In A Horse for Hanukkah, by Myriam Halberstam, Hannah miraculously gets the horse she has always wanted as a gift for Hanukkah. But the challenges of living with a horse in a cramped apartment soon become apparent, and small whimsical episodes of chaos quickly ensue.  Latkes, menorahs and dreidels all become a part of the mess, and the family’s Hanukkah celebration is soon in turmoil.
I love that Golda the horse speaks Ivrit—Hebrew, and that Grandma speaks Yiddish.

I also enjoyed Nancy Cote’s charming illustrartions.They give Golda personality and warmth, and I loved seeing the horse leap gently across the front cover, wearing ballet ribbons on her hooves.

 

A couple of details that troubled me: The gift of ‘poop’ that Goldie delivers is something that bothered my delicate sensibilities, especially since the reader never does find out if and how it got cleaned up. I also found the transition from the dream world (Goldie the horse was just a dream. Sigh.) to real-life slightly abrupt.

 

But combining the realization of many a young girls dream to actually get that horse they’ve always wanted, and then to have it speak Hebrew– what a fun concept! A Horse for Hanukkah is a welcome addition to any collection of Hanukkah stories, and I recommend it for anyone looking for a new way to share our classic traditions.

 

Rating: 4 out of 5.

 

To purchase a copy of A Horse for Hanukkah go to: www.ariella-books.comn or contact Lamda Publishers at 718-972-5449.