The Flying Latke

The characters in this book are reminiscent of my grandmother's family, the generation that inspired Woody Allen, Billy Crystal, and others. Don't know of any current day Jewish families like this one, but it's nice to keep the tradition alive! When I read this to my children, the yiddish accent/intonation just comes naturally! It really is too bad it's out of print.

I happened upon this book by chance but it was love at first bite! Absolutely hilarious version of a family gathering for Chanukah. Goofy, but almost too true to life for some Jewish families at holiday times. Must be shared with all, especially those Jewish familes that tend to get a little rowdy when brought together for functions!

I loved this book. I loved the rhythm and pattern of the dialogue, and I loved being able to share that sound with my kids. The kids were engrossed in the illustrations as I read. What's not to like?

Pssssst.... while many of the characters in the book look like photos of stock characters, upon closer look you may notice that some of the roles are played by the children's book publisher David Saylor; famed artists Maurice Sendak and Vladimir Radunsky; the illustrator William Steig; and the publisher Judith Rovenger.

A Hanukkah book by not one, but two, count them two, Caldecott Medal winners. Steig has been illustrating The New Yorker magazine for what? something like over 60 years! And Yorink is famous for "Hey Al" and that story about Whitefish. This is quite a unique Hanukkah book that combines pictures of real people (better than stock characters) and illustrations, and text and cartoon bubbles, to show what Hanukkah is really like in a large extended family.