Night Lights: A Sukkot Story [Library Binding]

Barbara Diamond Goldin (Author), Louise August (Illustrator)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 1995 | Age Level: 3 and up

In a tender story about the Jewish harvest holiday, Sukkot, young Daniel overcomes his fear of the dark with the help of his sister, who teaches him about the stars in the night sky and the Jewish ancestors they represent.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Barbara Diamond Goldin's 1995 picture book Night Lights: A Sukkot Story is being reissued, with new illustrations by Laura Sucher. Goldin smoothly blends her contemporary story, about a boy's fears of sleeping under the open roof of his family sukkah, with an explanation of the festival of Sukkot (which this year begins on September 20). An endnote elaborates on the meaning of Sukkot, which commemorates the wandering of the Jews in the desert after the Exodus from Egypt. Where Louise August's pictures for the original edition were just the right side of scary, Sucher's limpid, sketchy watercolors are persistently friendly: as biblical Israelites wander in the desert, a moon on the horizon smiles. Ages 4-8.
Copyright 2002 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

From School Library Journal

PreSchool-Grade 1?Goldin uses the story of two siblings spending a night in the family sukkah?a small, temporary hut roofed with tree branches that is constructed during the Jewish fall harvest festival of Sukkot?as a vehicle to help explain the holiday. Daniel and his older sister help their parents to build and decorate the sukkah, and then share a family meal inside it. Afterwards, trying to settle down to sleep, the boy becomes nervously aware of night sounds and shapes, but is reassured by his sister's comparison of brightly shining stars and moon to the night light in his bedroom. Bold, full-and double-page linocuts, richly colored with oils and pastels, feature caricaturelike people, imaginary monsters, and a particularly expressive pet cat. The first page of black text, set against a peach and blue sky, is a bit difficult to read, but the volume as a whole is well designed and attractive. A page of information about Sukkot concludes the book. Because most young children can relate to Daniel's fear of the dark, the story will be appreciated by both general and Jewish audiences.?Susan Scheps, Shaker Heights Public Library, OH
Copyright 1995 Reed Business Information, Inc.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 3 and up
  
• Library Binding
• Publisher: Gulliver Books; 1st edition (September 1995)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0152005366
• ISBN-13: 978-0152005368
• Product Dimensions: 11.1 x 8.8 x 0.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12.8 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 3.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #5,463,600 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Barbara Diamond Goldin has written picture books, story collections, non-fiction, retellings, and historical fiction. In 1997, she received the prestigious Sydney Taylor Body-of-Work Award from the Association of Jewish Libraries. This award is presented to the author whose collected works are a distinguished contribution to Jewish literature for children. "Goldin's consistently commendable and recommendable books combine talented writing, solid research, personal commitment and deep caring".

Barbara is currently a children's librarian. She also leads writing workshops and speaks about being a writer to school and library groups all over the country.

For ten years she taught language arts and creative writing to 5th through 8th graders and for eleven years before that she was a preschool teacher. Her B.A. is in psychology from the University of Chicago and she did post-graduate work in teaching and school library media at Western Washington University and Boston University.

Barbara Diamond Goldin says, "As a child, I was an avid reader, letter-writer, and frequenter of the public library. When I reached babysitting age, I discovered I loved making up and telling stories to my charges who would ask to have me back so they could hear the sequels to my stories. Later as an adult I turned the stories I told into written stories.

"When writing, I dig into my past, my childhood, my family, and my personal experiences for material. I also research my subjects thoroughly and feel this adds depth to what I write. I love folklore and religion and the psychology of why people act the way they do. I find that often during the process of writing, I touch on questions and feelings that are closest to me.

"My ideas often come from my own past and my family's past, from experiences I have had and from conversations I overhear or participate in. The ideas can also come from dreams and visual images that pop into my mind, sometimes while I'm driving. Then I have to pull over, get out my pencil and paper and write feverishly, hoping I'll be able to read my handwriting later.

"My favorite place to work is in the college library near my house. I always heave a sigh of relief when I step into the peace and quiet of the library, knowing I have a few uninterrupted hours of writing ahead of me.

"I still love to write and research and discover new worlds on paper. I even discover things about myself and my family. Writing is an exciting process for me. I'm never certain when I sit down to write what the next few hours will bring."

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Complicated, convoluted, drab., October 7, 2006

By 

R. Shure (Glendale, CA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Night Lights: A Sukkot Story (Hardcover)

I love this holiday and I think this book doesn't do it justice. My kids like the story well enough, but can't someone write a story more interesting and evocative than this one? The illustrations are nothing special, also. It seems like a holiday that is all about harvest and bounty and nature should have rich, vibrant illustrations, not washed out ones. There's a lot of development of the two siblings sleeping out in the sukkah together and getting frightened, but it doesn't seem believable to me.

5.0 out of 5 stars A special book for every Jewish child, February 4, 2005

By 

Gary Selikow (Great Kush) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Night Lights: A Sukkot Story (Hardcover)

Night Lights by Barbara Diamond Goldin tells the story of two Jewish children a boy Daniel and his older sister Naomi, and their night in the Sukkah, the hut their family has built for Sukkoth, the Jewish harvest festival.

It tells of the Sukkoth meal, followed by the night of the two children in the hut, at first scared and scaring each other, they find comfort in each other and in the true message of Sukkoth and how G-D guided the Israelite Nation through the desert.

A very special book for every Jewish child, with warm and loving illustrations.