cover image My Chanukah Playbook

My Chanukah Playbook

Salina Yoon, . . S&S/Little Simon, $10.99 (10pp) ISBN 978-1-4169-8957-8

This sturdy, interactive book comes with eight shiny gold pieces of cardboard gelt, which can be removed from a tray in the cover via a ribbon pulley. As the minimal, accessible text describes the history of the holiday (the victory of the Maccabees, the miracle of the oil), readers can place the gelt into the Maccabees' die-cut shields, onto plated latkes and into a “tzedekah” or “charity” box (the gilt doesn't snap perfectly into theallotted spaces, but it's still a pleasing effect). On the last spread, readers can “light” the “chanukkiyah” by sliding the gelt into individual slots for each of the eight candles for a satisfying finale. Ages 3–5. (Oct.)