Daddy Christmas and Hanukkah Mama
By Selina Alko
Knopf, 2012.
I am a mix of two traditions.
From Daddy Christmas and Hanukkah Mama.
How lucky am I?
At Sadie’s house, she has ‘a mix of two traditions,’ and so begins the description of what life is like with Daddy Christmas and Hanukkah Mama. Christmas trees and candles, angels and menorahs all come into play. Songs about dreidels and a silent night are sung.
Ironically, it’s Daddy Christmas who knows how to make the latkes and kugel dressing for the turkey. Then the relatives come and everyone tells stories of their own traditions. The wonderful artwork has a definite Maira Kalman look and feel. Using bits of collage for everything from the tree branches to the steam coming from the latkes, they also perfectly capture the love that everyone in this mixed household shares. A boon for families that need a road map to help them navigate the holidays.”
Selina Alko’s joyous celebration of blended families will make the perfect holiday gift for the many Americans who celebrate both Christmas and Hanukkah.
“Growing up in Vancouver, British Columbia with a Turkish Jewish father who spoke seven languages and taught painting, and a Jewish mother who worked in the family’s century-old metal recycling business, she was surrounded by the melody of words and stories from different places and varied visual possibilities.”
‘Twas the Night Before Christmas
By Clement C. Moore
Illustrated by P.J. Lynch
Candlewick, 2021
Moore (1779–1863) was an American poet who is best known for the poem “A Visit from St. Nicholas,” commonly referred to as ’Twas the Night Before Christmas.
“Readers are in for a treat with PJ Lynch’s contribution to Moore’s “A Visit from St. Nicholas” canon. The text is faithful to the original poem, following the patriarch of a small family as he witnesses Santa delivering gifts in the wee hours of Christmas morning. Lynch’s supple watercolor and gouache illustrations are perfect for the tale’s snowy, northern setting. The illustrator plays extensively with color and perspective, creating dramatic and intriguing compositions. A light haze hangs over the pages, providing a visual chill, and small details invite readers in for a closer look. Each page is thoughtfully and artfully arranged. While there’s nothing particularly new in the content, the presentation is certainly fantastic.” Mr. Lynch is from Northern Ireland.
Submitted by Karen Kosko
