Hanukkah At Valley Forge
By Stephen Krensky, illustrated by Greg Harlin
With the arrival of the celebration of Hanukkah, I wanted to revisit a special book I have spoken about before; Hanukkah at Valley Forge. In 2007 this book received The Sydney Taylor Award from the Association of Jewish Libraries given in recognition of picture books and also those for teens that authentically reflect the Jewish experience. Here, the book’s vivid watercolor illustrations coupled with Mr. Krensky’s fictionalized retelling of a historically researched anecdote come together for what I think is a powerful picture book.
Stephen Krensky’s book, Hanukkah at Valley Forge, combines history and holiday in an interesting way. The parallels of American and Jewish history intertwine on a bitterly cold winter evening at Valley Forge. Faced with increasing uncertainty and mounting odds, General George Washington meets a Polish immigrant observing the first night of Hanukkah with the lighting of the candles there amidst the fading hope of Washington’s ragtag colonial army.
Common themes of man’s need to hope in the face of increasing despair and the price of liberty’s cause, echo in the meeting of these two men at a pivotal point in our nation’s early history. Some historical accuracy was apparently discovered in the research of the book, and it is left to the reader to wonder if chance meetings sometimes turn the tides of men and war.
In the spirit of the most wonderful time of the year, we've put together a list of the best new kids' Christmas books that capture the holiday magic. We know you'll love our Christmas Books booklist!
As I write this post, Stephen Krensky's Christopher Columbus is ranked at #1 in e-book biographies for children. The paperback edition is ranked at #3 in historical biographies for children.
I'll start by saying that I don't recommend Krensky's book.
It was first published in 1991 in Random House's "Step Into Reading" series. At first read, you might think the book is ok, but I want to walk through the book, pausing at certain parts. On one page, we read:
There are people on the island.
Columbus calls them Indians
because he thinks he has reached
the Indies.
He names the island San Salvador.
He says it now belongs to Spain.
On the next page, Krensky writes:
But the island really belongs
to the people who live there.
See? Krensky essentially says "wait up Christopher, you're wrong about that!" Sounds good, doesn't it?
Don't be taken in! It might seem like Krensky is giving us something different from the "Columbus discovered America" myth, but... let's keep reading.
Columbus notices that some of the Indians are wearing what appears to be gold, so he pushes on, to look for gold. He visits other islands and:
He meets more Indians.
Most are helpful and friendly.
Most? Who isn't helpful or friendly to Columbus? And why were they not helpful or friendly? Krensky doesn't say.
Skip ahead a few pages to where Columbus is gonna return to Spain:
The ships are already loaded
with many new kinds of food--
corn, potatoes, peanuts,
papayas, avocados.
Columbus has also forced
six Indians to come with him.
People in Spain have never
seen Indians.
Krensky tells us that Columbus is taking Indians to Spain so people can see them? Why didn't Krensky rebut those last two lines, like he did earlier when he said that the island really belonged to the people who lived there?
Skipping ahead again, Columbus is back in Spain where he "is a hero." The last page is:
For the rest of his life,
Columbus never knows
how truly great
his discovery is.
He has really found a new world--
a world that no one in Europe knew about.
It is called America!
"Discovery"? "[F]ound a new world"??? I can hear defenders say "but Krensky says it was new to people in Europe! Leave poor Krensky (and Columbus) alone, you mean woman! You leftist liberal!"
Does Krensky want kids to feel sorry for Columbus because he didn't (according to Krensky) know how great his "discovery" was?! On one page, in one place, Krensky pushed back on the Columbus myth, but everywhere else? He just told the same-old-story!
Krensky's book, as noted earlier, is in the "Step Into Reading" series. Books like it are ones designed to help kids become independent readers.
Christopher Columbus is a "Step 3" book. That means it is for kids in grades 1-3. Becoming an independent reader is a powerful moment in a person's life. Books that help with that process can take on a lot of emotional weight. They did for me, and likely for you, too. Go to the library. Get one that you read. See what sorts of strings it tugs as you turn its pages. The frightening thing is that a reader can also develop emotional attachment to the content of books like this.
Even more frightening is the information I shared at the very top of this post. This is a best selling book. It was first published in 1991 (no doubt to coincide with the 500 year "anniversary" of Columbus "discovery" of the "New World") and it still going strong.
Do you know of a book for independent readers, or a picture book, that honestly presents information about Christopher Columbus?
Betsy Bird at SLJ says she's just learned of one that might do a better job of telling readers about Columbus. Due out in January of 2015, we'll have to wait and see.
In the meantime, those of you with older or capable readers can get Thomas King's brilliant
Coyote Columbus Story. I recommended it in 2006.
If your child comes home today with coloring sheets of Columbus and you want to push back on what he/she was taught, the Zinn Education Project has
an excellent page of resources.
Some fabulous choices for you this week! Hopefully you'll find something to enjoy with your family!
A Small Brown Dog with a Wet Pink Nose by Stephanie Stuve-Bodeen and illustrator Linzie Hunter
Now, you all know my obsession with dog books and I just have to throw this new favorite in there. This girl, Amelia, is absolutely hysterical in the way she gets her hands on just the dog she wants. Seriously, you adults will find yourself chuckling the entire way through, as Amelia gets more clever and daring in her quest for a dog, while you're kids will be cheering her along the entire way through the book.
A fantastic choice for a read aloud with an attention-grabbing story, lots of humor, bold illustrations, and of course, cute dogs!
Overall rating: 5 out of 5
One of my favorite picture books of the year!
A Small Brown Dog with a Wet Pink Nose
Stephanie Stuve-Bodeen
32 pages
Picture Book
Little, Brown
9780316058308
January 2010
Review copy received from publisher
Noah's Bark by Stephen Krensky and illustrator Roge
Another funny one for you! Here we get to look at the challenges Noah faced while building the ark and surviving the flood, including the insanity of noise made by the pigs howling, elephants hissing, the beavers crowing, and snakes quacking. Sounds silly right? Noah gets fed up with the chaotic noise and puts slips of paper with different animal sounds in a kangaroo's pouch and allows each animal to choose their noise. And that's how today we have snakes hissing, pigs oinking, and dogs barking.
So cute! And though this is obviously a Biblical story, this is not a book with religious overtones or messages. It's just a silly story about animals and their zany noises! Another stellar read aloud that will leave your kids giggling.
Overall rating: 4 out of 5
Noah's Bark
Stephen Krensky
32 pages
Picture Book
Carolrhoda Books
9780822576457
April 2010
Review copy received from publisher
My Father Knows the Names of Things by Jane Yolen and illustrator Stephane Jorisch
2 Comments on Picture Book Saturday, last added: 3/28/2010
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I came across your blog today and gave you the beautiful blog award (see my March 22 post for info.)
Ann
www.cozyintexas.blogspot.com
www.annsummerville.com
Just read Small Brown Dog with a Wet Pink Nose to my kids before bed. They loved it. It is a very clever book.