Charley and Seymour's Hanukkah Miracle

by Melody Howard Ritt, Nia Gould (Illustrator)

Overview

Best friends Charley Chipmunk and Seymour Squirrel are planning their Hanukkah celebration. "I'll fry the latkes, and you bring the menorah and the candles," Seymour suggests.

But when Hanukkah arrives Charley can't remember what he is supposed to bring. He knows it started with the letter C. Was it cantaloupe? Carrots? Cookies? Charley's backpack is overflowing with food that starts with C, but he forgets the candles! How can they celebrate Hanukkah if they don't have candles to light?

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9798765604519
Publisher:	Lerner Publishing Group
Publication date:	10/01/2024
Pages:	32
Product dimensions:	9.40(w) x 11.00(h) x 0.40(d)
Age Range:	6 - 7 Years

About the Author

Melody Howard Ritt holds a bachelor's degree from the Newhouse School at Syracuse University. Born and raised in Brooklyn, New York, she lives in Massachusetts with her husband, Jay, and their sweet kitty, Chloe. Charley and Seymour's Hanukkah Miracle is her first children's book.

Nia Gould graduated from Falmouth University in the United Kingdom, with a degree in graphic design. She illustrates digitally and draws inspiration from art history, the natural world, and her love of animals. She lives in Devon with her partner, her little girl, and gang of three cats (although if she had her own way there would be more cats).

Editorial Reviews

"The illustrations are simplistic and colorful and will appeal to young children. This book is an appropriate fun additional purchase for Jewish, school, and public libraries which have substantial collections of Hanukkah stories."—Association of Jewish Libraries

From the Publisher

2024-07-19
A chipmunk and a squirrel encounter challenges on the last night of Hanukkah.

Best friends Charley Chipmunk and Seymour Squirrel love celebrating the Festival of Lights together. They can’t wait for the final night of the holiday. Seymour plans to fry latkes at his place, and Charley will come over with the menorah and candles. But when the eighth night rolls around, Charley has trouble remembering what he promised to bring. A menorah and…something that begins with a C. Readers will chuckle along as Charley adds a variety of foods that start with C to his backpack, such as cantaloupe, cauliflower, and, of course, candy (chocolate gelt). At Seymour’s house, the friends read the story of Hanukkah. When it comes time to light the candles, Charley realizes his mistake, but the friends take a cue from the Hanukkah story and find a special way to light the menorah. Though the narrative is relatively predictable, young readers will enjoy the humor and the touching friendship. Notably, Seymour comforts Charley after his mistake, and they work together to solve the problem—a nice example of social-emotional learning. The conflict resolution and the cozy illustrations make for a refreshingly thoughtful holiday tale.

As sweet as Hanukkah gelt. (the story of Hanukkah, glossary)(Picture book. 4-8.)

Kirkus Reviews