LIGHT THE LIGHTS

Emma and her family celebrate Hanukkah in the usual manner- -polishing the menorah, lighting the lights, playing dreidel with cousins, and eating latkes and chocolate ``Hanukkah gelt.'' As Christmas nears, Emma and her family practice its customary rituals as well, picking the perfect tree—just right for Emma's favorite ornament—decorating it with friends while sharing an assortment of holiday cookies, and then lighting the lights again. While it introduces the novice observer to these holiday customs, Light the Lights is simply too light. It's not multicultural so much as anti- cultural, since neither holiday is explained. Moorman, contributing editor of ARTnews, offers a pallid Hallmark card of a book. The illustrations, like the text, are ``nice'' but uninviting, making the reader feel more like a voyeur than a welcome participant. While Emma may remember ``the bright winter lights in the dark winter nights for a long, long time,'' the reader won't. (Nonfiction/Picture book. 3-7)