Gingerbread Dreidels

by Jane Breskin Zalben, Thai Phuong (Illustrator)

Overview

Chanukah and Christmas come together in this story of an interfaith, intergenerational family's blended holiday. Gelt and gingerbread, menorahs and trees, red and green and blue and white . . .

Double the celebration in this cozy read-aloud perfect for upcoming holiday season!

When Christmas and the first night of Chanukah occur on the same day, Sophie and Max are confused. The children are used to the two parts of their identity remaining separate, celebrating with each part of their family in turn. But this year is different: all their grandparents are coming to partake in both Jewish and Christian traditions together.

Complete with a sweet acknowledgment of the concern at the forefront of each child’s mind—how will this affect the presents?—Gingerbread Dreidels is a story for interfaith families that shows how love is at the center of every holiday.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781623543655
Publisher:	Charlesbridge
Publication date:	08/27/2024
Pages:	32
Sales rank:	275,289
Product dimensions:	8.94(w) x 11.31(h) x 0.41(d)
Lexile:	AD590L (what's this?)
Age Range:	4 - 7 Years

About the Author

Jane Breskin Zalben began drawing seriously at the age of five. To encourage her artistic talent, her mother took her for weekly art lessons at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Jane's acclaimed picture books and novels explore issues of friendship, family, self-reliance, and inner strength. She is a well-known author and illustrator who has published about fifty books for young readers.

Thai Phuong is a Vietnamese illustrator who loves phở, boba milk tea, and homemade coffee from her husband! She graduated with a BFA in interior design. She has cultivated a deep passion for visual storytelling and teaching for international publishers, magazines, brands, and universities. Currently she is living and working in the USA while sometimes hanging out with her cat, Cinderella, in Ho Chi Minh City. https://thaiphuong.net/

Editorial Reviews

07/29/2024

When Max and Sophie, whose family celebrates both Christmas and Hanukkah, discover that the holidays co-occur, as they do in 2024, their initial concern is their gift haul. But when both sets of doting grandparents arrive, they’re swept up in the joyful preparations that unite this extended family. “The Golds made latkes and applesauce,” Breskin Zalben writes; “the Feathers made sweet-potato pudding and turkey.” Phuong’s glowing scenes of domestic togetherness take readers throughout the cozy house as the families light the menorah, then the Christmas tree, and share the tales and treats of both holidays. There’s no December dilemma in this comfortable-feeling work, just “a world that felt good, safe, and full of love.” Characters are portrayed with various skin tones. An activity, recipe, and author’s note conclude. Ages 4–7. (Aug.)

Publishers Weekly

When Max and Sophie, whose family celebrates both Christmas and Hanukkah, discover that the holidays co-occur, as they do in 2024, their initial concern is their gift haul. But when both sets of doting grandparents arrive, they’re swept up in the joyful preparations that unite this extended family. “The Golds made latkes and applesauce,” Breskin Zalben writes; “the Feathers made sweet-potato pudding and turkey.” Phuong’s glowing scenes of domestic togetherness take readers throughout the cozy house as the families light the menorah, then the Christmas tree, and share the tales and treats of both holidays. There’s no December dilemma in this comfortable-feeling work, just “a world that felt good, safe, and full of love.” Characters are portrayed with various skin tones. An activity, recipe, and author’s note conclude.
—Publishers Weekly

A unique look into a dual celebration of Christmas and Chanukah, which will occur on the same day in 2024. Sophie and Max celebrate both holidays with their family, but usually on two different days. This year they fall on the same day, and both sets of grandparents are coming over for dinner and festivities. Zalben and Phuong’s gentle book unites two different religious holidays through the love of family. They cook together and celebrate the holidays with food, lights, stories, and songs. Phuong’s illustrations are merry and light, detailing expressive faces and holiday warmth with blue hues and gold tones, perfect for the joyous occasions.
—School Library Journal

From the Publisher

08/09/2024

PreS-Gr 2—A unique look into a dual celebration of Christmas and Chanukah, which will occur on the same day in 2024. Sophie and Max celebrate both holidays with their family, but usually on two different days. This year they fall on the same day, and both sets of grandparents are coming over for dinner and festivities. Zalben and Phuong's gentle book unites two different religious holidays through the love of family. They cook together and celebrate the holidays with food, lights, stories, and songs. Phuong's illustrations are merry and light, detailing expressive faces and holiday warmth with blue hues and gold tones, perfect for the joyous occasions. VERDICT Not a mandatory purchase but nice to have to celebrate the uniqueness of Chanukah and Christmas sharing the same day in 2024.—Cassie Veselovsky

School Library Journal