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 ALEXANDRA'S SCROLL
Miriam Chaikin
illustrated by Stephen Fieser
Henry Holt & Company
ISBN: 0805063846
Ages 9-12
128 pages
When the hated Syrian-Greek king fills ancient Jerusalem with statues of Greek gods and destroys the Jewish temple, feisty Alexandra picks up a reed pen, ink and a sheet of papyrus and turns into a scribe. In her scroll, Alexandra records the everyday occurrences of her life, as well as the events of the Jewish rebellion led by the Maccabees. When her father joins the resistance against the Greek authorities, Alexandra must leave her friends and the city she loves. The victory of the Maccabees three years later returns the family to Jerusalem --- to old friends, new ones and, for Alexandra, a new life. This is the inspiring story of a girl caught up in the events that led to the rebuilding of the temple, the miracle of oil that burns eight days and the celebration of the first Hanukkah.
 HANUKKAH FUN
Judy Bastyra
illustrated by Catherine Ward
Kingfisher Books
ISBN: 0753450119
Ages 9-12
Eight days of Hanukkah means eight days of fun and games! This book includes a number of ideas for fun things to make and do during the Hanukkah season, including baking a surprise Hanukkah cake, playing with a newly crafted dreidel, making and sending handmade holiday cards and creating a Menorah with specially decorated candles.
 THE MAGIC MENORAH: A Modern Chanukah Tale
Jane Breskin Zalben
illustrated by Donna Diamond
Simon & Schuster
ISBN: 0689826060
Ages 9-12
56 pages
Stanley dreads Chanukah. He hates having to clean the house, grate mounds of potatoes and deal with a bunch of noisy, nosy, pushy relatives. He'd much rather live like a rock star and do whatever he wants whenever he wants to do it. Stanley gets his wish when he uncovers a tarnished, antique menorah, begins to rub the schmutz off of it and discovers a genie named Fishel. Fishel, who looks more like a haggard old man than any genie Stanley ever heard of, grants him three wishes. Stanley will finally get the fame and fortune he's always wanted. But why does Fishel insist on taking Stanley back in time to grant a wish? What do people who lived in the 1930s have to do with Stanley now? In this heartwarming holiday story, Jane Breskin Zalben shows us the strength of family and what being happy is really all about.
 THE UNINVITED GUEST AND OTHER JEWISH HOLIDAY TALES
Nina Jaffe
illustrated by Elivia Savadier
Scholastic Trade
ISBN: 0590446533
Ages 9-12
72 pages
This splendid collection of folktales about the major Jewish holidays features beautifully told stories of Rosh Hashanah, Yom Kippur, Sukkot, Hanukkah, Purim, Passover and the Sabbath --- as well as brief explanations of some of their rituals. Selections range from the folkloric to a retelling of Yiddish writer I. L. Peretz's Yom Kippur story, "Miracles on the Sea,'' with an original tale by Jaffe and another based on ancient rabbinical writings.
 THE VERY BEST HANUKKAH GIFT
Joanne Rocklin
illustrated by Catharine O'Neill
Yearling Books
ISBN: 0440415543
Ages 9-12
114 pages
Hanukkah is here at last and Daniel Bloom is so excited. He's looking forward to the candle lighting, storytelling, presents, cookies and dreidel games. But theres one thing he's not too thrilled with --- his mom's zucchini latke experiment. But green latke isn't Daniel's only holiday challenge. A huge dog with a fierce bark has just moved in down the hall. Ever since being bitten last summer, Daniel has been afraid of dogs. Whenever he hears barking, he feels younger than his little sister, Amy, who loves dogs. Daniel knows that Amy wishes he weren't afraid. Maybe then, one of her gifts could be a dog. But Daniel figures that would take a miracle --- a Hanukkah miracle.
 CHANUKAH BUGS: A Pop-Up Celebration
David A. Carter
Little Simon
ISBN: 0689818602
Ages 4-8
16 pages
Celebrate the eight nights of Chanukah with the Shammash Bug, the Dizzy Dreidel Bug and many others. Bug fans of all ages will get in the spirit and join in the fun with this exciting pop-up book.
