When Father brings out the menorahs from a box in the closet, a young girl knows it is time for Hanukkah, the eight-day Festival of Lights. Time for the whole family to get together to play dreidels and sing and dance. Time to remember the story of Judah Maccabee. Time to eat potato latkes. And, of course, time for presents.But most of all, it is time to light the menorahs and remember the miracle of Hanukkah. The inspiring light from the miracle of the great menorah will touch readers of all faiths as a symbol of freedom, devotion, and the joyful spirit of the holiday. A glossary is included to help readers pronounce and understand some of the words in the book.
Cathy Goldberg Fishman takes young readers to a family Hanukkah celebration in her gentle text, illustrated with warmth and color by Melanie W. Hall.
With the voice of a young girl participating in the nightly rituals of Hanukkah, Cathy Goldberg Fishman introduces children to the history and beliefs behind this eight-day Jewish celebration. Starting with the first night of Hanukkah she lights a menorah candle with the "helper candle called the shammash." When her mother speaks of the Assyrian soldiers who captured the Jews' Holy Temple and put out the eternal light of the menorah, the young girl thinks of the Jewish people "who fought for many years to rededicate the temple and bring the light back." Later, while playing dreidel on the seventh night, the girl's grandfather tells the story of Jews not being allowed to "celebrate our religion or read our holy books. Jews who did not want the light of our knowledge lost would still get together and study. They played the game of dreidel to disguise what they were doing." And so the family puts the menorahs in a window to be "a light of knowledge in the darkness."
Melanie W. Hall's soft and slightly abstract illustrations spotlight specific symbols of Hanukkah, such as potato latkes or chocolate gelt, while offering festive spreads of family cheer and togetherness. This is teaching at its best: giving children a familiar and beautifully illustrated context for absorbing complicated ideas such as symbolism, persecution, and the joy that comes from religious freedom. (Ages 5 to 8) --Gail Hudson
