Eight Nights, Eight Lights

By Author / Illustrator

Natalie Barnes, Andrea Stegmaier

Genre

Family & Home

Age range(s)

Publisher

Little Tiger Press Group

ISBN

9781801042925

Format

Paperback / softback

Published

12-10-2023

Synopsis

A story celebrating Chanukah, told across eight nights . . .

Chanukah, the Festival of Lights, is drawing near.
It's a time for songs and prayer,
delicious food and friendship, fun and family.
It's a time to be together and bring light to the darkness.

Celebrate each night of Chanukah with eight different families and learn about the rituals and traditions which make up this wonderful holiday.

With beautiful, rich illustrations by Andrea Stegmaier and a lyrical, rhythmic text by Natalie Barnes, Eight Nights, Eight Lights is the ideal gift to share with children at Chanukah. This comforting and cosy book is also perfect for any child who wants to learn more about The Festival of Lights. Fans of David A. Adler and Jill Weber's The Story of Hanukkah, Eric Carle's The Very Hungry Caterpillar's 8 Nights of Chanukah and Eric Kimmel's Hanukkah Bear, will love celebrating the holiday with Eight Nights, Eight Lights.

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Reviews

This warm and comforting book celebrates the Jewish celebration of Chanukah. It shares a family's traditions over the eight nights, from lighting the first candle in the menorah, to sharing doughnuts with neighbours, spinning the dreidel and finally going to the synagogue to celebrate on the final night.

Eight Nights, Eight Lights is highly accessible to everyone of any faith, or none. I read this with my class and together, we learnt a lot about Judaism. Chanukah is the Festival of Light and we are told why the lighting of candles over eight nights is important; it represents the oil lamp which burned at the rebuilt the Temple of Jerusalem after it was destroyed by Antiochus of Syria.

Chanukah is a time for those who believe in the Jewish faith to be together and bring light into the dark nights. The words are joyful and rhythmical, and the illustrations are cosy and rich. Eight Nights, Eight Lights is a great addition to classroom/school libraries. It helps raise awareness of Judaism and supports the UNCRC and work towards the Rights Respecting Schools Award.

Picture book / Reviewed by Jemma Jeffrey, teacher