8 Hanukkah-Themed Books to Read This Year

By Colleen McTiernan
Hanukkah-Themed Books

The first day of Hanukkah is December 10! What better way to get into the spirit of the holiday than by reading Hanukkah-themed books with your children? With these eight books, you can read and celebrate together each night of the festival of lights!

1. โ€œHershel and the Hanukkah Goblinsโ€ by Eric A. Kimmel, illustrated by Tina Schart Hyman

$7.31, Barnesandnoble.com

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This Caldecott Honor Book tells the story of how Hershel of Ostropol, a trickster of Jewish folklore, helps rid a village of goblins that have prevented them from celebrating Hanukkah.

 

2. โ€œHow Do Dinosaurs Say Happy Chanukah?โ€ by Jane Yolen, illustrated by Mark Teague

$10.99, Amazon.com

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From the โ€œHow Do Dinosaursโ€ฆ?โ€ series comes this fun read about what the dinosaurs should and should not do while celebrating the festival of lights with their parents.

 

3. โ€œThe Latke Who Couldnโ€™t Stop Screaming: A Christmas Storyโ€ by Lemony Snicket, illustrated by Lisa Brown

$8.32, Amazon.com

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Perfect for lovers of Snicketโ€™s โ€œA Series of Unfortunate Events,โ€ this book tells the story of a latke who runs away before being cooked (much like a certain gingerbread man) and runs into several Christmas symbols. Throughout the story the latke has to explain to the confused Christmas-related objects that he is not a part of their holiday, but Hanukkah instead!

 

4. โ€œSimon and the Bear: A Hanukkah Taleโ€ by Eric A. Kimmel, illustrated by Matthew Trueman

$15.02, Barnesandnoble.com

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This imaginative Hanukkah story tells the tale of Simon, a boy whose ship sinks on his way to a new life in America. Despite being stranded on an ice floe, Simon celebrates Hanukkah and experiences true miracles.

 

5. โ€œMaccabee! The Story of Hanukkahโ€ by Tilda Balsley, illustrated by David Harrington

$7.95, Booksamillion.com

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This illustrated rhyming book tells the Hanukkah story of Judah and the Maccabees and imparts to children the lesson that it only takes a few to stand up for what is right.

 

6. โ€œWhere is Babyโ€™s Dreidel?โ€ by Karen Katz

$7.99, Booksamillion.com

Hanukkah-Themed Books

This lift-the-flap book is a fun and interactive way to start introducing Hanukkah traditions to the littlest ones in your family.

 

7. โ€œHanukkah Bearโ€ by Eric A. Kimmel, illustrated by Mike Wohnoutka

$6.99, Barnesandnoble.com

Hanukkah-Themed Books

In this National Jewish Book Awards winner, an elderly woman mistakes a hungry bear for her rabbi and ends up feeding him latkes and playing dreidel with him.

 

8. โ€œThe Trees of the Dancing Goatsโ€ by Patricia Polacco

$6.79, Booksamillion.com

Hanukkah-Themed Books

Based on childhood memory of author Patricia Polacco, after Trisha and her family are spared from a scarlet fever epidemic, they decide to spend their eight days of Hanukkah helping their sick neighbors celebrate Christmas, despite not celebrating themselves. The book delivers a message of friendship and holiday spirit, no matter what holiday you celebrate.

 

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