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Brightening
Chanukah

Some zaniness and history are in
store for children in holiday books.

Penny Schwartz
Jewish Telegraphic Agency

A

mythical bird with vision
problems is among the col-
orful characters in this year's
crop of Chanukah books for children:

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54

December 14 • 2006

iN

Eight Wild Nights: A Family
Hanukkah Tale ($7.95; Kar-Ben
Publishing), by Brian P. Cleary, illustrated
by David Udovic.
Delightful holiday mischief reigns in
this zany story of a family's eight-day
celebration. It's hard to decide which is
more hilarious, Cleary's lighthearted,
antic-filled, rhyming prose or the uproar
of Udovic's cartoon-like illustrations that
nearly jump off each two-page spread of
this 21-page tale.

The Ziz and the Hanukkah
Miracle (Kar-Ben Publishing; $17.95),
by Jacqueline Jules, illustrated by
Katherine Janus Kahn.
Poor Ziz. The big, colorful bird is
sad because by summer's end, with the
nights getting shorter, its hard to fall
asleep at sundown and the Ziz can't see
what it's eating. When the mythical Ziz
goes to God for help, God offers a lamp
of oil. Ah, a miracle. But Ziz doesn't want
to share with the other creatures"that
come to bask in the light.
"No, it's mine," the Ziz shrieks as it
flies off in tears from its home on Mount
Sinai. The Ziz stops to rest at the Temple
in Jerusalem at the time of its rededica-
tion. Inspired by the light of the glowing
menorah, and with the encouragement
of a family of mice and an owl, the Ziz
learns the meaning of friendship and
sharing the miracle of light.

Celebrate Hanukkah with Light,
Latkes, and Dreidel (National
Geographic Children's Books; $15.95),
by Deborah Heiligman, with consulting
from Rabbi Shira Stern.
This feast of photographs of
Chanukah celebrations around the world
will tantalize children and adults.
Heiligman and National Geographic
have created a virtual holiday travel-
ogue. The text is straightforward, with
explanations of the rituals and customs
emphasizing the themes of sharing, tze-
dakah and the miracle of light. Kids will

have fun learning from U.S. astronaut
Jeffrey Hoffman how the dreidel never
stops spinning in space.

The Miracle of Hanukkah (The Blue
Apple; $14.95), by Seymour Chwast.
In this captivating book, the
Chanukah story is retold in a unique
stepped-page format. Chwast, an award-
winning graphic designer and illustrator,
starts with small, illustrated cutouts and
creates new images with each page that
grow as the story progresses. The effect
is dazzling and fun.

I Have a Little Dreidel (Cartwheel
Books, $9.99), by Maxie Baum, illus-
trated by Julie Paschkis.
Children will tap their feet along with
the two rhyming stories-in-one based
on the well-known popular song of the
same name.
A young girl with braids proudly
holds up her little dreidel, inviting young
readers to celebrate Chanukah with her
cousins, aunts and uncles.
Paschkis uses a paper-cut design,
simple illustrations and a boldly colored
palette to enliven the story.

Chanukah Lights Everywhere
(Voyager Books; $6), by Michael Rosen,
illustrated by Melissa Iwai
A young boy and his sister celebrate
Chanukah and compare the lights on
the menorah to other lights — from
headlights signaling visitors and flames
of the gas stove frying up lathes to the
Christmas lights of neighbors.

Though not specifically holiday relat-
ed, also consider:
Jewish Alphabet (Pelican Publishing;
$15.95), by Janet Clement, illustrated by
Albert Rodriguez
An English alphabet book goes from
"K to "Z',' focusing on words and things
relating to Judaism.

A Pickpocket's Tale (Random House:
$15.95), by Karen Schwabach.
This book for young adults follows
Molly Abraham, an orphan on the streets
of London, sent to the American colonies
as punishment. Molly's experiences in
the home of a Jewish family form the
plot. E