance on his table, "he laughed and clapped his hands. 'Delightful!' he exclaimed. 'Show me more.'" As with the misadventures of Fat Albert, kids reading Zigazak! should be careful--otherwise, they just might learn something. And that goes for both Hanukkah minutiae and the wise rabbi's moral: "Sparks of holiness exist in all things, even in devils' tricks. And if we look hard enough, we can find the good in all living creatures." (Ages 4 to 8) --Paul Hughes
Customer Reviews:
Avg. Customer Rating: 5.0 / 5.0
Wonderful!:
this book was wonderful! My five year old granddaughter had me read it over and over again! We are not Jewish but ARE Messianic, so we celebrate Hanukkah and this helps in establishing the whole feeling of Hanukkah to the children. As Arrin says to everyone..."We don't do Chwismas...we do Honk A Nah."
an unusual Hanukkah tale that ends with the right msg:
It just isn't a Jewish holiday without a new book by Mr Kimmel. Kimmel (the author of Gershon's Monster) tells the story of how there are sparks of good and "light" in all things. It is an unusual Hanukkah tale of magic and mischief. As the residents in the shtetl of Brisk prepare to celebrate the start of the eighth day of Hanukkah, two mischievous creatures descend upon the town. They recite the magic word of ZIGAZAK and they make dreidels dance and latkas fly. The town's residents, rich and poor, young... more info
Delightful story stresses power of faith and love over evil:
As a Catholic committed to multiculturalism and to multidenominational appreciation, I enjoyed this story and its lessons immensely. It reflects the power of faith and love over evil through the words and actions of a Rabbi who teaches Jews of all ages that nothing is completely evil and that there is good in everything and in everyone. Although written for ages 4-8, this book is as well-written and beautifully illustrated as it is meaningful for readers of all ages. After reading it, I ordered two more... more info
A Marvelous Hanukkah Fable.....:
One winter night during Hanukkah, two devils flew over the old-world village of Brisk, and decided to wreak a little havoc on the poor townspeople. With the magic word of ZIGAZAK, dreidels sprouted arms and legs and began to dance, latkes flew off their platters and soared around the room, Hanukkah candles exploded like fireworks, and musical instruments began to play songs all by themselves. The villagers were terrified, and ran to the Rabbi's house for help. The Rabbi looked at all that was going on and... more info
