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Summary
Summary
Rachel loves visiting her grandmother, even though Nonna celebrates Christmas and Rachel and her parents celebrate Hanukkah. When Rachel's special hanukkiah goes missing, Nonna steps in to save the day.
Reviews (5)
School Library Journal Review
PreS-Gr 2-Rachel loves her Italian grandmother, who always smells so wonderful, but worries that a December visit to Italy means she will miss Hanukkah, since her Italian relatives all celebrate Christmas. Her parents reassure her that they can bring the Hanukkah celebration with them and share it with her father's family. They even give her an early Hanukkah gift-a super cool menorah with a team of all-girl Maccabees to hold the candles! Rachel puts the menorah in her carry-on bag and then forgets it on the plane. The little girl is heartbroken, but her Nonna is a smart woman and, after having Rachel describe the menorah, comes up with the perfect, and perfumed, solution. The book includes a brief description of Hanukkah in the body of the story, with a paragraph at the end adding a little more. This title would make a fine read-aloud for a multicultural holiday storytime. Attractive illustrations in primarily in blues and greens are both humorous and tender. VERDICT Not much of a surprise, but a nicely told tale of a family living comfortably with different religions and traditions.-Mara Alpert, Los Angeles Public Library © Copyright 2015. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Publisher's Weekly Review
Rachel and her family celebrate Hanukkah, but this holiday season finds them visiting Rachel's Italian paternal grandmother, who celebrates Christmas. Will one holiday upstage the other? Rachel feels better knowing that she's bringing her new menorah, which is decorated with nine shielding-bearing female Maccabees. When the menorah is accidentally left on the plane, Rachel is sure that Hanukkah is ruined, but Nonna proves that family ties, open hearts, good food, and a homemade menorah (made from Nonna's impressive collection of cut-glass perfume bottles) can make the holidays special for everyone. The idea of two exuberant cultures uniting for two very different holidays has lots of potential, and Avilés's angular illustrations exude reassuring familial warmth. But Fisman's story feels unnecessarily complicated, and Nonna winds up as more of a deus ex machina than a fully realized character. Ages 3-8. (Sept.) © Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.
Horn Book Review
Rachel is nervous about celebrating Hanukkah with her non-Jewish relatives, especially when she leaves her special menorah behind on the airplane. But when she tells her Italian grandmother the story of Hanukkah, Nonna fixes everything and helps create new holiday traditions. Though the text mentions Christmas several times, the bright and cheery pastel-colored illustrations depict only the Hanukkah celebration. (c) Copyright 2016. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Kirkus Review
When Rachel's special, new menorah is accidentally left on the plane, her resourceful Italian grandmother finds a way for the family to light candles and celebrate Hanukkah. Though Nonna and the cousins celebrate Christmas, Rachel and her family take a trip to visit and bring Hanukkah with them. Rachel carefully packs her carry-on bag with decorations, dreidels, chocolate gelt, candles for the eight nights, and a special hanukkiah on which each branch is shaped like a female Maccabee fighter. Sleepy after the long flight, Rachel forgets her bag when they get off the plane. Nonna is eager to help in the preparations for Hanukkah when Rachel realizes she doesn't have the menorah. Through tears of disappointment, Rachel teaches Nonna about the menorah. Nonna then surprises her with a clever and beautifully homemade menorah created from her treasured empty perfume bottles. This well-crafted story of an interfaith family focuses on the Hanukkah celebration, lightly blending Italian foodpanettone and lasagnawith latkes at a dinner on the first night. Fisman adroitly incorporates the historical significance of Hanukkah into Rachel's discussion of the menorah, easily working it into a believable story. Pastel-colored drawings successfully extend the story's action, providing some foreshadowing and flashback scenes when Rachel leaves and remembers her forgotten bag. A lovely choice. (author's note) (Picture book. 5-8) Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Booklist Review
This reassuring story where grandma saves the day effortlessly incorporates background information and context about both Hanukkah and Christmas. Rachel is excited to go spend the holidays with her Italian cousins and beloved Nonna, but is also upset about missing Hanukkah. Her parents assure her that they can still celebrate the holiday and pack up dreidels, chocolate gelt, and candles. They even surprise Rachel with a cool new menorah featuring girl Maccabee warriors. However, after a warm welcome at Nonna's house, Rachel realizes that the menorah was left on the plane. All seems lost until Nonna improvises a beautiful new menorah out of her treasured perfume bottles, and the first night candle is lit right on time. References to King Antiochus, panettone, lasagna, and latkes are seamlessly woven into the story, and young readers will readily absorb new information along with affirmations of tolerance and acceptance. Illustrations in muted warm colors create a cozy feel and help make this a lovely addition to the holiday canon. Shelve with Daddy Christmas and Hanukkah Mama (2012), by Selina Alko.--McBroom, Kathleen Copyright 2015 Booklist