A group of six children introduces Hanukkah by each stating his or her favorite part or activity for the celebration. They progress to the detailed, intriguing facts and legends recounting the historical reason for the holiday’s recognition, the origins of the dreidel game, the varieties of materials used to make one and how the rules of play evolved over generations. Most interesting are two stories of women heroines, not readily known: Judith and a mother and daughter team both named Hannah, who were responsible in their own clever and respective ways for outsmarting the Syrian General Holophernes and encouraging the Maccabees to fight their first battle for religious freedom. In addition, a section on “Sevivon [“dreidel” in Hebrew] Science” is included, explaining the game’s odds within the laws of probability as well as Newton’s law of inertia that allows the spinning top to stay in motion. Filled with side snippets of related facts and explanations, this is one of the most complete and cleverly written books on the winter holiday. Black-and-white sketches of the children providing informative clues as well as drawings of historical scenes round out this well-designed and entertainingly interesting little book. Great for families to share and read aloud. (Nonfiction. 6-10)
Pub Date: Sept. 1, 2005
ISBN: 1-59643-059-1
Page Count: 48
Publisher: Roaring Brook Press
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Nov. 1, 2005
The leaves have changed, Thanksgiving nears—and the canny turkeys of Squawk Valley have decamped, leaving local residents to face the prospect of a birdless holiday. What to do? They decide to lure a bird back by appealing to its vanity, placing a want ad for a model to help sculptors creating turkey art, then “inviting” the bird to dinner. The ploy works, too, for out of the woods struts plump and perky Pete to take on the job. Shelly debuts with brightly hued cartoon scenes featuring pop-eyed country folk and deceptively silly-looking gobblers. Pete may be vain, but he hasn’t lost the wiliness of his wild ancestors; when the townsfolk come for him, he hides amidst a flock of sculpted gobblers—“There were turkeys made of spuds, / there were turkeys made of rope. / There were turkeys made of paper, / there were turkeys made of soap. / The room was full of turkeys / in a wall to wall collage. / For a clever bird like Pete / it was perfect camouflage.” He makes his escape, and is last seen lounging on a turkey-filled tropical beach as the disappointed Squawk Valleyites gather round the table for a main course of . . . shredded wheat. Good for a few giggles. (Picture book. 6-8)
Pub Date: Sept. 1, 2001
ISBN: 1-890817-91-0
Page Count: 40
Publisher: N/A
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 15, 2001
Miranda’s book counts the monsters gathering at a birthday party, while a simple rhyming text keeps the tally and surveys the action: “Seven starved monsters are licking the dishes./Eight blow out candles and make birthday wishes.” The counting proceeds to ten, then by tens to fifty, then gradually returns to one, which makes the monster’s mother, a purple pin-headed octopus, very happy. The book is surprisingly effective due to Powell’s artwork; the color has texture and density, as if it were poured onto the page, but the real attention-getter is the singularity of every monster attendee. They are highly individual and, therefore, eminently countable. As the numbers start crawling upward, it is both fun and a challenge to try to recognize monsters who have appeared in previous pages, or to attempt to stay focused when counting the swirling or bunched creatures. The story has glints of humor, and in combination with the illustrations is a grand addition to the counting shelf. (Picture book. 3-8)
Pub Date: Aug. 1, 1999
ISBN: 0-15-201835-2
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Harcourt
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 1, 1999
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