Hanukkah Cookies with Sprinkles

by David Adler, Jeffrey Ebbeler (Illustrator)

Overview

"A sweet and compassionate introduction to an important Jewish custom." —Kirkus Reviews

Sydney Taylor Notable Book Award.

Sara watches from her apartment window as her mom goes to work. One day, she sees an old man pick up a bruised apple from the discarded pile next to Sol’s Market. Why would he do that? She wonders if he’s hungry, as she eats her own breakfast. She wonders if he’s lonely, as she shares Shabbat dinner with Mom and Grandma.

As Hanukkah approaches, a season of light and hope, Sara discovers that tzedakah can be as bright and colorful as a Hanukkah cookie with sprinkles.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781681155005
Publisher:	Behrman House, Incorporated
Publication date:	08/01/2015
Pages:	32
Product dimensions:	8.60(w) x 10.90(h) x 0.40(d)
Age Range:	4 - 8 Years

About the Author

David A. Adler is the author of more than 250 books for young readers, including the popular Cam Jansen and Young Cam Jansen series, and many books on Jewish topics. He lives in Woodmere, New York.

Editorial Reviews

09/14/2015
When Sara sees an elderly man scrounging by her neighborhood grocery store, she leaves him small amounts of food to help. And when she realizes that he attends her synagogue (“the man eats some challah. He drinks some grape juice. We all do”) she wants to do even more. Soon the man—Mr. Morris Berger, a former circus performer—is regaling Sara, her mother, and her grandmother with his juggling skills at a joyous Shabbat and Hanukkah dinner, the first of many such dinners (and juggling lessons) to come. With straightforward prose and a repertoire of imaginative visual framings (the dinner scene is shown from a perspective high above the boisterous table), Adler and Ebbeler allow the story to unfold at a graceful, measured pace: both Sara’s awakening sense of tzedakah and Mr. Berger’s innate dignity get their full due. Ages 4–7. Author’s agent: Jodi Reamer, Writers House. (Aug.)

Publishers Weekly

A little girl watches a poor man take a bruised apple from the market's discard pile and finds a way to help him. Sara's keen observation from her apartment window makes her wonder if the man is hungry all the time and if he might need a friend. In school, she keeps thinking about him, and at snack time, she saves her cookie to leave by the discard fruit bin the next day. At the oneg Shabbat after services on Friday, Sara recognizes the man eating challah and drinking grape juice. She then creates and leaves a Hanukkah goody bag complete with a homemade menorah, latkes, and cookies. When the rabbi tells her that his name is Morris and that he lives alone and helps each Friday with setting up for the reception, Sara then decides to invite him for a Shabbat and Hanukkah dinner. The importance of tzedakah, or giving to those less fortunate, is the overlying theme in this gentle story about generosity and caring for others, something to be mindful of each Shabbat and on Hanukkah. Full-bleed paintings show exaggerated and elongated cartoon-style figures living in an ethnically diverse urban neighborhood. Many scenes are viewed from below, offering a child's perspective, and light and shadows from a sunny window are also some of the many artistic details that give this narrative depth. A sweet and compassionate introduction to an important Jewish custom. (author's note) (Picture book. 5-8) —Kirkus Reviews

Oftentimes, stories about giving tzedakah (charity) are heavy-handed and pedantic, then along comes a jewel of a story that shows how this mitzvah enriches the giver as well as the receiver.The lively acrylic illustrations are filled with whimsy and humor. With varying perspectives and an appealing layout, Hanukkah Cookies with Sprinkles is a book that will give pleasure many times over. A Note for Families about the story of Hanukkah and its customs is included at the back. --AJL Reviews, Anne Dublin, author of 44 Hours or Strike

From the Publisher

10/01/2015
K-Gr 2—When young Sara sees an elderly man taking some free bruised fruit from outside a shop, her grandmother explains that he's probably poor and is willing to eat around the bad spots. This act leads seamlessly into a story that focuses as much on acts of charity (tzedakah) as it does on the celebration of Hanukkah. Sara and her family begin to leave their own offerings where the man can find them, including a menorah, candles, and Hanukkah cookies with sprinkles. As they get to know him, he goes from being a poor stranger to a welcome member of their community, with his own gifts to share. Aside from an abrupt ending, the text is smoothly written and avoids sounding didactic. Large illustrations have a friendly, cartoonish quality that will carry well for group read-alouds. Includes a note about the meaning and celebration of Hanukkah. VERDICT Recommended for anyone looking to spark a discussion about helping those less fortunate, particularly during the holidays.—Teri Markson, Los Angeles Public Library

School Library Journal

2015-08-12
A little girl watches a poor man take a bruised apple from the market's discard pile and finds a way to help him. Sara's keen observation from her apartment window makes her wonder if the man is hungry all the time and if he might need a friend. In school, she keeps thinking about him, and at snack time, she saves her cookie to leave by the discard fruit bin the next day. At the oneg Shabbat after services on Friday, Sara recognizes the man eating challah and drinking grape juice. She then creates and leaves a Hanukkah goody bag complete with a homemade menorah, latkes, and cookies. When the rabbi tells her that his name is Morris and that he lives alone and helps each Friday with setting up for the reception, Sara then decides to invite him for a Shabbat and Hanukkah dinner. The importance of tzedakah, or giving to those less fortunate, is the overlying theme in this gentle story about generosity and caring for others, something to be mindful of each Shabbat and on Hanukkah. Full-bleed paintings show exaggerated and elongated cartoon-style figures living in an ethnically diverse urban neighborhood. Many scenes are viewed from below, offering a child's perspective, and light and shadows from a sunny window are also some of the many artistic details that give this narrative depth. A sweet and compassionate introduction to an important Jewish custom. (author's note) (Picture book. 5-8)

Kirkus Reviews