David Adler relates the story of Hanukkah in child-friendly language. The narrative is colorfully illustrated with acrylic painting, which clearly reflects the action of the story. The coherence between illustration and text enhances our understanding of why we celebrate Hanukkah. The author reminds us of the miracle, two thousand years ago, when the oil for the ner tamid, the eternal flame in the recaptured and rebuilt Temple in Jerusalem, burned for eight days in spite of being sufficient for only one. We are made aware of another miracle, as well. Judah Maccabee led the Jews, who were farmers and shepherds and much fewer in number than the Greek soldiers. The Maccabees were victorious in every battle against the well-trained and well-armed Greeks. Readers might note the striking similarity of battle tactics used by the Maccabees to those used by the patriots and Native Americans during the American Revolution. The motivation for all was the acquisition of freedom. This book can be read aloud to 6 year olds and read alone by children 7 and older.
Children’s
The Story of Hanukkah
- Review
By
– December 19, 2011
Naomi Kramer is a retired reading consultant teacher who developed curriculum for using literature to educate children and adults in the history of the Holocaust. She is a docent and educator at the Holocaust Memorial and Tolerance Education Center of Nassau County.
Discussion Questions
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