Review: A Wild, Wild Hanukkah
A Wild, Wild Hanukkah by Jo Gershman & Bob Strauss, illustrated by Jo Gershman Kar-Ben Publishing (imprint of Lerner Publishing Group), 2023 Category: Picture Books Reviewer: Arlene Schenker Buy at Bookshop.org This book is a lovable rhyming tale of different wild animals invading a home each night of Hanukkah. The rhymes roll off the tongue with wonderful alliteration, sure to delight children. The illustrations are mesmerizing, with large depictions of animals seemingly jumping off the page. They remind me of Maurice Sendak’s “wild things,” though Gershman uses brighter and more vibrant colors. Perhaps the authors are giving a nod to Where the Wild Things Are in their choice of book title? The illustrations also add a fun element to the narrative. Have you ever seen a tiger juggling eggs or punk-rock penguins spinning dreidels? There are pages with no text at all, perfectly appropriate where the illustrations pull the reader right into the story. The Jewish content is relate