No comments about Hanukkah: Celebrating the Holiday of Lights (Finding Out About Holidays).

2 comments about Hooray! It's Passover.

1. We were very disappointed in this book for our young son. The author seems not to know that "brave Moses" is never mentioned in ANY Haggadah; the artist seems not to know that the holiday candles are never picked up to be lighted. The author seems to think that finding the afikomen is the whole point of the holiday. We regret buying this book.



2. This is one of my daughter's favorite books! We started reading it to her several weeks before Passover to get her ready for the holiday. She understood the seder much better from having read the book first, I am certain. She is especially taken with the smiling, happy characters in the pictures. The book may not describe _exactly_ what happens at your Passover seder, but no two families seem to do everything the same way anyway. I really liked how it conveys the importance of family being together and of the central rituals of the evening. We are still reading the book often, though Passover is long over.

1 comments about The Golden Dreydl.

1. A fantasy for younger chapter-book readers, this takeoff of The Nutcracker is a Jewish-themed adventure into the magical world of King Solomon and the Queen of Sheba. Sara's mysterious Tante Miriam makes a surprise appearance at her family's Chanukah dinner. Miriam has unusual gifts for all the children, but offers a huge golden dreydl to Sara that disappoints her. After a tussle over the dreydl breaks the TV screen, Sara is held responsible, and the dreydl, who has taken her real form of an enchanted princess, guides Sara through the broken television set and into a world of fantasy.
   The princess turns out to be the daughter of the king and queen and she is promptly kidnapped by a flying horde of demons and their king, Ashmedai (demon king of Talmudic legend and purported adversary of Solomon). A Fool comes to Sara's aid, listens to her story, and they find sufficient common bonds, including an affinity for solving riddles, to embark on a mission to rescue the princess/dreydl from the demons' clutches. After some rousing adventures, the rescuers succeed in entering the demon king's lair, and find the princess and many other captives spinning like dreydls, helpless to stop. The demons, too, are riddlers, and so it's a good thing that Sara and The Fool are talented puzzle-solvers. The conclusion is satisfying, as Sara returns home with lessons learned, the TV fixed, and the realization that boring old Chanukah parties can be significantly more fun. The author, an established award-winning fantasy writer for teens and adults, does an admirable job of combining Jewish folklore and holiday traditions with an appealing fantasy story for young readers. The delightful black and white line drawings that are sprinkled throughout the text provide further entry into the magical world that Kushner has created. A useful glossary of Jewish terms is included. For ages 8-10. Reviewed by Steve Silverman

2 comments about Potato Pancakes All Around: A Hanukkah Tale.

1. This is a good story for kids just learning what Hannukah is and what kind of traditions they have. it is rather funny though to see thata little bit of almost anything can go into a potato pancake.



2. This 29-page story tells the story of Samuel, a peddler who walked down the road to a village on the afternoon before the first night of Hanukkah.

   When he reached the village, it was almost dark, and he knocked on the door of a house. Mama opened the door and smiled. "A guest is always welcome," she said, and welcomed him in as they lit the first candle.

   Samuel looked forward to making potato latkes, but immediately, Grandma Yetta and Grandma Sophie began to argue about whose recipe they would use.

   "Who needs recipes," he told them. "I'll show you how to make potato pancakes from a crust of bread. Some say for potato pancakes a pickle, a fish or a cabbage is good, but I say a crust of bread is best."

   Of course, Samuel did not really use a crust of bread to make latkes, but in this variation on Stone Soup, he managed to get everyone in the large family to work together on the cooking.

   He saw a chicken on the window ledge and wondered aloud what it was trying to tell him. "I know," said Rachel. "The chicken is telling you to add eggs." He agreed and added six eggs, while the Grandma Sophie and Grandma Yetta clucked about his taking advice from chickens.

   And so the story goes, with many more twists and turns in the recipe--and several other disputes amicably resolved by the clever peddler. The family ended the first night of Hanukkah predictably with a delightful Potato Latke feast.

   The next morning everyone begged Samuel to stay for the entire eight nights of Hanukkah. But he was off to show other families how to make pancakes from a crust of bread. Alyssa A. Lappen

No comments about Max's Four Questions.

No comments about Hanukkah (Celebrating Cultures).

No comments about 4 Tiny Tot Hanukah Books/Boardbooks.

No comments about The Hanukkah Book.

No comments about Lamb Chop's Special Chanukah.

