EIGHT FAIRY NIGHTS
written and illustrated by Bub
The story of the Maccabees gets a whimsical new take in Bub’s picture book.
Opening like a fairy tale, this retelling of the Hanukkah story begins with King Antiochus: “He was very powerful and wanted all people to believe as he did,” the narrator explains. The king’s army makes everyone worship the king’s way, even destroying the Jewish Temple to enforce his rules. But Judah Maccabee and his small army stand up to the king and restore the Temple, and the small container of oil they find—only enough for one night—miraculously lasts for eight. Here, Bub introduces the Hanukkah Fairies, each of whom represents one of the virtues of the Maccabees. The following pages detail what the virtues mean and highlight each illustrated fairy. This creative addition, along with a fairy queen who poses riddles to children on the five days before the Hanukkah celebration begins, may give families some new ideas to liven up their own traditions. The language is aimed at young independent readers, using a largely accessible vocabulary that includes some stretch words (virtues, ingenuity, integrity). The author’s simplistic illustrations, rendered in marker (sometimes with pencil linework showing beneath the color), are reminiscent of newspaper cartoons. Certain key words and phrases are rendered in color, rather than black font, which may limit accessibility for some readers.
A fantastical addition to tradition that highlights how the tale remains relevant and powerful.