Review: Hanukkah (Celebrations & Festivals series)
Hanukkah (Celebrations & Festivals series)
by Lesléa Newman, illustrated by Rotem Teplow
Words & Pictures (imprint of The Quarto Group), 2024
Category: Picture Books
Reviewer: Dena Bach
Buy at Bookshop.org
Award winning author Lesléa Newman has gifted us a fine attempt at all-inclusive book to illuminate the celebration of the holiday of Hanukkah. With a few caveats, this book is a good place to start — full of history, traditions, recipes and rituals. It follows a child named Lior (a Hebrew name translated here as “my light”) when he and his family celebrate Hanukkah with their extended family and friends, and with their wider community.
Their preparation begins with decoration, cleaning, descriptions of the Hanukah menorah (hanukkiah) and of the dreidel game, and a retelling of the historical story of Hanukkah. As the guests start arriving, laden with holiday gifts, they join the family in lighting their many hanukkiot and reciting the blessings (included in English and transliterated). The calm colors of the illustrations serve as a backdrop for the brighter golden hanukkiah and the light it casts whenever it appears.
There are, however, several confusing moments with the illustrations of the hanukkiah. As explained in Newman’s text on page 29, in most traditions, the candles of the hanukkiah are placed right to left, and are lit left to right, with the newest candle lit first. Yet on page 30, in the model for how the candles are traditionally placed and lit, the opposite is shown. The illustration would be in accord with Newman’s text, if one was standing opposite the hanukkiah (as on pages 18 and 20) or if the candles are placed in a window (pages 21 and 29). But on page 28 the opposite is shown. There are traditions where the order of lighting of candles or placement of the hanukkiah in the window are reversed, but as Newman presented just one tradition, it would be less confusing if the illustrations were consistent. In addition, while the illustrations in the history section depict the seven-branched Temple era menorah correctly, this seven-branched menorah also appears in some modern scenes, rather than the nine-branched hanukkiah used for the holiday.
Both the narrative and the illustrations are inclusive in their characters, with multi-ethnic, disabled, and LGBTQ+ representation. The family reads as non-Orthodox, with a more observant family member who wears a kipah, and they visit a community-wide celebration at their synagogue, which could belong to any denomination.
The extensive back matter answers many frequently asked questions, with an explanation of the Hebrew calendar, the many spellings of Hanukkah in English, Hanukkah greetings in English, Hebrew, Yiddish and Ladino, recipes for latkes and applesauce, and crafts for the holiday. There are a few inconsistencies in spelling in the "Greetings" section that will hopefully be corrected in the next print run. The illustration of the Hebrew calendar also adds some confusing aspects, including unusual spelling in the names of the Hebrew months of Tishrei, Tevet, Shvat and Av, excluding Adar II, and in the number of days in the months of Heshvan and Kislev (29 or 30)
Newman has presented a user-friendly and informative addition to the overflowing Hanukkah bookshelf. The book concludes with a quiz, reinforcing the substantial material included. The integral, positive Jewish content in the book, with some careful editing, can appeal to both educators and families, both Jewish and non-Jewish, and across a wide range of Jewish practice.
Reviewer Dena Bach is currently the illustration editor of The Shmooze. She’s also a once and future fine artist, illustrator, bookseller, bookkeeper, author, papermaker, calligrapher, and teacher of children from ages two to fourteen.
Award winning author Lesléa Newman has gifted us a fine attempt at all-inclusive book to illuminate the celebration of the holiday of Hanukkah. With a few caveats, this book is a good place to start — full of history, traditions, recipes and rituals. It follows a child named Lior (a Hebrew name translated here as “my light”) when he and his family celebrate Hanukkah with their extended family and friends, and with their wider community.
Their preparation begins with decoration, cleaning, descriptions of the Hanukah menorah (hanukkiah) and of the dreidel game, and a retelling of the historical story of Hanukkah. As the guests start arriving, laden with holiday gifts, they join the family in lighting their many hanukkiot and reciting the blessings (included in English and transliterated). The calm colors of the illustrations serve as a backdrop for the brighter golden hanukkiah and the light it casts whenever it appears.
There are, however, several confusing moments with the illustrations of the hanukkiah. As explained in Newman’s text on page 29, in most traditions, the candles of the hanukkiah are placed right to left, and are lit left to right, with the newest candle lit first. Yet on page 30, in the model for how the candles are traditionally placed and lit, the opposite is shown. The illustration would be in accord with Newman’s text, if one was standing opposite the hanukkiah (as on pages 18 and 20) or if the candles are placed in a window (pages 21 and 29). But on page 28 the opposite is shown. There are traditions where the order of lighting of candles or placement of the hanukkiah in the window are reversed, but as Newman presented just one tradition, it would be less confusing if the illustrations were consistent. In addition, while the illustrations in the history section depict the seven-branched Temple era menorah correctly, this seven-branched menorah also appears in some modern scenes, rather than the nine-branched hanukkiah used for the holiday.
Both the narrative and the illustrations are inclusive in their characters, with multi-ethnic, disabled, and LGBTQ+ representation. The family reads as non-Orthodox, with a more observant family member who wears a kipah, and they visit a community-wide celebration at their synagogue, which could belong to any denomination.
The extensive back matter answers many frequently asked questions, with an explanation of the Hebrew calendar, the many spellings of Hanukkah in English, Hanukkah greetings in English, Hebrew, Yiddish and Ladino, recipes for latkes and applesauce, and crafts for the holiday. There are a few inconsistencies in spelling in the "Greetings" section that will hopefully be corrected in the next print run. The illustration of the Hebrew calendar also adds some confusing aspects, including unusual spelling in the names of the Hebrew months of Tishrei, Tevet, Shvat and Av, excluding Adar II, and in the number of days in the months of Heshvan and Kislev (29 or 30)
Newman has presented a user-friendly and informative addition to the overflowing Hanukkah bookshelf. The book concludes with a quiz, reinforcing the substantial material included. The integral, positive Jewish content in the book, with some careful editing, can appeal to both educators and families, both Jewish and non-Jewish, and across a wide range of Jewish practice.
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