In this beautifully illustrated book, The Festival of Lights is retold. This book ends by telling the legend of the menorah and the dreidel. Instructions on how to make a dreidel and how to play the dreidel game are included.

I really enjoyed this book for a few reasons. I am not Jewish so it was interesting to learn about a holiday different form mine. I really enjoyed the plot and how it told the story of how Hanukkah came about and why they celebrate it. It was told at a good pace and was written clearly so that a young child would understand it. I liked how they helped the reader define certain words they may not know such as Maccabee meaning strong and brave. Also learning that Hanukkah means dedication and after reading the story, I now understand why they would call it that. I also really enjoyed the organization of the book. The beginning told the story of where Hanukka came from and after it talked about legends of the menorah and dreidle, providing readers with additional information about the holiday. It also included directions on how to make a dreidle and how to play games with it. I think the overall message of this book was just to teach young readers the origin of Hanukkah and how it came about. ( )

NO OF PAGES: 24 SUB CAT I: Children's Resources SUB CAT II: Feasts/Festivals SUB CAT III: DESCRIPTION: Long ago in Jerusalem, the greedy king Antiochus IV ordered his soldiers to steal treasures from the Holy Temple. When the Jews tried to defend their temple, the furious king punished them harshly, and the Jews were forced to observe their faith in secret. But a brave man named Judah led his people, the Maccabees, against the king's armies. Victorious, the Jews restored the Holy Temple. They dedicated it once again to God in a joyous celebration-the very first Hanukkah. Here is a moving retelling of a timeless story. Young readers will also find the legend of the menorah, instructions for making a dreidle, and the music for a traditional holiday song.NOTES: Donated by Katie Levans. SUBTITLE: The Story of Hanukkah