Review: Ava's Homemade Hanukkah
Ava's Homemade Hanukkah by Geraldine Woberg, illustrated by Julia Seal Albert Whitman & Company, 2022 Category: Picture Books Reviewer: Shanna Silva Buy at Bookshop.org Ava’s family has a Hanukkah tradition: each person brings their own menorah, which tells a piece of their unique story. This year, Ava is old enough to have a menorah of her own. For inspiration, she looks at the other menorahs and tells the story behind each of them to her adorable pet bunny, Maccabee. Ava learns that menorahs can have a connection to people and places you miss, can commemorate a special event, can serve as a bond to one’s history, or can reflect something one cares about. Ava carefully selects important items from her life to make her own menorah. This is a sweet book and presents a family tradition that can be emulated. The story doesn’t have conflict or stakes for the main character, but the value of each person’s story is enough to advance the plot. Thoughtful diversity is portrayed in th