LOST AND FOUND HANUKKAH

Upon relocating to a new community, a child struggles to make a holiday celebration special.

“I love Hanukkah. I love how it is always the same,” says Nate. But his family’s recent move changes everything. When his beloved menorah goes missing, his two fathers (Daddy and Abba) take him to a Judaica shop, where they meet shop owner Amy and her cat, Kugel. While Nate attempts to find the right menorah, Kugel runs into the street. Nate mounts a search campaign, passing out flyers and, at last, coming up with an ingenious way to find the cat. In the process, he discovers the inspiration for his own special menorah. Preble’s elegantly told, engaging story celebrates the joy of observing long-standing traditions and making room for new ones; her tale also draws deft connections with the Hanukkah story: “The Maccabees didn’t give up, Nate,” Abba tells him. “And neither did you.” Anchin’s warm, detailed, and expressive illustrations draw readers in. The artwork depicts a variety of Jewish experiences, including multiple types of head coverings, a wide variety of creative menorah designs, and a shop featuring a large assortment of Jewish ritual objects. Nate is tan-skinned, Daddy is pale-skinned, and Abba is brown-skinned.

A heartwarming holiday tale about finding friends and creating new beginnings.