Review: J Is for Janucá
J is for Janucá by Melanie Romero, illustrated by Cassie Gonzales Lil' Libros, 2022 Category: Picture Books Reviewer: Karin Fisher-Golton Buy at Bookshop.org J is for Janucá is a joyful, educational celebration of languages and of Hanukkah. Each page of this alphabet book introduces a Spanish word and its English equivalent, beginning with “Aa is for Aceite/Oil.” Each page also includes a paragraph of text in English and a paragraph in Spanish with the same content. Depending on the age, language abilities, and interests of the reader, one could read one, both, or neither paragraph. The letters follow the Spanish alphabet, so include ch, ll, ñ, and rr. This structure, in itself, demonstrates information about language—that there are multiple alphabets and multiple words that describe the same holiday. And Jews celebrate Hanukkah in many languages. Melanie Romero’s cheery, compact text is rich with information. The first several letters of the book cover key components of Hanukkah...