Hanukkah is coming. Beginning on December 25 and running through January 2, the Jewish Festival of Lights is a celebration of miracles, resilience, religious freedom, and oil. Jewish families worldwide recount the story of the Maccabees, ancient Jews who fought against the Greeks for their religious freedom. This small Jewish army encountered miracle after miracle: first, when they defeated the bigger, stronger Greek army, and then when the tiny, single days’ worth of oil in the Eternal Light lasted for eight days.

This remarkable story is commemorated yearly by eight nights of lighting the Menorah, eating delicious fried foods such as latkes (potato pancakes) and sufganiyot (jelly donuts), and playing dreidel for chocolate gelt (coins). It’s also a popular holiday for giving gifts—including books! PJ Library subscribers received free Hanukkah-themed books in their mailboxes this month, and these books, alongside plenty of others from PJ Publishing, can be found on PJ Library’s Amazon web store (amazon.com/pjlibrary) or through external book sellers. Read on for some PJ Library recommendations that are sure to delight dreidel-players of any age.

BABY-AGE 2

You’re My Little Latke!

Written by Nicola Edwards, illustrated by Natalie Marshall, Printers Row Publishing Group

Hanukkah is full of tasty treats and fun traditions, but the best part of all is sharing it with your little ones. From the best-selling You’re My Little series comes You’re My Little Latke, a sweet, festive board book with cut-outs and raised elements on every page, featuring everything from yummy latkes to golden gelt to shining menorahs, all paired with sweet rhyming text. ($9.99srp)

 Jewish Cats All Year Round

Written and illustrated by Varda Livney, PJ Publishing

 Jewish cats (and their mouse friends) celebrate Jewish holidays all year long . . . and so can Jewish babies! This cozy board book takes you through the Jewish calendar year with adorable art and simple text. Babies will love seeing their own faces smiling back from the mirror at the end! ($9.99srp, available on the PJ Library Amazon Web Store)

 AGES 3-5

Antlers with Candles

Written by Chris Barash, illustrated by Melissa Iwai, PJ Publishing

 Everything looks new when seen from a child’s perspective, including menorahs, dreidels, and latkes. But family togetherness is something everyone understands. Even if children are too young to understand the history and details of Hanukkah, they are never too young to share in the joy of family, special foods, symbols, and singing—all featured in this delightful book. ($12.99srp, available on the PJ Library Amazon Web Store)

 Hanukkah at Monica’s

Written and illustrated by Varda Livney, PJ Publishing

 Everyone loves Hanukkah, the eight-day Jewish festival of lights – and no one loves Hanukkah more than Monica! That’s why Monica’s house is the place to be for a candle-lighting, dreidel-spinning, latke-frying good time. Octopi, jellyfish, and robots all agree! Who’s going to arrive at her party next? ($8.99srp, available on the PJ Library Amazon Web Store)

 Hanukkah Bear

Written by Eric A. Kimmel, illustrated by Mike Wohnoutka, Holiday House

Bubba Brayna makes the best latkes in the village, and on the first night of Hanukkah, the scent of her cooking wakes a hungry, adorable bear from his hibernation.  He lumbers into town to investigate, and Bubba—who does not see or hear very well—mistakes him for her rabbi. She welcomes the bear inside to play dreidel, light the menorah and enjoy a scrumptious meal.  However, after her well-fed guest leaves, there’s a knock at the door—it’s the rabbi, and all of Brayna’s other friends, arriving for dinner.  But there are no latkes left—and together, they finally figure out who really ate them in this playful Hanukkah tale from a master storyteller. ($7.99srp)

 AGES 6-8

 Hanukkah Upside Down

Written by Elissa Brent Weissman, illustrated by Omer Hoffman, Abrams

 In this award-winning, delightfully upside-down picture book holiday story, cousins from opposite sides of the globe debate who can celebrate the best Hanukkah. Eight chances to prove it—may the best cousin win!  From their homes in New York and New Zealand, cousins Noah and Nora decide to have a competition. Winter versus summer: Who can have the world’s best Hanukkah? But as the eight nights go on, the contest proves tougher than they imagined.  A warm, witty holiday story from acclaimed award-winning creators Elissa Brent Weissman and Omer Hoffmann, Hanukkah Upside Down shows that while there are countless ways to celebrate Hanukkah, family is what matters most. ($18.99srp)

Onions & Garlic

Written by Rebecca Sheir, Illuatrated by Sabina Hahn, PJ Publishing

 In this graphic adaptation of an old Yiddish folktale, Haskell masters the art of cooking onions, survives a shipwreck, and finds himself successful beyond his wildest dreams. Retold by public radio veteran Rebecca Sheir, with comic-format artwork by Sabina Hahn, Onions & Garlic is inspired by the first live episode of the award-winning podcast Circle Round (WBUR). A humorous tale about the realities of supply and demand, Onions & Garlic will delight readers of all ages. ($8.99srp, available on the PJ Library Amazon Web Store)

AGES 9-12

 Detour Ahead

Written by Pamela Ehrenberg, Tracy López

 Every weekday morning, 12-year-old Gilah takes the same public bus to her school in Washington, DC, and this year, she’s finally allowed to ride alone. On the very first day, the bus swerves too close to a bicyclist, and Gilah finds the courage to alert the driver to stop the bus. Without a bike, 13-year-old Guillermo starts riding the H4 with Gilah. This National Jewish Book Award finalist is the story of a Salvadoran American boy who is a poet, a neuro-diverse Jewish girl who loves breakdancing, and how they navigate the detours of their families, their friendship, and their lives. ($9.99srp, available on the PJ Library Amazon Web Store)

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For a gift that keeps on giving well past the eight days of Hanukkah, sign up for a free PJ Library subscription to receive a new, age-specific book each month. PJ Library inspires joyful Jewish experiences by sending free storybooks and activities to families with children ages 0-12 and offering ways to connect with community. The program was founded in 2005 by the Harold Grinspoon Foundation (HGF) and, with the support of generous donors and partners, now distributes books in seven languages to more than 650,000 children in over 40 countries every month. The PJ Library family experience is built around the monthly storybooks and also includes family-focused holiday guides and other free gifts. Anyone who visits PJ Library’s website can hear original storytelling podcasts and explore a vast collection of Jewish parenting resources. The program is designed to be welcoming for families across the diversity of Jewish life. Learn more or sign up for monthly children’s books at pjlibrary.org.

New York Jewish Parenting Guide