Celebrate Hanukkah is part of the National Geographic Society's excellent Holidays Around the World series. According to the Society, the purpose of the series is to introduce "...readers in grades one to four to different religious and cultural holidays celebrated around the globe." All of the books in the series, including Celebrate Hanukkah, are nonfiction and illustrated with striking color photographs.
Celebrate Hanukkah: What It's About
The book's picture book format, with illustrations on every page, is very effective. Throughout the book, eye-catching photographs show Jewish children all over the world, as they prepare for and celebrate Hanukkah. Author Deborah Heiligman provides interesting information about the history, meaning, symbols, and celebration of Hanukkah while the photographs provide a fascinating look at Hanukkah as it is celebrated in the United States, Canada, Peru, Poland, Italy, Israel, India, Ghana, and UgandaCelebrate Hanukkah: The Author and Illustrators
The author of Celebrate Hanukkah is Deborah Heiligman, who was assisted by consultant Rabbi Shira Stern. The photographs, which are all excellent, come from more than a dozen different sources.Celebrate Hanukkah: Additional Resources
There is a great deal of information packed into this 32-page book. In addition to all of the general information about how Hanukkah is celebrated around the world, at the end of the book, there are six pages of more specific Hanukkah information. It includes a summary of basic facts about Hanukkah, directions for lighting a menorah, a detailed recipe for potato latkes, the history of Dreidel and instructions for playing Dreidel, a bibliography of related books and Web sites, a map showing where all of the photos in the book were taken, and an essay by Rabbi Shira Stern, "Hanukkah: Its Meaning and Message".Celebrate Hanukkah: My Recommendation
Despite the fact that the book targets children in grades 1-4, I would recommend it for all ages. Younger children will enjoy the photographs; older children will also learn a lot. Whether you celebrate Hanukkah or just want your children to learn about a variety of religious and cultural holidays, I recommend Celebrate Hanukkah and the other books in the Holidays Around the World series. Some of the other holidays featured in the National Geographic Society's series include Diwali, Thanksgiving, Ramadan and Eid Al-Fitr, Passover, Easter, Independence Day, Rosh Hashanah, Halloween, and Christmas. (National Geographic Society, 2006. ISBN: 0792259246)
