This Chanukah-centric version of "The 12 Days of Christmas" unspools through the observations of a shy toddler. Newman (Hachiko Waits)
opts for the cozily familiar over the clever ("On the third night of Chanukah/ I clap my hands to see/ Three challahs/ Two Maccabees/ And a present waiting for me"), while Savadier's (Jewish Holidays All Year Round
) exuberant ink line and playful sense of color convey a knack for the warmhearted comedy of domestic life (the "two Maccabees" are a duo of tussling older kids in historic costume, and Grandma, still wearing her apron, enjoys a post-prandial snooze). A brief history of Chanukah and a glossary of terms conclude the book. Ages 4-7. (Nov.)
