Latkes are Pleasantly Crispy and Brown
I am always on the hunt for well-told (and, ideally, well-illustrated) Jewish-themed children's books. It is not easy to find them. Being a member of a 2% minority, I usually resign myself to the sacrificial B & N end cap. It mysteriously appears two weeks before Passover and Chanukah, primarily because of their proximity to major Christian holidays, and disappears soon after.
And usually I'm disappointed with what's there. Outside of the internet and our local Judaica shop, I find it hard to find good books. Most of the Jewish-themed children's book are descriptive and simple:
It is Chanukah. We light candles. Let's spin the dreidel. "I had a little dreidel. I made it out of clay." Latkes, yum! Bubbie and Zadie are visiting. My, they are getting old. Let's open presents! Bubbie and Zadie didn't have video games like this when they were little! Let's kick some video game....
Well, you get the idea.
I was pleasantly surprised this year, however. A new book, The Latke Who Couldn't Stop Screaming - a Christmas story, was lurking on a non-Chanukah end cap (across from cookbooks, believe it or not). The writer: Lemony Snicket. You or your kids may have read some other works from this prodigious (and mysteriously difficult to interview) writer. Like those, this is wry, dry, well written, and often insightful. Somehow in a short, 43 pages, Mr. Snicket manages to spin a completely new Chanukah fable that discusses the major themes of Chanukah, explores assimilation and secularization (a favorite topic at my childhood synagogue), and reminds us that latkes are pleasantly crispy and brown.
Both Gabriel and Hannah love the book. The latke often screams (which Janette and I play up as we read); Mom and I pause and enjoy the deeper themes and humor. If you want a great book that the kids will grow up with and understand better/enjoy more as they get older, I think this one is a keeper.
-- Dad
P.S. No idea why both Janette and I did book reviews back to back. Must be thinking of presents. Books are one of our major ones every year. We eat books for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.
