Review: Beam of Light: The Story of the First White House Menorah
Beam of Light: The Story of the First White House Menorah
by Elisa Boxer, illustrated by Sofia Moore
Rocky Pond Books (imprint of Penguin Books), 2024
Category: Picture Books
Reviewer: Laurie Adler
Buy at Bookshop.org
A Beam of Light is a spectacular nonfiction picture book told from the point of view of a wooden beam which is eventually fashioned into the first menorah, indeed the first piece of Judaica, that was added to the permanent White House Holiday Collection. "I was supposed to be destroyed" is a repeated refrain throughout the book, as the beam survives a dilapidated White House, the Truman-era demolition and renovation, landfills, and storage, to experience consequent salvation.
A Beam of Light is a spectacular nonfiction picture book told from the point of view of a wooden beam which is eventually fashioned into the first menorah, indeed the first piece of Judaica, that was added to the permanent White House Holiday Collection. "I was supposed to be destroyed" is a repeated refrain throughout the book, as the beam survives a dilapidated White House, the Truman-era demolition and renovation, landfills, and storage, to experience consequent salvation.
The wood reflects on the "deeper level of destruction" it witnessed in 1943, when the sitting president refused to offer refuge to Jews, and millions perished in the Holocaust. Yet, like the Jewish people, the wood comes from strong roots, can withstand the ravages of time, and what begins with destruction can be transformed into a Menorah, a vehicle that spreads light.
The literary quality of this book is excellent. Boxer manages to impart history, facts, and symbolism without distracting the reader from the storyline. The illustrations have exceptional detail and add historical context and poignancy. Children aged five and up will recognize American national figures such as Presidents Biden and Truman while also grasping the pictorial representation of our great Jewish loss in 1943.
A Beam of Light has strong backmatter that further grounds the book into our national history and applies its lesson to current times. The Jewish representation in this book feels authentic and relevant to the American Jewish experience. The illustrations depict Jews of different races and religious outlooks. Readers of all backgrounds will be touched by A Beam of Light's message of resiliency: when the world feels dark, you too can have the resiliency to bring light to the world.
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