Four Sides, Eight Nights: A New Spin on Hanukkah - Softcover

Ben-Zvi, Rebecca Tova

Softcover

ISBN 10: 1596431814 ISBN 13: 9781596431812

Publisher: Roaring Brook Press, 2006

Synopsis

Everything you ever wanted to know about the Hanukkah holiday, centered on the children's game of dreidel (a spinning top). Includes the history and customs of the holiday, trivia, a song, science facts, and many jokes. Also, the personalities, from Bible heroes and heroines to an astronaut spinning a dreidel in zero gravity. And dreidels, from diamond-encrusted to Space Age to the giant Dreidel House on the Rutgers University campus.

About this title

About the Author:

Rebecca Tova Ben-Zvi makes her latkes with sweet potatoes and plays dreidel year-round. Writing as Rebecca O'Connell, she is the author of The Baby Goes Beep. A librarian and storyteller, she lives in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

Susanna Natti lives in Bedford, Massachusetts, and hums the dreidel song when she's making potato latkes for her family. Jim-the dog stays close and hopes for extras.

From Booklist:

Gr. 2-4. Here's a surprise: there's more to know about dreidels than the meaning of Hebrew letters on their sides. The tops take center stage in this book, which begins with a concise review of the holiday and the role of dreidels. Tidbits follow: what tops are made from, how the game is played, the science of spinning, and more. Sandwiched between are stories of two heroines recognized during Hanukkah (Judith, who saved her people by severing Holophernes' head, and Hannah, who stripped naked to make a political point). It's good (and unusual) to see women getting attention in a Hanukkah book, but the tales are an odd fit given the focus on dreidels. A chapter on holiday food is also problematic: the suggestions for updating traditional potato pancakes sound intriguing (crushed pineapple, peanut butter), but without proportions (or even a basic latke recipe) to refer to, they aren't practical. A scattering of thumbnail facts and cartoon sketches liven up the book, which, despite a few blips still delivers some intriguing information and a little fun. Stephanie Zvirin
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

About this edition

• Publisher: Roaring Brook Press
• Publication date: 2006
• ISBN 10: 1596431814
• ISBN 13: 9781596431812
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 48
• Illustrator: Natti Susanna