We've just received a couple of great reviews for our new book
Hanukkah Haiku, by Harriet Ziefert with (gorgeous) illustrations by Karla Gudeon!
From Kirkus Reviews:
[STARRED REVIEW] "Eight simple poems in Haiku form, one for each night of Hanukkah, tell of family traditions and the joy of lighting the candles together, playing dreidel, eating latkes and applesauce, receiving shiny coins or Hanukkah gelt, singing and dancing and, of course, hearing the story of the Maccabees. Without retelling the biblical story, Ziefert manages to capture the essence of this holiday completely and even includes instructions, in both Hebrew and English, for conducting the candle-lighting ritual. Text and format are seamlessly interwoven. Inspired by Chagall, Gudeon’s intensely bright, detailed illustrations float and soar through the pages. As each candle is lit, the shortened, fanned pages open to reveal the activities told in the poems and the menorah as it appears that night, until the eighth and final night when the menorah is fully ablaze. Borders, backgrounds and endpapers bloom with symbols that surround Hebrew and English letters wishing the reader a happy Hanukkah and a celebrating family dancing with joy. An exuberant delight."
And from School Library Journal:
"Combining festive illustrations and a playful format, this title uses haiku to celebrate the eight nights of Hanukkah. While the selections address only the most basic ideas (“Four candles tonight./Grandma fries the latkes brown./We want applesauce”), each turn of the stepped pages brings fresh excitement as another lit candle and verse are revealed. Illustrations have a lovely folkloric quality in which Chagall-like figures, surrounded by richly colored flowers and stars, float across a fibrous tan background. Of particular note are the gorgeous patterned edges on the versos that mirror the tones of the newly exposed candle. Endnotes include an explanation of the candle blessings. A lovely addition."