The Hanukkah Hop!

September 19, 2011
Silverman (Sholom’s Treasure) conjures a “bim-bom bop” of a Hanukkah party at Rachel’s house, complete with a klezmer band (the Mazel-Tones) to juke the joint after the candles are lit, the latkes and sufganiyot are eaten, and the dreidls are spun. Young Rachel is finally the last one dancing, long after the music stops. D’Amico (Ella the Elephant series) uses an urbane retro style for his illustrations, pencil sketches that have been digitally rendered and colored on a computer. Ages 3–6.

September 1, 2011

The arrival of some special guests transforms the traditional family Hanukkah gathering into a dance fest that has everyone moving to the rhythm of a bopping, hopping beat.

Excitement mounts while Rachel and her parents get ready to host the extended family. Streamers, blue balloons and shiny menorahs are all arranged while latkes fry and the family listens to a "jazzy bim-bom beat." Unlike Lisa Wheeler's sprightly, zesty jitterbug verse in Jazz Baby (illustrated by R. Gregory Christie, 2007), Silverman's forced, uneven rhymes are only marginally successful at achieving that bebop syncopation. She seems to struggle with her verse framework to include all the conventional elements (dreidels, menorahs, latkes) and a very brief summary of the origin of the holiday along with the description of a joyous celebration. Her inclusion of a Klezmer band (the Mazel-Tones) injects much-needed energy into the party with its version of the ever-changing refrain. "Biddy-biddy bim-bom / bim-bom bop. / Spin! Swing! Sway! / Dive! Jump Pop! / The party's going wild / at the Hanukkah Hop!" While the text falls short and is difficult to read aloud with an appropriately fluid musical swing, the digitally rendered cartoon-style art provides retro-cool images of a raucous, frenzied shindig.

An unsuccessful blending of the holiday's history and rituals with a boogie-woogie theme leaves this Hanukkah addition on the sidelines. (glossary) (Picture book. 4-7)

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October 1, 2011

K-Gr 2-Evoking a joyous refrain found in traditional Hasidic music, this celebration of Hanukkah brings a family together for a jubilant night of dancing. A chant of "Biddy-biddy bim-bom bim-bom bop" sets both the tone and the beat of the energetic rhyming text, building from a jazzy syncopation to a whirling, rollicking climax reminiscent of a piece of Klezmer music. "Spin! Swing! Sway!/Dive! Jump! Pop!/The party's going wild/at the Hanukkah Hop!" Charmingly retro, digitally rendered illustrations, reminiscent of '60s-era cartoons, are animated and joyful. One should probably read through the text a few times before reading aloud to be sure to catch the syncopated beat. A fresh and festive choice for the Festival of Lights.-Teri Markson, Los Angeles Public Library

Copyright 2011 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.