cover image Hanukkah Delight!

Hanukkah Delight!

Lesléa Newman, illus. by Amy Husband. Kar-Ben, $5.99 (12p) ISBN 978-1-4677-9353-7

Newman (Ketzel, the Cat Who Composed) and Husband (The Noisy Foxes) team up for a blithe rhyming account of a festive Hanukkah celebration: “Friends and neighbors to invite./ Ancient blessings we recite./ Gleaming candles burning bright./ Crispy latkes taste just right.” The celebrants include a family of rabbits, a mouse and her daughter, a tall alligator, and an owl who walks with a cane, creating a sense of warm inclusivity throughout. Newman hits all the key Hanukkah moments (“Dreidels spinning through the night./ Chocolate gelt—come take a bite”), and Husband’s collages brim with joyful energy. Ages 1–4. Author’s agent: Elizabeth Harding, Curtis Brown. Illustrator’s agency: Advocate Art. (Sept.)