Stories that illustrate key concepts of Hanukkah: freedom, faith, courage

From Booklist
Gr. 3^-6. After an insightful look at the history of Hanukkah, Goldin offers eight brief stories, each expanding on one of the holiday's themes. She draws from Jewish folklore as well as the Bible and Talmud to weave tales that reflect the strength of faith, the anchoring role of tradition, the voice of women in Judaism, and the power of people's actions to bring about miracles. Two of the most compelling stories are rooted in history but set in contemporary times, giving an especially relevant spin to the holiday's lessons: In one, a lost soccer game and a forgotten lunch play a role in an Israeli youth's learning to trust his Arabic classmate; in the other, Leah's need to perform a good deed to fulfill a bat mitzvah requirement and a Holocaust survivor's testimony come together. The dramatically angular lines of Elaine Greenstein's prints painted over in gouache convey a childlike innocence in their composition and perspective. A stellar selection for Hanukkah festivities and collections. Ellen Mandel --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.