It's a Miracle!: A Hanukkah Storybook

There is something special and magical about this book -- all the stories are captivating, the connection with family is moving, and the joy of candle-lighting is so sweet. My kids love it.They get drawn in to it in a way that is hard to explain -- but very obvious. And I love reading it to them. I get drawn into it too.

I just bought this book as a gift for a family member, but after reading it to my daughter, I may pick up another copy for her. I love that the book isn't directly about the Hannukah story itself, but about a little boy and his family Hannukah celebrations. The characters in the book are terrific. Owen is a very believable almost-seven-year-old and his Grandma Karen is the Grandma we all wish we had. The seven stories within the story keep the reader going through the eight nights of Hannukah and each is delightful by itself. However, they come together very nicely at the end of the book. One thing I really like about this book is that Christmas is also mentioned. Owen explains to his friend Buster that his family has a Menorah instead of a Christmas tree. Buster thinks it's "cool" that Owen gets to light the candles himself. Christmas lights and decorations are also central to one of Grandma Karen's stories. One of my favorite illustrations shows a neighborhood of houses decorated for the holidays, some with Christmas lights and others with Menorahs. The wonderful illustrations really add to the charm of this book. I think kids and adults will enjoy "It's A Miracle" over and over, year after year.

Most Hanukkah books for children do one of two things: they either tell the traditional story of the Macabees directly, or they depict modern-day parents and/or grandparents telling children the story while engaging in traditional holiday activities. While such books are necessary, I prefer something a little more original, like Stephanie Spinner's delightfully warm and funny 'It's a Miracle!'. Although it's intended for ages 4 to 7, it is a winner for children of any age - and for adults.Six-and-a-half-year old Owen Block has just been appointed his family's O.C.L. (Official Candle Lighter). Every night after he lights the candles and gets into bed, his Grandma Karen tells him special bedtime stories for the holiday, all wonderful. They range from one about a WWII soldier who called all five Jewish families in the small town where his wife was hospitalized to pray for her (and she was cured!) to one about an alien who is reminded of his planet's four moons by the Hanukkah lights to one about a dentist with a talking parrot named Dreidel. I'm not going to tell you all of them, but as most readers (and eventually Owen as well) can figure out, all of Grandma Karen's stories are about members of Owen's own family. Except maybe for the alien, but you never know. And Owen then has a VERY special surprise waiting for him when Hanukkah ends!In between the stories, Owen eats latkes, receives Hanukkah gelt, shows a non-Jewish friend how to light the candles (the friend thinks it's 'cool'), and plays dreidel.In keeping with its original approach to holiday storytelling, another thing I really like about this book is that its Jewish family defies a lot of stereotypes, with a female rabbi cousin (whose brother studies wolves in Alaska!) and a horseback-riding, cowboy boot-wearing Jewish grandmother.The illustrations by Jill McElmurry are in keeping with the zaniness of the Block family and their stories. My favorite is the one of the whole family together at the dinner table on the last night of Hanukkah, each with a icon representing Grandma Karen's story above their heads, such as Torah scroll for Cousin Shira, a telephone linking Uncle Ralph and Aunt Edna, and a rattle for Dad (I'm not going to explain that - you have to read the book!).At the end there is also a brief description of the traditional Hanukkah story (naturally), transliterations of the holiday blessings, and a glossary of Hebrew terms.This is a good introduction to Hanukkah for young children because its imagination, humor and very likable characters make it memorable, although obviously a fuller telling of the traditional story will also be required. My favorite Hanukkah story of all time is Eric Kimmel's 'Herschel and the Hanukkah Goblins', and that author has also written another winner called 'Zigazak'. I also recommend Fran Manushkin's 'Latkes and Applesauce'. In the meantime, both kids and their parents will be quite happy to spend Hanukkah with this warm and funky family.