Rosen (Avalanche, 1998, etc.) follows a family through their traditional celebration of Hanukkah. After each activity, there’s an explanation of its meaning in the context of the original miracle. On the first night, they read the story of Judah Maccabee and the narrator comments that “nobody in that story gave Hanukkah presents. . . . They were just glad to be free to be Jews.” The second night they go to Grandma’s and Grandpa’s, where Grandma fixes latkes fried in oil. The third night they fix up some of their toys and clothes that they don’t think they’ll use next year. “Mom likes to remind us that Jews believe in tzedakah, which means that even little kids have something extra they can share.” Other nights find them going to the temple party, inviting friends to their home, playing dreidel, bringing their gifts to a shelter, and helping a Christian family trim their tree. “Did I tell you that our Hanukkah is also about people of different religions living alongside one another?” The eighth and last night is for Dad’s summary of the meaning, the miracle, and the lights. Every page of this book is a quiet celebration. DiSalvo’s (Grandpa’s Corner Store, p. 559, etc.) paintings are soft and impressionistic, yet full of joy and sweet details of the loving family, their friends, and their faith. (Picture book. 5-8)
Pub Date: Sept. 15, 2000
ISBN: 0-8234-1476-0
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Holiday House
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 1, 2000
Fun, in an odd sort of way.
The old folk song is given a Hanukkah spin in a parody that blends Jewish tradition with art appreciation.
The kerchiefed grandma swallows a tiny dreidel placed atop her cream-cheesed bagel by the family cat, setting off the familiar chain of events. She swallows the oil, the latkes, 10 barrels of applesauce, a 20-ton brisket, a “mine full of gelt, before it could melt,” the menorah and candles until she is finally full. A large burp makes her feel better. The silliness, cadence and rhythm of the verse all work with the original tune; it can be a tongue twister at times but will keep kids engaged. “I know an old lady who swallowed a menorah— / A mountainous menorah, while we danced the hora.” Acrylic-based drawings using charcoal, pen and pencil place this bubbe in various scenes taken from classical paintings, providing an educational twist. She appears in comical versions of Munch’s The Scream and Vermeer’s The Milkmaid. The applesauce in a red-and-white can spoofs Andy Warhol’s Campbell Soup Cans, and the menorah is set against the background of van Gogh’s The Starry Night. Adults will see the humor but might wonder about the artist’s point in his note stating that “a new look at famous works of art seemed like the perfect way to help people of all backgrounds enjoy this fresh take on an ancient holiday.”
Fun, in an odd sort of way. (Picture book. 5-8)Pub Date: Aug. 26, 2014
ISBN: 978-0-439-91530-4
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Levine/Scholastic
Review Posted Online: Aug. 11, 2014
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 1, 2014
Empty calories
Hippo dreams of “a good, old-fashioned Thanksgiving.”
It’s not all smooth sailing. Hippo is raking and dreaming of Thanksgiving goodies when Duck plunges into Hippo’s leaf pile and musses it up. When a falling apple bonks Hippo on the head and he then gives it to Duck, Duck thanks him, triggering an invitation to celebrate the day together. The two friends go off to shop and find themselves in mishap after mild mishap, meeting friends and inviting them one by one to Thanksgiving dinner tomorrow. Duck engages in mild tomfoolery, but Hippo maintains his genial calm. That evening, Duck goes back to their friends and suggests that they plan a surprise for Hippo. The next day, Hippo prepares a delicious assortment of traditional (all vegetarian) dishes and then waits for his friends—who show up late with their surprise: more food (eggrolls, sushi, pizza, and peanut-butter–and-jelly tacos), which temporarily puts Hippo out because it “is NOT a good, old-fashioned Thanksgiving feast!” Hippo rapidly gets over himself, and the friends all have a good time. While the message of enjoying fellowship and valuing each individual’s contributions is a worthy one, this meandering tale offers little to chew on in terms of character development or plot. Joyner’s anthropomorphic cartoon animals are cheery, but his illustrations do nothing to give London’s story any depth.
Empty calories . (Picture book. 5-8)Pub Date: Aug. 21, 2018
ISBN: 978-1-5039-0080-6
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Two Lions
Review Posted Online: July 15, 2018
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 1, 2018
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