5 comments about Helpless.

1. In this story, author Gowdy cleverly hints early on that Ron, one of the main characters, has an unhealthy sexual obsession for this young girl Rachel. His girlfriend Nance believes Ron's actions, albeit illegal, are innocent intentions to protect Rachel from child molesters; however, Ron begins to behave in ways that not only stir Nance's suspicions, but also remembrances of her own childhood experiences. I believe this story exemplifies the bizarre manisfestations a person's mind goes through, when the line between reality and fantasy no longer exist for them. Unfortunately, I didn't see the connection of his relationship with his mom and how that affects his viewpoint of women, love, and ruined childhoods. The story is an easy read, suspenseful, disturbing.



2. I felt that this book lacked alot of depth and backstory for the characters. I tend to loan books to my friends and co-workers and this one I left on a plane b/c I felt it wasn't worth loaning out to anyone.



3. An incredibly disturbing story of a pedophile, his codependent addict lover, and the object of their obsession: Rachel. Beautiful, artistic, intelligent, and kind... Rachel is an "angel"... and she's nine years old. She's used to getting attention from men, especially the customer's at the bar where he mother performs. Rachel is poor but satisfied. She has friends, a mother, and a landlord who cares for her. (This landlord may even care for her a little too much, as one character witnesses landlord molesting Rachel.) The story centers around the obsession everyday people have for Rachel. Women wonder if she's related to her homely mother. Men give her a lot of attention and affection. Rachel is oblivious to any sort of pervy-ness. Will her abduction change her? The resolution is surprising.
   
   The story is a mix of the past and present. We learn a little about her mother's life, what potential she had until a one-night stand with a college student from NYC. We also learn about the pedophile's dysfunctional life: dead mother, distant father, young lover. Pedophile's first sexual encounter is disgusting, and yet brilliantly constructed by Gowdy. Both the past and the present are absolutely chilling!!!
   
   That these characters rely on psychic premonitions is superb. They all look so pathetic, especially the addict who clutches her "psychic pouch" in hopes of holding on to her worthless boyfriend. We see mother and landlord clinging to their psychic visions in hopes of finding Rachel.
   
   We're left to make our own judgments about the mother, mostly through dialogues with a talk show host and callers. Is her mother "bad' for not maintaining relations with Rachel's father? Was their one-night stand, the result of which is Rachel, so horrible? And what about the thoughts of the pedophile? He actually believes he is doing the right thing by kidnapping Rachel. He sees the mother as "bad" for taking Rachel to bars, allowing her to touch men, leaving her with a pervy (?) landlord, etc. Although kidnapping and pedophilia are foul, is the pedohpile correct in his assessment of the mother? Gowdy gives us many things to think about.
   
   Oh yes, this book is warped. And that's what made it so interesting to read. Gowdy does not tie up loose ends with a pretty bow. You are left to wonder what exactly happened to all of the characters. And you want more, but, all good books must come to an end. Sadly, because I wanted to know more about Rachel. And the pedophile and his girlfriend. I wanted to know if the landlord was really a child molester and if he really was gay. I wanted to know every little detail about every character; they were like a bunch of really twisted, pathetic new friends.



4. This books start out rather slowly and works its way under your skin until the final chapters that will have you on the edge of your seat. I almost gave up at the beginning of this sleeper hit. I just couldn't get into it. It was kind of boring and reminded me of other child abduction books...until midway through when the author hits her stride. The pace quickens, the characters become more realistic and likeable, and the plot takes off. There are several flashbacks in the book which explain the motives of the characters; and the alternating chapters make for quick and interesting transitions. I would highly recommend this book for readers above age 14, as there are several references to pedophilia and a couple of graphic (not too graphic) scenes that might offend some readers. Overall, I really enjoyed this book and would like to read more by this author.



5. I read a new book about every 4 days, in 2008 I've already read over 30, and this one is absolutely one of the best.
   Sometimes it is hard to find something novel in a novel, however this book is captivating by its dedication to honest characters and realistic decisions, emotions and relationships in a rare situation (but still very real and believable situation).
   Dozens of times during this book I got that unique euphoria from the author finally putting a rare, special feeling into words never previously expressed.
   Like all great novels, the protagonists have flaws and the antagonists have virtues and Gowdy raises many interesting, important questions that go purposefully unanswered.
   A beautiful, brilliant, endearing book that will stay with me for a long time and definitely on my list of books to re-read.