Review: Charley & Seymour's Hanukkah Miracle
Charley & Seymour's Hanukkah Miracle
by Melody Howard Ritt, illustrated by Nia Gould
Kar-Ben Publishing (imprint of Lerner Publishing Group) 2024
Category: Picture Books
Reviewer: Shanna Silva
Buy at Bookshop.org
In this story, we meet best friends Charley Chipmunk and Seymour Squirrel. The pair does everything together, but in particular, they love to celebrate Hanukkah. When Charley forgets that he’s meant to bring candles to light the menorah, he finds lots of other things starting with the letter C instead. Younger kids will appreciate this subtle humor and the repetition of all the “C” items. Improvisation has the duo make do with oil, in a parallel to the Hanukkah miracle of old. This clever problem solving makes for a happy ending. This book is appropriate for the stated 4-8 age group, and indeed would serve as a good Hanukkah primer to non-Jewish readers as well.
The characters are friendly-looking and there is much Jewish imagery in the art: gelt, menorahs, Stars of David, latkes, and dreidels. A story reference to King Antiochus and the Maccabee miracle is further explained in the Author’s Note (written for adults) and glossary. Charley & Seymour’s Hanukkah Miracle contains positive, authentic Jewish content.
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Reviewer Shanna Silva is an award-winning author and Broadway producer. She has written three children’s picture books: A Dog’s Guide to Being Human, Hannah’s Hanukkah Hiccups and Passover Scavenger Hunt. Shanna is also the author of over 60 hi/lo books for emerging readers. Her work has been featured in Kveller, Bella Magazine, Twins Magazine, Multiples Illuminated I and II, and Chicken Soup for the Soul. Shanna lives in New York with her family and a meshuggenah sheepadoodle.
In this story, we meet best friends Charley Chipmunk and Seymour Squirrel. The pair does everything together, but in particular, they love to celebrate Hanukkah. When Charley forgets that he’s meant to bring candles to light the menorah, he finds lots of other things starting with the letter C instead. Younger kids will appreciate this subtle humor and the repetition of all the “C” items. Improvisation has the duo make do with oil, in a parallel to the Hanukkah miracle of old. This clever problem solving makes for a happy ending. This book is appropriate for the stated 4-8 age group, and indeed would serve as a good Hanukkah primer to non-Jewish readers as well.
The characters are friendly-looking and there is much Jewish imagery in the art: gelt, menorahs, Stars of David, latkes, and dreidels. A story reference to King Antiochus and the Maccabee miracle is further explained in the Author’s Note (written for adults) and glossary. Charley & Seymour’s Hanukkah Miracle contains positive, authentic Jewish content.
Are you interested in reviewing books for The Sydney Taylor Shmooze? Click here!
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