Maccabee!: The Story of Hanukkah

The word that springs to mind in describing this book is energetic. The illustrations are vibrant, colorful, and bold. The text focuses on the historical events that originated the Hanukkah holiday. Mattathias and Judah, soon to be called Maccabee, are strong characters, with square jaws and

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intense emotional expressions. In fact, all of the people drawn in this book are cartoon-like in their simplified features and bright coloring, but it heightens their appeal. The text uses rhyming couplets to present a detailed account of how Maccabee came to be elected leader of the Jewish resistance, their defiance of King Antioch, and the eventual rebuilding of the temple along with the miracle of the long-lasting oil. I am not always fond of the use of rhyming couplets in children's books, simply because it is done poorly and sacrifices any internal rhythm of the sentences to force a rhyme; however, the stanzas in this book are well done, on the whole. When read aloud, most of the story has a nice flow, with just a few passages where the text is awkward. Adding to the force of the narrative is the triumphant tone of the book, as the author clearly relishes this historical account of bravery and success for Jewish people.

An epilogue, consisting of two pages, connects the historical events to modern celebrations of Hanukkah. The illustrations show a family celebrating with Maccabee, and the words pose the question of how Judah would react to the celebration of his accomplishments and the miracle from long ago (happily, of course). The last page of the book provides a factual summary of why Hanukkah is celebrated and a description of some traditional practices associated with the holiday. For readers wanting a more detailed account of the historical events behind Hanukkah, this is an excellent choice. Instead of focusing on the religious implications of the story, it is more concerned with the cultural heritage invested in the holiday, but it does present the miracle and connect the celebration to religious freedom. I consider this a great book to round out a study of Hanukkah, by painting a complete picture of the historical events and depicting the pride Jewish people bear for their culture.

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