By Donald H. Harrison
SAN DIEGO — Can you imagine an entire book in 12 words, not including the title?
That last sentence took one more word than that.
Yet a 12-word book was the successful collaboration of author Tammar Stein and artist Juliana Perdomo.
The title of the book, written and illustrated for the PJ Library, is My Hannukah Book of Opposites.
If you subscribe to the adage that a picture is worth a thousand words, then this book has 12,000 words. There are 12 evocative pictures that Pedermo drew to teach the concepts behind the following 12 words.
Cold.
Warm
Up
Down
Full.
Empty
Tall
Short
Dark
Light
Awake
Sleep
So what does this have to do with Hanukkah?
The pictures invoke Hanukkah symbols and themes.
Up is the dreidel when it is spinning
Down is the dreidel after it falls.
Tall are the Hanukkah candles when the menorah is first being illuminated.
Short are the candles after they’ve been burning for a while.
And so on.
Will the little ones in your life enjoy reading this book over and over?
I think they will.
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Donald H. Harrison is editor of San Diego Jewish World. He may be contacted via donald.harrison@sdjewishworld.com