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Synopsis
"Ready for a story?"Grandma Karen asked.
"Definitely,"
said Owen.
Every night of Hanukkah, after Owen — the Official Candle Lighter — lights the menorah, Grandma Karen kicks off her cowboy boots and tells him a bedtime story.
On the first night there's the inspiring story of a girl who dreams of becoming a rabbi.
On the fourth night there's the amazing story of the alien who gets lost in a little girl's backyard.
And on the seventh night there's the silly story about a boy who wants to be a baby...and whose parents let him!
Join Owen in discovering how each of these stories is also a celebration of his own heritage in this heartwarming book about faith, family, and the miracle of Hanukkah.
Publishers Weekly
Nearly seven years old, Owen is now the family's O.C.L. (Official Candle Lighter), and Grandma Karen tells him he's a natural. She also tells him stories, one brief tale for each night of the holiday-one about a dentist who trains his parrot, Dreidel, to reassure his patients, one about a girl who wants to become a rabbi ("Like Cousin Shira?" asks Owen. "Exactly like Cousin Shira," replies Grandma Karen), etc. By the eighth night all the relatives introduced in the stories gather for a festive dinner. Spinner (Aliens for Breakfast) conjures modern characters happy to celebrate the heritage they share both as Jews and as members of the same family, and her light touch virtually promises that readers of many faiths will be glad of a seat at Owen's table. McElmurry's (Mad About Plaid) larky gouaches deepen the characterizations and accent the good humor of the text. Endnotes supply Hanukkah prayers and background on the holiday. Ages 4-8. (Oct.) Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information.