This beautiful picture takes a bit of a modern twist on the Jewish story of the miracle of Hanukkah. When a blizzard hits the Menashe family's home on the first day of Hanukkah, the family improvises by substituting soup for latkes and apple sauce because getting to the potatoes, apples or even the store doesn't seem possible this year. As the blizzard continues the family celebrates together and also takes in two lost animals, first a kitten and then a dog. Near the end of the storm the family venture outside and the dog digs up some potatoes and the cat, stuck in a tree, leads the family to some apples. It is the perfect way to end the blizzard and enjoy the last nights of Hanukkah with the food they enjoy and the family (including its two new furry members) together. I think this is a great book for teaching about different celebrations, a common topic in elementary classrooms in the fall/winter time. I like that this book teaches about Hanukkah without obviously doing so, it isn't a book to teach what a dreidel or a latke is, but while reading the book, children can observe these traditions and explore this holiday, just like most christmas books don't teach you what a christmas tree is or describe the nativity scene in depth, they include kids opening presents under a tree or attending church with their family. The more opportunities for non-christmas themed holiday books to make their way into children's hands is so important and I think this book would be a great addition to classroom libraries or for families, both Jewish and non-Jewish, to learn about another culture and holiday while also enjoying a warm and inviting holiday tale. I would recommend this book for teachers and families of children in the 5-10 range. Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review this great book!

A very cute Hanukkah story about miracles and fluffy friends! I’m a collector of Hanukkah books and would definitely add this to my collection. Some of the vocabulary seemed a little too difficult for the reading level, and there were many mentions of g-d without any specificity about the holiday itself (minus the note in the back). Happy to see the mainstays of latkes and dreiedels in there, but wish there had been slightly more nods to the candles and prayers that are involved every night. Plenty of Hanukkah books that do that, so if you’re looking for something very simple, this is perfect!

A sweet story that encompasses the meaning of family and what is truly important. A must have for a classroom library.

This is a sweet Hanukkah story paired with lovely illustrations. The back matter helps to tell the story of Hanukkah and this could be a good story to read in a classroom. I would have loved more specificity on the setting and time period though the 'long ago in a village far away' makes it a universal story for anyone in cold weather climates.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for providing an eARC of this title in exchange for my honest review.

This is a sweet little children’s book that shows a family celebrating Hanukkah during a snowstorm. The illustrations are colorful, warm, and inviting. I would definitely recommend this to classrooms and libraries (especially near the holiday season).

I liked this different look at how Hanukkah can bring miracles and light into life.
Lovely illustrations.

Thanks NetGalley for this ARC!