Status
Available
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Series
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Collection
Publication
Kar-Ben Publishing (2016), Edition: Reprint, 32 pages
Description
"Annie leads her family on a nighttime journey around their farm to celebrate the first night of Hanukkah. At each stop along the way Annie uses riddles (and potatoes) to mark old traditions and start new ones"--
Language
User reviews
LibraryThing member AbigailAdams26
A young girl named Annie and her Jewish family celebrate Hanukkah in their own unique way in this holiday picture book from mother and daughter co-authors Susan Schnur and Anna Schnur-Fishman, and illustrator Alex Steele-Morgan. Walking in the woods near their home, the family is led by Anna
Potatoes at Turtle Rock is strongly reminiscent of this author/illustrator team's earlier picture-book centered around a Jewish holiday, Tachlich at Turtle Rock, which explored the celebration of Rosh Hashanah, and the custom of tashlich. Here the focus is on Hanukkah, but the structure of the story—the four-stage observation of the holiday in the nearby woods—and the theme of religious practice in harmony with nature, are similar. Susan Schnur is a Reconstructionist rabbi, and the earlier book was apparently based upon her own family's Rosh Hashanah traditions, leading me to believe that this title is likewise based on their Hanukkah traditions. Although I didn't find this one quite as appealing as its predecessor, I did enjoy it, appreciating the theme of unconventional and deeply personal religious observances. The illustrations, done by British artist Alex Steele-Morgan, are as colorful and appealing as in the first book, and add to the enjoyment. Recommended to those looking for less traditional Hanukkah stories for young children.
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through four stages, each involving a riddle. At Old Log the family are asked to consider the history of one of their ancestors (with hot potatoes provided); a meditation on the things that frighten us is held at Squeezy Cave, in honor of the darkness of the season; the potatoes themselves become the menorah at Billy Goat's Bridge; and at Turtle Rock, the family enjoy potatoes and snow cones. The book closes with a retelling of the traditional Hanukkah story...Potatoes at Turtle Rock is strongly reminiscent of this author/illustrator team's earlier picture-book centered around a Jewish holiday, Tachlich at Turtle Rock, which explored the celebration of Rosh Hashanah, and the custom of tashlich. Here the focus is on Hanukkah, but the structure of the story—the four-stage observation of the holiday in the nearby woods—and the theme of religious practice in harmony with nature, are similar. Susan Schnur is a Reconstructionist rabbi, and the earlier book was apparently based upon her own family's Rosh Hashanah traditions, leading me to believe that this title is likewise based on their Hanukkah traditions. Although I didn't find this one quite as appealing as its predecessor, I did enjoy it, appreciating the theme of unconventional and deeply personal religious observances. The illustrations, done by British artist Alex Steele-Morgan, are as colorful and appealing as in the first book, and add to the enjoyment. Recommended to those looking for less traditional Hanukkah stories for young children.
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ISBN
146779323X / 9781467793230
Other editions
Potatoes at Turtle Rock by Susan Schnur (Hardcover)