Happy Hanukkah, everyone!
No, we’re not Jewish, but my family likes to celebrate Hanukkah. And this is one of the picture books I like to read every year. It doesn’t really explain the meaning behind the holiday, so it’s not a great teaching tool, but it’s flavored with hope and family, two of the holiday’s most important ingredients.
Within, Salma’s and Dora’s mother has died, and the girls are having a difficult time anticipating this first Hanukkah without her. Papa steps in and, with the girls recalling all the preparations Mama used to take, prepares for the first night of the eight day celebration. His latkes (traditional potato pancakes), however, aren’t quite the same as Mama’s.
This book is gorgeously illustrated, and it so beautifully shows the tradition surrounding this ancient festival. But it also portrays the heartache of missing a loved one and the hope of remembering her. Papa, with his twinkling eyes and his sly humor, is a wonderful character, filling in as Mama and Papa and holding the family together with love. He’s not perfect, but he’s so likable and solid.
I don’t review many pictures books, and I don’t commonly use a rating system, but Papa’s Latkes
A few years ago, my kids and I studied and celebrated all the Jewish feasts for homeschool. If you’re curious, you can find posts about each of them on my other blog under Holidays->Jewish. I’ve pulled out a few that relate to Hanukkah:
This sounds like a wonderful book. I love introducing children to other cultures and traditions.
This one’s beautiful. And it’s amazing how the old Jewish celebrations tie in so closely with Christianity.
Great review and a great way to learn about Hanukkah! I’m going to see if our library has it!
I hope so! This is such a sweet one.
Kudos to you for celebrating Hanukka with your family. I love to see people exploring other traditions. My mother sent me to many different church bible schools, programs etc. I attribute it to my fascination with other faiths and cultures. This sounds like a wonderful. Great recipes too!
The latkes are fabulous. An annual treat. This year I ate five all by myself!