These amazing Hanukkah children’s books will help you celebrate the holiday of lights! Your family will love these delightful and sometimes fantastic Hanukkah tales in addition to hearing the classic account of the Maccabees and the eight-day miracle. I’m thrilled to be able to provide a collection of Hanukkah-themed novels that features some non-traditional, multicultural households. So bake latkes, eat sufganiyot, and assemble around the menorah while spinning the dreidel. Hanukkah is approaching quickly.
Most of these novels are fiction, but you will also discover several that provide historical context or speculative interpretations of Hanukkah. I even sent a book of Hanukkah poems! Cheers to reading!
All-of-a-Kind Family Hanukkah by Emily Jenkins. In this brand-new picture book based on Sidney Taylor’s well-liked books, your favorite family is back. The mother and the daughters prepare a batch of latkes in this short narrative. Gertie, a four-year-old, tries her hardest to assist, but her mother sends her to her room when she throws a fuss. When Papa gets home, he tempts her out of hiding with his fatherly affection, and the whole family, including Uncle Hyman, congregates to light the menorah. You should include this picture book in your eight days of reading.
The Hanukkah Magic of Nate Gadol by Arthur A. Levine. Consider this a Pourquoi story for Hanukkah presents! A ghost named Nate Godol makes things “last as long as they needed to” by using his powers. He enjoys both fixing bigger issues and giving others little delights. Nate Gadol observes the immigrant Glaser family endure a hungry and miserable winter in 1881. Then, though, he runs across Nick, an old acquaintance from “far, way back.” The two discover that if they support each other, they can deliver happiness to all families when Nick’s sleigh breaks down.
The Ninth Night of Hanukkah by Erica S. Perl. In this endearing and completely uplifting tale, Siblings Max and Rachel are eager to celebrate Hanukkah. They are having trouble finding their customary holiday supplies because their family is still unpacking from a recent move. The family is going to celebrate with assistance from a variety of neighbors, and after the eight nights are up, the kids decide to have a “ninth night” to thank the neighbors.
The Eight Knights of Hanukkah by Leslie Kimmelman. The Hanukkah celebrations in the kingdom are being hampered by a “dastardly monster called Dreadful,” so eight varied knights set out to make things right. They assist in cleaning the castle, preparing fresh sufganiyo, replacing broken dreidels, and performing mitzvot. The dragon is not what it first seems to be; therefore, they will be in for a surprise. You won’t want to miss this enjoyable and original Hanukkah tale!
Light the Menorah! A Hanukkah Handbook by Jacqueline Jules. This Hanukkah book is one of my favorites! For each night of Hanukkah, Jules provides a little poem and a reflection to be read aloud after a brief introduction and the candle blessing. The readings explain the festival customs and relate them to more general principles that people of all religions hold dear, such as the values of tolerance and generosity. The book also features recipes, crafts, and a Hanukkah narrative. An excellent book that families can read and discuss together. This year, I’m particularly looking forward to reading this aloud to my sons.
Way Too Many Latkes: A Hanukkah in Chelm by Linda Glaser. My children and I like the tales of Chelm! Jewish legend refers to Chelm as the “town of fools,” hence stories from Chelm are always absurd and amusing. Faigel asks the rabbi how many potatoes, eggs, etc., she needs since he forgot how to prepare latkes this Hanukkah. She is informed, “All of them.” She takes his advice and gets oh-so-many latkes as a result! Of course, there is only one possible answer, and it is tasty!
Hanukkah Bear by Eric A. Kimmel. This is a charming book for young children. Bubba Brayna, an older woman with vision impairment, is preparing her house for the holiday. She believes the large bear at her door is the rabbi she is expecting and opens the door for him. She enjoys eating latkes, playing dreidel, and igniting the menorah with the bear. After the bear departs, human guests show up, the kids see bear footprints, the error is exposed, and everyone laughs heartily.
Oskar and the Eight Blessings by Tanya Simon and Richard Simon. A youngster who survived Kristallnacht travels to New York, and he has to trek 100 blocks to locate his aunt on Christmas Eve and the seventh night of Hanukkah. He comes across kindhearted individuals along the journey, enjoys the city’s festive views, and passes famous sites that cause him to consider his situation.
Hanukkah Moon by Deborah Da Costa. I think this book is fantastic for introducing Latino-Jewish culture to kids. For Hanukkah, Isabel visits her aunt Louisa’s home. The “Hanukkah moon” would be celebrated in Isabel’s newly emigrated Mexican aunt’s home, her father informs her. Isabel discovers the Sephardic Hanukkah customs of breaking a dreidel piata and stepping outside at midnight to greet “la luna nueve.”
Queen of the Hanukkah Dosas by Pamela Ehrenberg. While most books about blended families’ holiday celebrations concentrate on Hanukkah-Christmas families, Ehrenberg shares a compelling account of how a diverse family celebrates Hanukkah by honoring their non-Jewish heritage. This book is another excellent example of how Hanukkah can be observed in various ways. During Hanukkah, a kid in his Jewish-Indian family looks forward to making his family’s dosas (an Indian meal), but he is hesitant to let his tiny sister assist. But when he creates a fresh rendition of the “dreidel song,” he finally discovers the secret.
Jeremy’s Dreidel by Ellie Gellman. Jeremy and his buddies study the dreidel game and the teachings of Hanukkah at the Jewish community center. Each youngster brings their materials to make a unique dreidel, and Jeremy makes a unique top out of clay and presses braille Hebrew characters onto it. Because of the elevated letters, Jeremy says that his blind father will be able to read the dreidel with his hands.
Little Red Ruthie: A Hanukkah Tale by Gloria Koster. This sweet Little Red Riding Hood fairy tale retelling has a Hanukkah theme. When Little Red Ruthie encounters the wolf, she is en route to Bubbe Basha’s to get latkes, and she enters his mouth. She convinces the wolf to let her go by channeling the courage of the Maccabees and vowing to be tastier and plumper after stuffing herself on latkes. Ruthie makes the delicious pancakes at Bubbe’s and regales the wolf masquerading as Bubbe with the Hanukkah tale, diverting him from his intended objective. A very sweet tale.
Hanukkah: A Counting Book In English – Hebrew – Yiddish by Emily Sper. This counting book is wonderful. With die-cut pages, colorful candles emerge one by one. The number is translated into English, Hebrew, and Yiddish on each page spread, along with the item (e.g., one menorah, four dreidels, etc.). In conclusion, there is a brief description of the holiday. Ideal for young children, although older children might also enjoy practicing the translations.
The Story of Hanukkah by David A. Adler is what the title claims. Adler’s book describes the miracle that occurred in the Jerusalem Temple in an understandable and transparent manner. Adler concludes with a short discussion of how Hanukkah is observed now after recounting the historical tale of the Maccabees. This book is excellent for introducing children to the holiday.
Hanukkah Haiku by Harriet Ziefert, illustrated by Karla Gudeon. This is a wonderful way to tell the Hanukkah narrative. During the festival of lights, each night is given its little poem. The book has an interactive component since the pages are divided into steps for each day. I like the images because they educate us about the 8-day festival while taking the readers on a whirlwind trip.