 CHANUKAH IN CHELM
David A. Adler
illustrated by Kevin O'Malley
HarperCollins
ISBN: 0688099521
Ages 6-9
32 pages
There are two Chelms. One is a real town in Poland. The other Chelm, the one in this story, is a make-believe town famous in Jewish folklore. Its people have good hearts, great dreams . . . and very little sense! Tall tales about the foolish folks of Chelm have been shared and laughed about for centuries and David Adler carries on the tradition in CHANUKAH IN CHELM. Mendel, the synagogue caretaker, needs a table to hold the menorah on the first night of Chanukah. In Chelm, the easiest task can become a chore of monumental proportions and Mendel turns a simple trip to the storage closet into a hilariously bungled quest!
 DANCE, SING, REMEMBER: A Celebration of Jewish Holidays
Leslie Kimmelman
illustrated by Ora Eitan
Harpercollins
ISBN: 0060277254
Ages 5-8
48 pages
DANCE, SING, REMEMBER is a celebration of eleven Jewish holidays, from Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year, to Shavuot, the accepting of the Torah. There's even a section on Shabbat, the Sabbath. The meaning and story behind each holiday are explained. There are also activities, music and recipes for adults and children to work on together.
 ELIJAH'S ANGEL: A Story for Chanukah and Christmas
Michael J. Rosen
illustrated by Aminah Brenda Lynn Robinson
Voyager Books
ISBN: 0152015582
Ages 4-8
32 pages
This heartwarming story, based on the life of sculptor Elijah Pierce, details the special friendship that exists between a Jewish boy named Michael and Elijah, an old black barber and woodcarver who gives Michael a carved Christmas angel.
 THE FLYING LATKE
Arthur Yorinks
Aladdin Library
ISBN: 0689853483
Ages 5-8
32 pages
When Danny's family gets together, it's a mess. There's so much arguing and shouting --- it's absolutely ridiculous. But what's even more absurd is that they're now fighting on Chanukah. It's louder than ever and it's all over a Buick! But when Uncle Izzy throws a latke out the window, the FBI thinks it's a UFO and the air force tries to shoot it down! Now, the whole family, who can't get along for five minutes, is trapped in their house for eight days and eight nights --- all because of a latke.
 HANUKKAH: A Counting Book in English, Hebrew, and Yiddish
Emily Sper
Cartwheel Books
ISBN: 0439282918
Ages 4-8
32 pages
The symbols of Hanukkah are visually presented in this highly informative book, as children learn to count from one to eight in three different languages (English, Hebrew, and Yiddish). Clever die-cuts of colorful candles add up, one-by-one, with each turn of the pages. A simple retelling of the Hanukkah story reveals the meaning behind certain holiday symbols.
 ONE CANDLE
Eve Bunting
illustrated by K. Wendy Popp
Joanna Cotler Books
ISBN: 0060281154
Ages 4-8
32 pages
For one family the traditional Hanukkah celebration has a deeper meaning. Amidst the food and the festivities, Grandma and Great-Aunt Rose begin their story --- the one they tell each year. They pass on to each generation a tale of perseverance during the darkest hours of the Holocaust, and the strength it took to continue to honor Hanukkah in the only way they could.
 RUNAWAY DREIDEL!
Leslea Newman
illustrated by Kyrsten Brooker
Henry Holt & Company
ISBN: 0805062378
Ages 5-8
32 pages
On the first night of Chanukah a lucky boy receives a shiny new dreidel, but once it starts spinning it just won't stop! With a mind of its own, the dreidel spins quickly across the floor, out the door and on down the street. Its excited owner and family are in hot pursuit. Soon the whole city joins the chase to catch the runaway toy. Where is that dreidel heading and will it ever stop spinning? This is one journey worth pursuing right up to its magical conclusion!
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