Eight Sweet Nights, a Festival of Lights - by Charlotte Offsay (Hardcover)

About the Book

A Hanukkah story about the joy of coming together to celebrate with family and food.

Book Synopsis

A warm and yummy Hanukkah-themed picture book about the joys of coming together to celebrate with family and food.

It's time to start counting sleeps--Hanukkah is coming! Shimmering, shining, sparkling. Eight sweet nights, a festival of lights.

Set in a cozy house full of latkes, applesauce, sufganiyot, and other Hanukkah holiday treats, this warm and emotional story highlights the importance and joy of passing along traditions from one generation to the next, and making new traditions too.

Children can also learn about the meaning of their holiday, with informative side notes on each page to give a brief explanation of words found at Hanukkah, such as Maccabees, hanukkiyah, shamash, and gelt. An afterword from the author provides even more historical background to the holiday, making this a book to take from the shelves year after year.

Review Quotes

★ Best Jewish Holiday Children's Books of Fall 2024--Association of Jewish Libraries

"An appealing picture book about a Jewish family gathering to share stories, cook traditional recipes, make new memories, and celebrate an ancient miracle."--School Library Journal

"The story is sweet and concise, while the notes on each page and in the backmatter provide more detailed information than many other Hanukkah books. . . . An illuminating holiday primer."--Kirkus

"A cheery energy."--Publishers Weekly

"From the prose to the illustrations, this gorgeous picture book is a standout among Chanukah books with its meaningful explanations on words and traditions connected to the holiday. Bright and joyful, this picture book is a perfect addition for every library, school, and home."--Wisconsin Jewish Chronicle

About the Author

CHARLOTTE OFFSAY was born in England, grew up in Boston, and now lives in Los Angeles with her husband and two children. Through her work, Charlotte hopes to make children laugh, to inspire curiosity, and to create a magical world her readers can lose themselves in time and time again. She is the author of the picture books A Grandma's Magic; Eight Sweet Nights, A Festival of Lights; Challah Day; and The Big Beach Cleanup.

MENAHEM HALBERSTADT is an illustrator, cartoonist, and art director based in Israel. His work includes the illustrations for Eight Sweet Nights, A Festival of Lights and Soosie: The Horse That Saved Shabat, which was a National Jewish Book Award finalist and received a starred review from Kirkus.