The Story of Hanukkah

by David A. Adler, Jill Weber (Illustrator)

Overview

Hanukkah is a wonderful time filled with games, food, family, and fun.

It's also the celebration of an ancient miracle, and retelling and remembering the story of that miracle is an essential part of the holiday, for young and old. The story of the courageous Maccabees is retold in simple yet dramatic text, accompanied by vibrant paintings of the battle, the Temple of Jersualem, and the oil which miraculously burned for eight long nights.

A traditional recipe for latkes is included, as are directions for the dreidel game, for readers who want to continue the festivities at home.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780823440320
Publisher:	Candlewick Press
Publication date:	09/18/2018
Pages:	24
Product dimensions:	5.23(w) x 6.49(h) x 0.43(d)
Age Range:	1 - 3 Years

About the Author

David A. Adler has won many awards, including a Sydney Taylor Book Award, a Boston Globe-Horn Book Award Honor,the New York Knickerbocker Award, a Golden Kite Honor, and an Orbis Pictus Award Honor. You can visit his website at www.davidaadler.com.

Jill Weber is a children's book illustrator and a book designer. Her paintings for Eric A. Kimmel's retelling of Even Higher were praised by Kirkus Reviews for their "guileless charm," and the book received an Oppenheim Toy Portfolio Gold Award. She lives in New Hampshire.

Editorial Reviews

"An excellent introduction to the holiday."—Kirkus Reviews

"The simple, accessible text is enhanced by acrylic spreads in rich, warm colors that bring both solemnity and excitement to the story. With so much holiday hoopla focusing on less historical, more celebratory aspects of Hanukkah, it is good to have a book that tells it like it was."—School Library Journal

"The events commemorated in the holiday of Hanukkah are retold simply for young ears by prolific children's author Adler . . . Weber's full-spread color illustrations, with an emphasis on traditional holiday blue, convey the epic scope of the story . . . [a] family-oriented book designed to impart traditions."—Publishers Weekly

From the Publisher

K-Gr 2—A straightforward retelling that emphasizes the historical origins of the holiday. Recounting the hard-fought battle of a small band of Jews (known as Maccabees) against the armies of King Antiochus IV, as well as the rededication of the Temple in Jerusalem following its desecration, the book places the celebration in a context that is less about miracles (one day's oil lasting for eight days), and more about the Jews' fight for religious freedom. The simple, accessible text is enhanced by acrylic spreads in rich, warm colors that bring both solemnity and excitement to the story. With so much holiday hoopla focusing on less historical, more celebratory aspects of Hanukkah, it is good to have a book that tells it like it was. A latke recipe and directions for playing dreidel are included. A welcome addition.—Teri Markson, Los Angeles Public Library

School Library Journal

The story of war, destruction and renewal in ancient Judea, fueled by the Jewish determination to freely maintain a belief in one God.

Adler recounts the plight of the small Jewish army led against Greek King Antiochus IV first by the old priest Mattathias and then by his son Judah in a direct, active voice. Throughout, explanations are provided for the cause of the conflict, the meaning of the word Maccabee and why the Jewish army was known by that name and legend of the fabledner tamid,or eternal light, that remained lit for eight days with only one day's supply of oil. Diminutive, often detailed Biblical scenes in acrylic paints complement the plainspoken narrative. A final, contemporary two-page view of menorah lighting and dreidel play appears along with a basic description of how the holiday is celebrated today with songs, fried potato pancakes, jelly doughnuts and an explanation of the dreidel's Hebrew acronym for the sentence, "A great miracle happened there." There is only brief mention of the sometime modern-day practice of giving gifts.

This very traditional chronicle remains true to the legendary Judaic story, making it an excellent introduction to the holiday. (recipe, game directions)(Picture book/religion. 6-8)

Kirkus Reviews