Nonna's Hanukkah Surprise

PreS-Gr 2—Rachel loves her Italian grandmother, who always smells so wonderful, but worries that a December visit to Italy means she will miss Hanukkah, since her Italian relatives all celebrate Christmas. Her parents reassure her that they can bring the Hanukkah celebration with them and share it with her father's family. They even give her an early Hanukkah gift—a super cool menorah with a team of all-girl Maccabees to hold the candles! Rachel puts the menorah in her carry-on bag and then forgets it on the plane. The little girl is heartbroken, but her Nonna is a smart woman and, after having Rachel describe the menorah, comes up with the perfect, and perfumed, solution. The book includes a brief description of Hanukkah in the body of the story, with a paragraph at the end adding a little more. This title would make a fine read-aloud for a multicultural holiday storytime. Attractive illustrations in primarily in blues and greens are both humorous and tender.