First Day of Hanukkah
The new CBC Holidays Series will explore stories that relate to specific holidays so that kid, and adult, readers can celebrate in the best way we know how… with a good book!
Today, Sunday, November 28th, we celebrate the first day of Hanukkah, also commonly referred to as Chanukah, the Jewish Festival of Rededication, and the Festival of Lights. For this eight-day celebration, Jewish families and communities all over the world honor the rededication of the Second Temple in Jerusalem by lighting the menorah, playing with dreidels, eating traditional meals, and giving gifts. So let’s pick up one of these good books and learn the importance of Hanukkah and its significance to the Jewish community.
All-of-a-Kind Family Hanukkah by Emily Jenkins; illus. Paul O. Zelinsky (Random House / Schwartz & Wade) — Fiction, Picture Book, Religion, Historical Fiction, ages 4-6.
Baby Loves Angular Momentum on Hanukkah! by Ruth Spiro; illus. Irene Chan (Charlesbridge) — Fiction, 0-3, Board Book, Science, Religion, Diversity, ages 0-3
Boris and Stella and the Perfect Gift written and illustrated by Dara Goldman (Sleeping Bear Press) — Fiction, Picture Book, Religion, Animals, ages 4-6.
Hanukkah Bear by Eric A. Kimmel; illus. Mike Wohnoutka (Holiday House) — Fiction, Picture Book, Religion, Animals, ages 4-6.
Hanukkah Hamster by Michelle Markel; illus. André Ceolin (Sleeping Bear Press) — Fiction, Picture Book, Religion, Animals, ages 4-6.
Hershel and the Hanukkah Goblins: 25th Anniversary Edition by Eric A. Kimmel; illus. Trina Schart Hyman (Holiday House) — Fiction, Picture Book, Religion, Sci-Fi/Fantasy, ages 4-6.
Holidays Around the World: Celebrate Hanukkah by Deborah Heiligman (National Geographic Children’s Books) — Nonfiction, Picture Book, Religion, Series, ages 7-12.
How Do Dinosaurs Say Happy Chanukah by Jane Yolen; illus. Mark Teague (Scholastic) — Fiction, Picture Book, Religion, Humor, Series, ages 0-3.
No Naptime for Janie!: A Hanukkah Tale by Margie Blumberg; illus. Renée Andriani (MB Publishing) — Fiction, Picture Book, Religion, ages 4-6.
Oskar and the Eight Blessings by Richard and Tanya Simon; illus. Mark Siegel (Macmillan Children’s Publishing Group) — Fiction, Picture Book, Religion, Historical Fiction, ages 4-6.
A Rugrats Chanukah: The Classic Illustrated Storybook (Pop Classics #11) based on the series created by Arlene Klasky, Gábor Csupó, and Paul Germain; illus. Kim Smith (Quirk Books) — Fiction, Picture Book, Religion, Humor, Series, ages 4-6.
Simon and the Bear: A Hanukkah Tale by Eric A. Kimmel; illus. Matthew Trueman (Disney Publishing Worldwide) — Fiction, Picture Book, Religion, Animals, ages 4-6.
This Little Dreidel by Aly Fronis; illus. Carol Herring (little bee books) — Fiction, Board Book, Religion, Poetry, Diversity, ages 0-3.
List compiled by CBC’s resident trivia expert, Sommer. Check out other diverse book lists on our blog and from our Inclusivity Resources list.
