Light The Lights! A Story About Celebrating Hanukkah And Christmas (Paperback)

~ (Author, Illustrator) "One morning, Emma's father raised the shades in her room and said, "Sweetheart!..." (more)

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Emma helps her father light the menorah at Hanukkah and decorates the tree with her mother at Christmas. "Families who embrace both holidays will find this a welcome addition," PW said. Ages 5-7. (Oct.)
Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Booklist

Ages 5-8. Interfaith families and families that aren't religious crave materials that validate the observance of holidays from the traditions of different faiths. In one of a very few such picture books, Moorman focuses on a household's joyous celebrations of Hanukkah and Christmas, two festivals that frequently occur close together on the wintertime calendar. The book's title reflects a motif common to both: candles in a menorah glow brightly in Emma's house during the eight days of the Jewish holiday; later, lights shimmer beautifully from her family's Christmas tree. The family's celebrations are purely secular, and Emma's response to everything--be it getting presents or playing dreidel--is sheer delight, which Moorman captures nicely in her bright, unpretentious paintings. The story, however, is very slight, and there's no sense of the origins of the holidays, which are very different. Had Moorman supplied some background--perhaps in an afterword--her book would have been richer. Stephanie Zvirin --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

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Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 4-8
  
• Paperback: 32 pages
• Publisher: Cartwheel; Reprint edition (October 1, 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0590483838
• ISBN-13: 978-0590483834
• Product Dimensions: 10.1 x 8 x 0.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 3.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #22,782 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

16 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Hey a Book about Christmas and Hanukkah! , November 6, 2004

By	Lynn Ellingwood "The ESOL Teacher" (Webster, NY United States) - See all my reviews (TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

This is the first children's book I know that has a child celebrating both Hanukkah and Christmas. It is nice because it depicts it as normal for that family and doesn't drag by explaining the religious differences of the parents. Very respectful of many children's lives.

4.0 out of 5 stars Great for toddlers, November 10, 2009

By	voracious reader (Berlin, Germany) - See all my reviews

I can't imagine a 5-8-yr-old liking this book much, but my 3 1/2-yr-old has LOVED this book for over a year, making me read it over and over and over again. It wouldn't have been my choice for so many repeated readings, but I'm as thrilled as she is to see the daily life of an urban child who celebrates Channuka and Christmas reflected in words and pictures.

5.0 out of 5 stars Great for preschool kids, May 8, 2009

By	BarbT (Boston, MA USA) - See all my reviews

My daughter and her preschool class really enjoyed this book. It talks about what kinds of things families do together for the Hanukkah and Christmas holidays (without going into any underlying religion), and is both fun and touching.