The Miracle Jar: A Hanukkah Story

by Audrey Penn, Lea Lyon (Illustrator)

Overview

Sophie and her brother are excited by the arrival of Hanukkah, and they happily clean the cottage and shine the Menorah as their gift to the family. But when their mother shares her worry that they do not have enough cooking oil to last eight days, their father tells them the story behind the holiday celebration and the miracle of the oil. Inspired by the story, the family creates its own Miracle Jar and watches the oil disappear as they enjoy the special food that each day brings. The family's hope and faith is confirmed when a last wipe of the cloth produces enough oil to prepare the eight day's treat.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781933718491
Publisher:	Tanglewood
Publication date:	09/08/2011
Sold by:	SIMON & SCHUSTER
Format:	eBook
Pages:	32
Lexile:	AD880L (what's this?)
File size:	2 MB
Age Range:	4 - 7 Years

About the Author

Audrey Penn takes her one-woman educational program, the Writing Penn, into schools, libraries, and children’s hospitals where she shapes and refines her story ideas in partnership with kids. She is also highly sought after as a conference keynote speaker by groups of teachers and other professionals who work with children.

Lea Lyon is an award-winning children’s book illustrator and portrait artist who has made a childhood dream come true. Lea loved to draw and paint as a child, taking art classes and painting in oils when she was 12 years old, and has made her childhood wish to be a children’s book illustrator come true.

Editorial Reviews

K-Gr 2

In this twist on a familiar theme, a family from "the Old Country" spends the holiday snowed in at their cozy cottage, but must make a small amount of cooking oil last long enough to cook all eight Hanukkah treats. Father tells the children the Hanukkah tale while Mother prepares the meals, using oil from the Miracle Jar over and over until the last night when it appears there is nothing left. On this night, Mother's ingenuity is the true miracle, as she manages to find one more drop of oil for the final holiday treat. Watercolor spreads depict the family in muted colors and simple patterns. A satisfying holiday tale with a nostalgic feel.-Teri Markson, Los Angeles Public Library

School Library Journal

Eight-year-old Sophie and her family get ready to celebrate Hanukkah by cleaning their small cottage, preparing holiday treats and shining the menorah. The family needs a week's worth of oil to light the candles and cook treats, however, unlikely with the amount left in the jar. With a snow storm keeping them home, they find ways to make the oil last for eight days, paralleling the miracle of the oil that lit the menorah after Judah and the Maccabees rededicated their sacred temple. Spare use and reuse of the oil they have provides seven nights of lights and traditional foods. On the eighth, Mother creatively uses a piece of cheesecloth to wipe the jar's sides, recovering enough oil to coat the pan and make one apple pancake to share. The family gratefully acknowledges "the nicest gifts are the ones that surprise us the most." Penn's storytelling provides a real sense of the holiday's significance through joyful, yet simple celebration while Lyon's cheerful and energetic watercolors depict an "old country" environment. A nice addition to classic retellings. (Picture book. 4-7)

Kirkus Reviews