Judah Maccabee Goes to the Doctor: A Story for Hanukkah

by Ann Koffsky, Talitha Shipman (Illustrator)

Overview

Being the best and the bravest wasn't only an outside, shiny-shield thing. It was an on-the-inside thing too. And that's what he had to show Hannah.

“It was wise, creative, empathetic.” – Interview with Blima Marcus for AJL News

More than anything, Judah wants to be a good big brother to his baby sister, Hannah. He even uses his new Maccabee shield to protect her from danger!

On the last day of Hanukkah, during a visit to the doctor, Judah refuses to have his shot. Surely, his shield can protect him from germs, too!

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781681155227
Publisher:	Behrman House, Incorporated
Publication date:	08/01/2017
Pages:	32
Product dimensions:	8.10(w) x 10.20(h) x 0.30(d)
Age Range:	4 - 8 Years

Editorial Reviews

09/04/2017
Here’s an unusual twofer: a Hanukkah book that advocates for vaccinations. Brisk text and schoolroom-cheery illustrations introduce a boy named Judah, who’s trying his best to be a hero to his baby sister, Hannah (he tries sharing his “Choco-monster-delight cereal,” which she joyfully returns in a projectile spit). Just when he thinks he has the big brother role cinched, thanks to a toy Maccabee shield he receives for Hanukkah, Judah discovers that it’s time for his vaccinations—and in the presence of a watchful Hannah, he balks. Koffsky and Shipman take a while to get to the heart of their message, but when they do, it’s perfectly pitched for their audience: being vaccinated, Dad explains, is just one more way we protect the people we love. “Being the best and the bravest wasn’t only an outside, shiny-shield thing,” Judah realizes. “It was an on-the-inside thing, too.” Ages 4–8. (Aug.)

Publishers Weekly

Anna Kofksy, author of a children’s book on vaccination, sent me a copy of her book, Judah Maccabee Goes to the Doctor, and I was pleasantly surprised by how perfectly it addressed the topic of childhood vaccination. I had initially expected a simplistic, “Bernstein Bear” kind of storybook.

It was nothing I had anticipated. It was wise, creative, empathetic. Instead of simply focusing on the importance of vaccines in preventing illness, it points to the important but often-forgotten point in protecting OTHERS who cannot get their immunizations. Judah is afraid of a shot but when his dad points out that his baby sister Hannah is too young for her vaccines and needs Judah to be immunized to prevent passing on diseases to her , Judah agrees. And he cries, but briefly. Tying this sweet children’s story to the Chanukah story where Judah is proud to learn that his namesake, Judah Maccabee, was also a brave and strong warrior on behalf of his family and other Jews, is just another layer to this fabulous children’s book. 

My children love how the sibling relationship is depicted. They delight when Hannah tips the tower Judah built for her. They love the honesty where Judah is scared of the doctor, and how he does cry briefly after his shot. I love the siblings' portrayal as well, and I love the emphasis on vaccination to protect those vulnerable around us. The easy explanation goes a long way in explaining immunology. 

– Interview with Blima Marcus for AJL News

From the Publisher

10/01/2017
PreS-Gr 1—Judah Maccabee, the hero of Hanukkah, becomes a role model for bravery in this story about a boy who wants to be the best big brother ever. Young Judah has a baby sister, Hannah, who is a little too small to appreciate his efforts to engage with her. But when he receives a Maccabee shield for Hanukkah, he uses it to protect Hannah from getting too close to the stove and having snow fall on her head. A true challenge arises when the children go to the doctor for check-ups and Judah needs a vaccination. He is scared, but his father explains that the shot is like a shield and being vaccinated will protect not only him but also his baby sister. Unfortunately, the story ends up feeling more like a public health appeal than a holiday tale. VERDICT A visually appealing book that uses the character of Judah Maccabee to raise awareness about the importance of vaccines for children. As a holiday book, it is additional.—Teri Markson, Los Angeles Public Library

School Library Journal