Cozy Chanukah Picture Books

By Gwen Glazer, Librarian
December 11, 2017

Cuddle up with some new Chanukah picture books this year!

Readers might know a few old standbys, but more recently published books about the Festival of Lights go beyond the standard dreidel-based fare. We have stories about Yiddish-speaking chickens, Braille dreidels, immigrants stranded at sea, families who fry up dosas instead of latkes, and more.

Many of kids' favorite characters from literature—Corduroy, Curious George, the gang from Sesame Street, that lady who can't seem to stop swallowing various objects—have Chanukah-specific books, too. Check out the full listing of Chanukah picture books in our catalog.

queen

Queen of the Hanukkah Dosas by Pamela Ehrenberg
Sadie and her brother have an East Indian mom and a Jewish dad, so they celebrate Chanukah by combining traditions and frying up a big batch of dosas. But this year, they might be locked out of their house . . . can the kids save the day?
 

nathan

Nathan Blows Out the Hanukkah Candles by Tami Lehman-Wilzig
A neighbor makes fun of Jacob's brother Nathan, who has autism, for blowing out the candles on the menorah. After Jacob gets angry, their families come together to make sure everyone is respected and included.

 

dinos

How Do Dinosaurs Say Happy Chanukah? by Jane Yolen
Everyone's favorite dinosuars star in a Chanukah book! They're sharing (or not sharing) their dreidels, spending time with their families, saying the blessings over the candles, and, as always, figuring out how to make good choices.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

yetta

Beautiful Yetta's Hanukkah Chicken by Daniel Pinkwater

A Brooklyn chicken who speaks Yiddish, a parrot who speaks Spanish, a kitten in need of rescue, and a grandma who makes latkes for all of them? Sign us up.

 

 

 

 

 

 

simon

Simon and the Bear: A Hanukkah Tale by Eric Kimmel
A moving immigration story about a boy who becomes stranded when his ship hits an iceberg on its way to America. When Simon is separated from his family, he turns to the tenets of Chanukah and its tenets of light in the darkness to survive. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

night

The Night Before Hanukkah by Natasha Wing

A sweet rhyming tale about preparing for and celebrating the holiday.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

goblins

Hershel and the Hanukkah Goblins by Eric Kimmel

Parents might remember this Chanukah classic—newly reprinted in a 25th anniversary edition—from their own childhoods. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

counting

Hanukkah: A Counting Book in English, Hebrew, and Yiddish by Emily Sper
Everyone could stand to learn a little Yiddish this holiday season!
 

jeremy

Jeremy's Dreidel by Ellie Gellman
Jeremy's dad is blind, so Jeremy makes a Braille dreidel for him. The book also includes instructions about how to make different kinds of dreidels yourself.

 

And don't let kids have all the fun . . . check out a few Chanukah books for adults and tales of Chanukah romance! ​

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Have trouble reading standard print? Many of these titles are available in formats for patrons with print disabilities.

Staff picks are chosen by NYPL staff members and are not intended to be comprehensive lists. We'd love to hear your ideas too, so leave a comment and tell us what you’d recommend. And check out our Staff Picks browse tool for more recommendations!