Review: Rachel Friedman and Eight Not-Perfect Nights of Hanukkah
Rachel Friedman and Eight Not-Perfect Nights of Hanukkah
by Sarah Kapit, illustrated by Genevieve Kote
Henry Holt & Co. (imprint of Macmillan), 2024
Category: Middle Grade
Reviewer: Julie Ditton
Buy at Bookshop.org
The irrepressible Rachel Friedman is back. When a classmate says that Christmas is better than Hanukkah, Rachel feels the drive to make this year the best Hanukkah ever. But then her best friend gets sick, her brother thinks that he is too old for Hanukkah and worst of all, Dad forgets to buy potatoes for the latkes. Sarah Kapit has written a plot that will keep young readers engaged and has developed characters that they can relate to. Rachel is smart and energetic and knows how to take action. Her brother just had his Bar Mitzvah and has the typical attitude of not wanting to do things that seem babyish. The sibling interaction is realistic. Just when Rachel is most fed up with him, he does something nice. The fantastic grey-tone illustrations by Genevieve Kote help bring these characters to life. The faces are expressive and the background has plenty of detail.
Rachel's classmate knows that she is Jewish, but feel sorry for her because she doesn't have a Christmas tree. This book provides a window, giving non-Jewish readers a glimpse at the Hanukkah celebration. The story is primarily a mirror that reflects feelings that most Jewish kids experience. The whole world seems to be celebrating Christmas. The world around us is decorated for the holiday, school activities center on the celebration, and television and movies make it appear to be the perfect holiday. Rachel has a hard time admitting that she may feel left out and jealous. Kapit has the older brother and father help Rachel deal with her feelings. In the end of the story Rachel realizes that a holiday doesn't have to be perfect as long as you celebrate with family and friends. I loved both Rachel Friedman Breaks the Rules and this sequel. These chapter books would make ideal Hanukkah gifts for any young Jewish kid.
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Reviewer Julie Ditton posts reviews on her Storybook Lady Facebook page and on Instagram @story.book.lady. As her name would imply, her favorite genre is Children’s Literature. About half of those books have Jewish themes. She is an active contributor to the Jewish Kidlit Mavens Facebook group. Her reviews for about 250 Jewish children's books can be found on Bubbe's Bookshelf on her Goodreads profile.
The irrepressible Rachel Friedman is back. When a classmate says that Christmas is better than Hanukkah, Rachel feels the drive to make this year the best Hanukkah ever. But then her best friend gets sick, her brother thinks that he is too old for Hanukkah and worst of all, Dad forgets to buy potatoes for the latkes. Sarah Kapit has written a plot that will keep young readers engaged and has developed characters that they can relate to. Rachel is smart and energetic and knows how to take action. Her brother just had his Bar Mitzvah and has the typical attitude of not wanting to do things that seem babyish. The sibling interaction is realistic. Just when Rachel is most fed up with him, he does something nice. The fantastic grey-tone illustrations by Genevieve Kote help bring these characters to life. The faces are expressive and the background has plenty of detail.
Rachel's classmate knows that she is Jewish, but feel sorry for her because she doesn't have a Christmas tree. This book provides a window, giving non-Jewish readers a glimpse at the Hanukkah celebration. The story is primarily a mirror that reflects feelings that most Jewish kids experience. The whole world seems to be celebrating Christmas. The world around us is decorated for the holiday, school activities center on the celebration, and television and movies make it appear to be the perfect holiday. Rachel has a hard time admitting that she may feel left out and jealous. Kapit has the older brother and father help Rachel deal with her feelings. In the end of the story Rachel realizes that a holiday doesn't have to be perfect as long as you celebrate with family and friends. I loved both Rachel Friedman Breaks the Rules and this sequel. These chapter books would make ideal Hanukkah gifts for any young Jewish kid.
Are you interested in reviewing books for The Sydney Taylor Shmooze? Click here!
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