Review: Gingerbread Dreidels
Gingerbread Dreidels
by Jane Breskin Zalben, illustrated by Thai My Phuong
Charlesbridge, 2024
Category: Picture Books
Reviewer: Elizabeth Suneby
Buy at Bookshop.org
Every 15 years or so, the first night of Chanukah coincides with Christmas Eve/Christmas Day.
When Max and Sophie learn that their family will celebrate Chanukah and Christmas at the same time with their Jewish and Christian grandparents, the siblings go to bed worrying if they will get as many gifts, a natural worry for young kids.
They wake the next morning to a snowstorm and no grandparents, yet. To pass time, the family bakes--making the requisite mess, complete with blue and white and red and green sprinkles everywhere. As they clean up, both sets of grandparents arrive, and the family joyfully prepares their meal, with traditional holiday foods from both cultures.
While dinner cooks, they play outdoors. Back inside, they light the menorah and sing "O Chanukah," and they light the Christmas tree and sing "Silent Night." After they enjoy their meal, the family gathers to hear the stories of Chanukah and Christmas, play the dreidel game, and eat the gingerbread dreidels they baked in the morning--symbols of combined cultures. That's when Max realizes they almost forgot their presents. They retrieve the boxes from under their Christmas tree, grateful for the gifts, but even more so for being together.
The story's carefully balanced examples from both religions, tension-less tone, and happy illustration style depicts an idyllic blended family--one that is likely as rare as it is a great role model. The last line wraps up the story appropriately: "And their world felt good, safe, and full of love." Kein Y'hi Ratzon -- May humanity learn from this family's example.
According to a 2015 survey by the Pew Research Center, 21% percent of American adults were raised in interfaith homes. Given that multi-faith families abound, parents raising young children in a multi-faith household will welcome a heartwarming story that normalizes interfaith holidays. Beloved Chanukah and Christmas traditions, stories, and symbols are equally depicted and honored. Religious garb is also included. Papa wears a yarmulka, Nana a mitpahat -- reinforcing the message that even "observant" Jews can embrace their blended family.
The back matter gives more information about Jewish traditions, including the history of the dreidel and how to play Spin the Dreidel. It also incudes the gingerbread cookie recipe, and a note about why the two holidays do not often fall on the same day.
Every 15 years or so, the first night of Chanukah coincides with Christmas Eve/Christmas Day.
When Max and Sophie learn that their family will celebrate Chanukah and Christmas at the same time with their Jewish and Christian grandparents, the siblings go to bed worrying if they will get as many gifts, a natural worry for young kids.
They wake the next morning to a snowstorm and no grandparents, yet. To pass time, the family bakes--making the requisite mess, complete with blue and white and red and green sprinkles everywhere. As they clean up, both sets of grandparents arrive, and the family joyfully prepares their meal, with traditional holiday foods from both cultures.
While dinner cooks, they play outdoors. Back inside, they light the menorah and sing "O Chanukah," and they light the Christmas tree and sing "Silent Night." After they enjoy their meal, the family gathers to hear the stories of Chanukah and Christmas, play the dreidel game, and eat the gingerbread dreidels they baked in the morning--symbols of combined cultures. That's when Max realizes they almost forgot their presents. They retrieve the boxes from under their Christmas tree, grateful for the gifts, but even more so for being together.
The story's carefully balanced examples from both religions, tension-less tone, and happy illustration style depicts an idyllic blended family--one that is likely as rare as it is a great role model. The last line wraps up the story appropriately: "And their world felt good, safe, and full of love." Kein Y'hi Ratzon -- May humanity learn from this family's example.
According to a 2015 survey by the Pew Research Center, 21% percent of American adults were raised in interfaith homes. Given that multi-faith families abound, parents raising young children in a multi-faith household will welcome a heartwarming story that normalizes interfaith holidays. Beloved Chanukah and Christmas traditions, stories, and symbols are equally depicted and honored. Religious garb is also included. Papa wears a yarmulka, Nana a mitpahat -- reinforcing the message that even "observant" Jews can embrace their blended family.
The back matter gives more information about Jewish traditions, including the history of the dreidel and how to play Spin the Dreidel. It also incudes the gingerbread cookie recipe, and a note about why the two holidays do not often fall on the same day.
Illustration Editor Dena Bach adds: Please note that in the illustration where Grandpa Gold tells the story of Chanukah, the image is of a nine-branched Chanukah menorah (chanukiah), rather than the seven branched menorah from the Temple. And in several other chanukiah illustrations, the shamash is shown level as the rest of the candles, rather than slightly higher, as is traditional. In addition, as the reviewer points out, the Jewish grandparents are "observant," yet in a few illustrations the food preparation and presentation is not kosher - a carton of milk and sour cream near the turkey, and the non-Jewish grandmother is cracking the eggs directly into the batter and not into to a cup to check for blood spots, as an "observant" family would.
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Reviewer Elizabeth Suneby, an award-winning children’s book author, is honored to have been chosen by PJ Library as part of the 3rd cohort PJ hosted in Israel. She has two books coming from PJ Publishing.
Liz’s current Jewish-themed books include No Room for a Pup, (a modern, multi-cultural retelling of a Yiddish folktale), a mitzvah series with a rhyming board book (That’s A Mitzvah!), a fun picture book featuring “Mitzvah Meerkat” (It’s a… It’s a… It’s a Mitzvah) and a nonfiction book for preteens and teens (The Mitzvah Project Book) that helps kids shape mitzvah projects that are meaningful and enjoyable.
Are you interested in reviewing books for The Sydney Taylor Shmooze? Click here!
Liz’s current Jewish-themed books include No Room for a Pup, (a modern, multi-cultural retelling of a Yiddish folktale), a mitzvah series with a rhyming board book (That’s A Mitzvah!), a fun picture book featuring “Mitzvah Meerkat” (It’s a… It’s a… It’s a Mitzvah) and a nonfiction book for preteens and teens (The Mitzvah Project Book) that helps kids shape mitzvah projects that are meaningful and enjoyable.
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