Hanukkah: A Counting Book Board book – September 1, 2010

My son loved this book. I put it back on the shelf after Hanukkah was over, and he got it back out. Insisted we keep it in the bedtime rotation year round. It has die cuts of the candles, so another lit candles 'appears' as you turn each page. High contrast colors that hold attention even for babies and younger toddlers. The main pages of the book contain very few words (and you can easily ignore those and just 'read' the pictures for smaller babies). Then, at the end, there is a summary of the holiday for more information. It's a very nice book, and it's the reason this proud Jewish mama can say that the first word my son ever read was in Hebrew.

Colorful and fun.

This book was rated one of the best Jewish Children's books for 2013 and while I value the professionals' critiques, the assessments I really care about are the young booklovers. My son reports that his two year old's favorite book is Emily Sper's Hanukkah: A Counting Book; he loves the bright colors and counting game and has used it so vigorously that I have been asked to send another one. But best of all, when the Hanukkah menorah came out this year, this toddler gleefully pointed to the highest candle and said, "Shamash!"

We received this book through the PJ Library and I just love it. My son loves looking at the pictures (which are stunning) and the candle cutouts are very cool. Great book to teach counting (English, Hebrew and Yiddish) and some of the wonderful hanukkah traditions.

The bright colors and clear illustrations immediately attracted my two year old son. He flipped through the pages, identifying the numbers and pictures that he knew. As we read it together, I started to introduce the pictures that he was unfamiliar with, and some of the Hebrew and Yiddish words. As he grows, I can teach him more of the different languages, and read the Hannukah story with him. I think this is a beautiful book, one that my son will use and learn from for years to come.

This is meant as a counting book and uses the theme of Hanukkah to help with the counting. Each page displays a number and the number's name in English, Hebrew, and Yiddish. The number of candles on each page corresponds with the number being taught on that page. There isn't a story associated with the numbers; however, Jewish Chanukah symbols appear on the opposing book pages. These symbols, among others, include two jelly donuts or four dreidels. The book is a cute gift for an infant or a young toddler but definitely isn't one of my favorite Chanukah books.

This is a small board book, not the big library copy I'd expected. Should have read the description more carefully. Otherwise, a great book. Colorful, easy text, repetitive writing. My preschool crowd loved it.