Daddy Christmas & Hanukkah Mama
By Regan McMahon,
Common Sense Media Reviewer
Common Sense Media Reviewers
Two-tradition family doubles the holiday fun.
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What's the Story?
A little girl proudly proclaims, \"I am a mix of two traditions from Daddy Christmas and Hanukkah Mama,\" then takes readers on a tour of her home during the holidays. They decorate a Christmas tree with a shiny star, light eight candles on a menorah, and leave latkes for Santa. From singing \"Silent Night\" and \"Dreidel, Dreidel, Dreidel\" to kissing under the mistletoe and hearing the stories of the Maccabees and the oil lamp as well as the baby in the manger, this family doubles the fun and the meaning of the holiday season. On page after page, the little girl, her parents, and her extended family make the season bright, from Hanukkah to New Year's Day. And there's even a recipe for Cranberry Kugel Dressing!
Is It Any Good?
DADDY CHRISTMAS & HANUKKAH MAMA is a joyful celebration of two religious and cultural traditions under the same roof. Author-illustrator Selina Alko's spirited mixed-media illustrations are full of family coziness and comprehensive seasonal detail. It's a respectful look at the two traditions, with a multiracial cast of neighbors and relatives that subtly underscores the book's message about diversity and accepting others.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about their own holiday traditions. Which ones do you look forward to each year?
How is Christmas Daddy & Hanukkah Mama different from other holiday books and movies you've seen?
How do you like the way author-illustrator Selina Alko uses collage elements in her illustrations? Can you spot the bits of patterned paper used for the kids' clothes and scarves and the printed paper that makes up part of the Christmas tree?
Book Details
- Author: Selina Alko
- Illustrator: Selina Alko
- Genre: Holiday
- Topics: Holidays
- Book type: Fiction
- Publisher: Knopf
- Publication date: September 11, 2012
- Publisher's recommended age(s): 4 - 8
- Number of pages: 32
- Available on: Nook, Hardback, iBooks, Kindle
- Last updated: July 12, 2017
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