Hanukkah Picture Books to Read and Reread

The Eighth Menorah, by Lauren L. Wohl and Laurq Hughes (Illustrator)
Sam gets anxious when his Hebrew school teacher asks her class to make their own menorahs. His family already has seven at home; what good will one more be? But his sweet creation turns out to be just the thing to save the holiday at his grandma’s new condo. This book will resonate with the parent who has one too many menorahs at home, each jockeying for pride of place on the first night of Hanukkah—or for the parent who’s having trouble finding room to display every arts and crafts project his kids bring home.

Here Is the World: A Year of Jewish Holidays, by Leslea Newman and Susan Gal (Illustrator)
During a certain time of year, it can be tempting to use a link to the Jewish holiday schedule as your email signature, just to explain to friends and coworkers why you keep dropping out of touch. This beautifully illustrated book explains a year’s worth of observation and celebration to kids who might have previously been more interested in the gelt than in the traditions. Kids will love the idea of having so much to look forward to even after Hanukkah is done.

Honeyky Hanukkah, Woody Guthrie and Dave Horowitz (Illustrator)
This picture book features the lyrics of folk legend Woody Guthrie’s singalong Hanukkah song, complete with charming illustrations featuring a Pied Piper-esque guitar player who welcomes fellow musicians (and a very cute dog) into his joyous performance. The accompanying CD will get your kids’ feet tapping along with the song’s pro-family time, anti-consumerist message.

How Do Dinosaurs Say Happy Chanukah?, by Jane Yolen and Mark Teague (Illustrator)
Yolen and Teague are back with a holiday installment of their beloved How Do Dinosaurs… series, which puts dinosaurs into the slaphappy shoes of misbehaving kids. Two human parents stand patiently by while their dino offspring claim all the presents and blow out the Hanukkah candles, until order is slowly restored, as the rambunctious animals start following the happy rhythms of the eight-night holiday. It’s a wonderful reminder of the family traditions that bloom around the festival of lights.

I Know an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Dreidel, by Caryn Yacowitz and David Slonim (Illustrator)
This uproarious rewrite of classic kids’ song “I Know an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Fly” takes readers on an increasingly zany romp through all the Hanukkah items—gelt, oil, menorah complete with candles—that the titular old lady eats in her search for relief after accidentally ingesting a “Chanukah dreidel she thought was a bagel.” Each page is illustrated in a different style, referencing classics of art history like Vincent van Gogh’s Starry Night and Edward Hopper’s Nighthawks. See which drawings your child responds to, then join them in further investigating the inspiration behind the homage.

Latke the Lucky Dog, by Ellen Fischer and Tiphanie Beeke (Illustrator)
Latke is a rescue pup and Hanukkah gift who’s having trouble following the rules in his new home—he doesn’t mean to wreak havoc with the candles and the gelt, he just can’t help himself. But he’s got eight days to prove he can be good, and a loving family that’s willing to wait. Gentle, brightly colored drawings introduce young readers to this very lucky dog and his happy new home.

Simon and the Bear: A Hanukkah Story, by Eric A. Kimmel and Matthew Trueman (Illustrator)
This may be among the loveliest and most unusual Hanukkah tales you’ve ever read. When Simon sets sail for America, his mother insists he observe the holiday wherever he might be…never dreaming he’ll spend Hanukkah’s first night stranded on an iceberg. When a polar bear shows up, he thinks he’s done for, but she ends up being a friend instead of a foe. And his unexpected companion is just the beginning of Simon’s holiday miracle. The story is depicted through expressive, beautifully shaded drawings your child will want to flip through again and again.
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