Eight Wild Nights: A Family Hannukah

During the eight days of Hanukkah, a family celebrates with a wide circle of family and friends in this rollicking story. Using clever and catchy rhymes, Cleary tells of a holiday filled with food, stories, mishaps and fun. A dog drools and sheds, Grandpa Dave teaches the kids to play poker, a cousin melts the gelt in an old VCR, and Uncle Morris shows up with seventeen new step-cousins. It's enough to make anyone crazy, but somehow all the tumult just adds to the fun, and Hanukkah has never been so exciting. Udovic's exuberant illustrations are highly expressive and convey the joyous nature of the holiday. An introduction briefly tells the story of Hanukkah and describes how it is celebrated. REVIEWED BY NANCY AUSTEIN (Temple Emanu-El - Dallas, TX)

With a clever rhyme scheme and expressive, animated illustrations, a young boy tells about all of the wild, crazy, and funny things that happen when family and friends invade his home during the eight nights of Hanukkah. The neighbor's dog chases the cat and nearly knocks over the menorah, Grandpa Dave teaches the kids poker and blackjack instead of dreidel, a cousin melts chocolate gelt inside the VCR, and Aunt Rachel sings Hanukkah songs off-key. But, the text ends with "after eight days of eating, of loud noise and greeting, a great miracle's happened here: we're quiet and calm, and all getting along, and we can't wait to do it next year!" While some of the humor may be lost on younger children, elementary-aged children will laugh and giggle at both the text and pictures in this refreshing and hilarious Hanukkah tale. Ages 5 - 10. Reviewed by Rachel Kamim