The Hanukkah Hunt (Ruby Celebrates!)

by Laura Gehl (Author) Aleksey Ivanov (Illustrator)

The Hanukkah Hunt (Ruby Celebrates!)
Reading Level: 2nd − 3rd Grade

Ruby and her family celebrate Hanukkah in a brand-new way.

Ruby's cousin Avital is sad because her mom is going to be away on a work trip during Hanukkah. To help make sure Avital still has a happy holiday, Ruby plans an enormous eight-night treasure hunt. But will she be able to think up a good enough surprise for Avital to discover on the final night?

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School Library Journal

PreS-Gr 2--This engaging multicultural Hanukkah story will work best for families already familiar with the holiday. Ruby's cousin Avital is sad because her mom will be on a business trip during Hanukkah. To cheer her up, Ruby creates a treasure hunt. Each night, she gives Avital a clue, leading her to a different family member's house and a new gift. When Avital's dad nixes a kitten as the final gift, Ruby is stuck--until she discovers that Avital's mom will return the last night, and that becomes the final gift. Avital's family ultimately gives Ruby the kitten instead. Gehl does a nice job of seeding the story with familiar Hanukkah traditions and foods, without distracting from the plot. The illustrations, which are brightly colored, appear to be digital and have a greeting card feel. They alternate between full-bleed single pages and spreads, with close-ups and spot art. The family includes good representation: Avital is mixed race, with a dark-skinned dad and a redheaded mom, and another cousin mentions his "moms." Oddly, Ruby only has one parent mentioned, though the penultimate spread shows an unidentified adult of indeterminate gender. Back matter includes information about the history and traditions of Hanukkah, as well as directions for playing with the dreidel. While this won't work as a Hanukkah primer for the uninitiated, Jewish children will enjoy the embedded traditions, and the plot of the story is engaging. VERDICT A pleasant additional purchase for libraries needing more general Hanukkah books.--Amy Lilien-Harper

Copyright 2022 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

Review quotes

A pleasant additional purchase for libraries needing more general Hanukkah books.—School Library Journal

Laura Gehl
LAURA GEHL is the author of nearly two dozen popular picture books, board books, and early readers. Her books include One Big Pair of Underwear (Charlotte Zolotow Highly Commended Title, International Literacy Association Honor Book, Booklist Books for Youth Editors' Choice); the Peep and Egg series (Parents' Choice Recommendation, Children's Choice Book Award Finalist); among others. Visit her on the web at lauragehl.com

ANDREA ZUILL is the author-illustrator of Regina is NOT a Little Dinosaur, an Indie Next List selection; Sweety, a Booklist Best Book of the Year; and Wolf Camp, a Children's Choice Award finalist. She is also the creator of Business Pig, Dance Is for Everyone, and Marigold & Daisy. Andrea is the illustrator of Cat Dog Dog by Nelly Buchet, an American Library Association Notable Book which was called "A clever, winning read-aloud for modern families" in a starred review from Kirkus. Her work has been exhibited in galleries in California, Texas, and New York. Visit Andrea on the Web at andreazuill.org or follow her on Twitter at @AndreaZuill.
Classification
Fiction
ISBN-13
9780807571750
Lexile Measure
590
Guided Reading Level
-
Publisher
Albert Whitman & Company
Publication date
September 15, 2022
Series
Ruby Celebrates!
BISAC categories
JUV013030 - Juvenile Fiction | Family | Multigenerational
JUV033020 - Juvenile Fiction | Religious | Jewish
JUV017110 - Juvenile Fiction | Holidays & Celebrations | Hanukkah
Library of Congress categories
Picture books
Treasure hunt (Game)
Judaism
Customs and practices
Hanukkah

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