Review of The Miracle of Hanukkah in Publishers Weekly

Chwast (The Left-Handed Designer) opts for a “just the facts” approach to the Hanukkah story—but since he’s also one of the leading lights of modern graphic design, the end result adds up to something much more. A stepped-page format literally builds the story’s momentum, taking readers from oppression of the Jewish people by the Syrian king to the triumph of the Maccabees. The pages return to full size to chronicle the rededication of the Temple and the miracle of the menorah that burned for eight days despite only a one-day supply of oil (“This miracle as great as the miraculous victory of the Maccabees”). The combination of Chwast’s concise text and visual economy may seem to some readers to be too restrained for such a joyous celebration. But the elegance shines through, as does the enduring message of the story.
--Publishers Weekly, September 25, 2006