Holidays Around the World: Celebrate Hanukkah: With Light, Latkes, and Dreidels [Hardcover]

Deborah Heiligman (Author)

Book Description

Age Level: 6 and up | Grade Level: 1 and up | Series: Holidays Around the World

In Celebrate Hanukkah Deborah Heiligman welcomes readers to a holiday celebrated by Jewish communities around the world.

The vivid photography of National Geographic illustrates the joyous celebrations of Jewish people around the world—including Ghana, Uganda, India, Israel, Peru, the United States and Poland, as they light menorahs, spin dreidels, and make latkes.

The richly informative back matter details many facts, such as the story of U.S. astronaut Jeffrey Hoffman, who brought a menorah and a dreidel on his Space Shuttle mission in 1993. Hoffman observed the traditional spinning of the dreidel, but wisely left the menorah unlit in the proximity of several thousand liters of rocket fuel! Also included are the author's sure-to-please latke recipe, Hanukkah blessings, and a Hanukkah song.

A note from Rabbi Shira Stern, the book's consultant, sets the holiday in its global religious and cultural context.

Editorial Reviews

From Booklist

This offering from the Holidays around the World series introduces children to the Jewish Festival of Lights. Heiligman recounts the holiday's history and origins and describes how it is celebrated today--with candles, special foods such as potato latkes, and games such as dreidel. The main text is succinct and appropriate for reading aloud; the detailed appendix features directions for lighting a menorah, prayers, a recipe for latkes, instructions for playing dreidel, a bibliography, a glossary, and a note from a subject expert. Decorating the pages are numerous crisp, full-color photos depicting celebrations in countries as diverse as Israel, India, Peru, Uganda, Italy, Korea, and the U.S. An attractive, informative title that will be welcomed in any library. Kay Weisman
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

Review

"...The main text is succinct and appropriate for reading aloud… An attractive, informative title that will be welcomed in any library."—Booklist


From the Trade Paperback edition.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 6 and up
  
• Hardcover: 32 pages
• Publisher: National Geographic Children's Books (October 10, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0792259246
• ISBN-13: 978-0792259244
• Product Dimensions: 8.8 x 0.4 x 10.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 14.9 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #903,413 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Deborah Heiligman has written more than twenty books for children, most of them nonfiction, including three other biographies. She is married to Jonathan Weiner, who won a Pulitzer Prize in 1994 for The Beak of the Finch.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Celebrate Hanukkah with Light, Latkes, and Dreidels., October 12, 2006

By 

Jewish Book World Magazine (New York, NY) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Holidays Around the World: Celebrate Hanukkah: With Light, Latkes, and Dreidels (Hardcover)

Full-color photographs and an attractive layout combine with an interesting, informative text to create a stunning introduction to Hanukkah focusing on light, Jewish identity, freedom, and the celebration of miracles. The photographs include contemporary Jews celebrating Hanukkah in Israel, India, Peru, Uganda, Poland, Los Angeles, Ghana, and Rome, and are all paired with descriptive captions. Phrases like "It was a miracle," "We are proud to be Jewish" and "We share the light in our hearts" are integrated into each page spread. The impressive "More About Hanukkah" section includes basic facts, instructions for lighting the menorah and playing dreidel, a potato latke recipe, books and websites for further reading, a glossary, and a world map indicating the places where the photos were taken. Part of National Geographic's "Holidays Around the World" series, this will be a welcome addition for all libraries. Jewish libraries in particular will anxiously await the upcoming titles on Passover and Rosh Hashanah. Ages 6 and up. Reviewed by Rachel Kamin

8 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A 2007 Association of Jewish Libraries Notable Book for Younger Readers, January 28, 2007

By 

Rachel Kamin "Chair, Sydney Taylor Book Award... (West Bloomfield, MI USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Holidays Around the World: Celebrate Hanukkah: With Light, Latkes, and Dreidels (Hardcover)

Books explaining the celebration of Hanukkah abound - who would have thought there was anything new to say to children on this topic? However, Heiligman's excellent book, published by National Geographic as part of the Holidays around the World series, offers a unique perspective. The historical roots of the story are told succinctly, and the rest of the book centers around how the holiday is celebrated. What sets this book apart are the first-rate, full-page photographs that depict Jews celebrating Hanukkah all over the world. In places as far-flung as South Korea, Uganda and Peru, the story of Hanukkah is still alive and still holds meaning. Through the photos, it becomes clear that although these Jews are living in a variety of cultures and countries, they all celebrate the holiday in much the same way.

In addition, unusually thorough end notes supplement the text. Here is a summary of facts, information on how to light a menorah, a simple, yet exacting recipe for making latkes, and complete instructions on how to play dreidel. The bibliography and glossary include valuable resources and definitions, and a world map spotlights the countries where the book's photographs were taken. Finally, there is a wonderfully written afterword about Hanukkah's meaning and message written by Rabbi Shira Stern,who consulted in the writing of the book. Highly recommended for synagogue, school and public libraries. REVIEWED BY NANCY AUSTEIN (Temple Emanu-El, Dallas, TX)

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Beautiful Book, December 7, 2006

By 

Karen "Karen" (PA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Holidays Around the World: Celebrate Hanukkah: With Light, Latkes, and Dreidels (Hardcover)

Although I've heard the Hanukkah story many, many times, I enjoyed reading this book with my children to experience the many ways this holiday and history is celebrated throughout the world. The author relates the shared story in a beautiful, poignant and delightful way.