There Was a Young Rabbi

September 1, 2020
Preschool-G Wolfe's rhyming story features a friendly looking woman rabbi in a kippah going through eight holiday-related activities for the eight nights of Hanukkah. Ebbeler's illustrations add not only whimsy but also detail, showing that the rabbi is a mom as well as a religious leader. The activities start with the ritual?"She read from the Torah / and lit the menorah"?and soon move to cooking "latkes yummy" that "filled up her tummy," as well as "applesauce sweet / for a Hanukkah treat." Making "kosher brisket" after that seems like overkill, but celebrating for eight nights, eating chocolate gelt, and playing dreidel "to win" are classic Hannukah activities. (The newer custom of gift-giving is notably absent.) Besides focusing on the holiday, the book makes the "young rabbi" seem fun and relatable. The strong rhyme scheme and repetition in this Hanukkah tale will soon have young listeners chanting along, "She lit the menorah, / as we all know, / to remember a miracle / from a long time ago." A great holiday read-aloud.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2020, American Library Association.)