Eight Sweet Nights, a Festival of Lights

July 29, 2024
A family heads to visit loved ones for Hanukkah at a home where “loving arms scoop you up” and homespun festivities await. The large gathering of individuals, portrayed with varying skin tones, contributes to cooking cherished recipes for latkes and sufganiyot, before the kids add a recipe of their own to a treasury: “Sticky marshmallows and melty kisses spin into sweet candy dreidels.” The events are cartooned by Halberstadt with crisp lines, warm colors, and a cheery energy, and chronicled by Offsay in two voices. One, poetic, drives the narrative (“Candles dance./ Crumbs and wrapping paper fly”), while callouts on each spread briefly detail customs, terms, and historical background (“Maccabees were brave Jewish warriors who defeated King Antiochus”). It’s an amiable overview that underlines how the holiday’s “light never really fades.// It keeps burning bright inside you./ All year long.” Ages 3–7.

September 1, 2024
A family observes the first night of Hanukkah. Narrated in the second person, the story takes readers through the rituals, history, and most common symbols of the holiday. The grandparents make latkes and sufganiyot, and the children play dreidel. Together, the family lights the hanukkiah (or menorah), then celebrates with food, gifts, and songs. Most pages contain both narrative text and an explanatory note about the rituals depicted, making this book part mood piece and part educational tool. A few Hebrew and Yiddish terms are used and defined. The story is sweet and concise, while the notes on each page and in the backmatter provide more detailed information than many other Hanukkah books. Their pairing, however, makes it difficult to know who this book is for. Children who celebrate the holiday every year may enjoy the text but will find most of the notes too basic. Those learning about the Festival of Lights for the first time might struggle to understand some of the tale's allusions, especially before reading the notes. Reading both story and notes together will result in frequent asides and shifts in tone that may not be ideal for either reader. Bold, bright art boosts the book's appeal. The characters vary in skin tone. An illuminating holiday primer that may have trouble finding an audience. (author's note)(Picture book. 4-8)

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September 1, 2024

PreS-Gr 3-A diverse Jewish family visits the grandparents for Hanukkah. After arriving, the children help their grandmother prepare latkes: "Grandma's gentle hands guide yours, turning oodles of onions and piles of potatoes into delicious latkes." Shortly thereafter, their grandfather fries up sufganiyot, and the extended family plays dreidel, a game of chance with a four-sided top. As the "stars start to twinkle overhead," they light the first candle in the menorah. After gift-giving and dancing, it's time for the family to return home, but the children look forward to the upcoming seven nights of Hanukkah. Back matter provides detailed information about Hanukkah, including the triumph of the Maccabees and the miracle of the small amount of oil that burned brightly in the reclaimed temple for eight nights. The color blue is used throughout for clothing, furniture items, decorations, and the background evening color, reminding readers that Hanukkah takes place during the longest nights of the year. Yiddish and Hebrew words are used throughout, always with an explanation at the bottom of the page. Alliterative text, careful word choice, and factual explanations create a warm and informative story of Jewish faith and family. VERDICT An appealing picture book about a Jewish family gathering to share stories, cook traditional recipes, make new memories, and celebrate an ancient miracle.-Sally James

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