Charley and Seymour’s Hanukkah Miracle by Melody Howard Ritt with illustrations by Nia Gould; Minneapolis, Minnesota: Kar-Ben Publishing © 2024; ISBN 9798765-604526; 32 pages; $19.99
SAN DIEGO – Charley Chipmunk and Seymour Squirrel are friends who celebrate Hanukkah.
In this tale for children between the ages of 4 and 8, the two mammals make plans to celebrate the Festival of Lights on the eighth day of the observance.
Seymour says he’ll host the get-together and will even prepare latkes to eat. He asks Charley to bring a menorah and candles.
Seymour remembers the menorah but doesn’t remember the candles. He only knows that what he was supposed to bring started with the letter “C.” So, he stuffs his backpack with a cantaloupe. … carrots … cookies … cashews… cauliflower… and candy in the form of Hanukkah gelt.
When he gets to Seymour’s treehouse, they read together the story of the Maccabees until it was time to light the menorah. Seymour had been frying up latkes. When it was discovered Charley had forgotten the candles, Seymour decided to pour a little bit of the oil he had used in his frying pan into the arms of the menorah. It worked! The menorah could be lit, providing another Hanukkah miracle of oil.
Children reading or hearing this story will know that Charley is making mistakes as he places the wrong “C” items into his backpack. They will enjoy knowing better than Charley what he was supposed to bring. The resolution of the story is a parallel to the original Hanukkah story about a cruse of oil lasting for eight days. And the repetition of “C” sounds in the narrative will help children not yet able to read.
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Donald H. Harrison is publisher and editor of San Diego Jewish World. He may be contacted via sdheritage@cox.net