Runaway Dreidel! (Hardcover)

by Leslea Newman (Author), Kyrsten Brooker (Illustrator) "'Twas the first night of Chanukah and on the fifth floor,..." (more)

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly
Set to the cadences of "The Night Before Christmas" ("Twas the first night of Chanukah and on the fifth floor/ There was holiday bustling and bustling galore"), Newman's (Matzo Ball Moon) verse narrative describes a runaway dreidel that finds a home in the night sky. The chief virtue of this forgettable tale may be its having occasioned more of Brooker's (Nothing Ever Happens on 90th Street) idiosyncratic mixed-media art, oil paintings into which she seamlessly applies cut-paper photo elements. Everything in these illustrations is affectionately skewed, from the slightly oversize heads of the characters to the Brooklynesque street scenes occasioned by the boy narrator's pursuit of the toy. The dynamically dizzy world happily challenges readers to stay on their toes. Ages 4-8.
Copyright 2002 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From School Library Journal
Kindergarten-Grade 2-This rollicking rhyme begins, "'Twas the first night of Chanukah and on the fifth floor,/There was holiday hustling and bustling galore." In the midst of it all, a dreidel escapes from a boy's hands and precipitates a wild chase out onto the street, into the country, and over the ocean, ultimately spinning into outer space. This humorous picture book introduces children to aspects of the holiday by using terms such as latkes, menorah, and the letters on the dreidel. Told in rhyming couplets, the tale holds storytelling appeal in both text and humorous illustrations. Chagall-like oil paintings and cut-paper art lend an Old World feel to the story. Although the author gives a nod to "The Night before Christmas" in the first and last lines, this story is really more akin to "The Gingerbread Boy."-I. A.
Copyright 2002 Reed Business Information, Inc.

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Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 4-8
  
• Hardcover: 32 pages
• Publisher: Henry Holt and Co. (BYR) (October 11, 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0805062378
• ISBN-13: 978-0805062373
• Product Dimensions: 11.4 x 9.1 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 13.6 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #1,031,411 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Spirited Chanukah Romp....., November 24, 2002

By	Roz Levine (Virginia) - See all my reviews (TOP 500 REVIEWER)

"'Twas the first night of Chanukah and on the fifth floor,/There was holiday hustling and bustling galore./Papa was shining the silver menorah,/Mama was wrapping a gift for Aunt Dora./Grandma was slicing up two chocolate babkas,/Grandpa was grating potatoes for latkes./Sister was stirring the soup with a ladle,/And I at her feet spun my shiny new dreidel..." And with that our young narrator's holiday top takes off, spinning, out of control, through the apartment, down the stairs and through the city streets, on out to the country, past farms and valleys, over the ocean and up to the sky, where it becomes a glittering star..... Leslea Newman's engaging, rollicking, chain of events text is filled with lilting rhyme, rhythm, energy, and joy. Kyrsten Brooker's clever, sparkling multi-media artwork is bold and busy, and rich in vibrant color, wonderful facial expressions, and humorous, eye-catching detail. Perfect for youngsters 3-7, Runaway Dreidel! is a captivating, fun-filled, celebratory romp. "Happy Chanukah to all, and to all a good night."

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars a nice addition to the Hanukah collection, October 6, 2002

By	Larry Mark "editor of MyJewishBooks.com" (nyc) - See all my reviews (TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

With nods to "Twas the night before" and the Runaway Ginderbread Man and Runaway Ricecake, etc, this is a rhyming story about the cultural celebration of Hanukkah, a celebration of grated potatoes, family and dreidels. A boy plays with a shiny new dreidel, that spins and spins out the door; spinning past challahs that are two for a dollah... Spins from city to country to ocean to sky, with fun illustrations along the way.

4 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Chanukah IS NOT the Jewish Christmas, June 9, 2005

By	Rita - See all my reviews

With such wonderful illustrations, and a mostly enjoyable text, it's too bad that this book gets its inspiration from "Twas The Night Before Christmas". Jewish parents work hard teaching their children that Chanukah IS NOT the Jewish Christmas. This book doesn't help. There are much better choices out there.