Ages: 0 – 4
It is also a Canadian Children’s Book Centre Best Books for Kids & Teens selection
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From the Publisher:
A loving tribute to the celebration of Hanukkah, blending gorgeous, hand-painted illustrations with a charming lullaby.
Description:
This title is part of the delightful Baby Lullaby series to read to young kids ages 0-4. Babies will enjoy hearing the lyrical text by Ruth Abrams read aloud as they view the engaging illustrations by Tia Mushka. The text is sparse and very generally describes the illustrations and continues to circle back to the comforting and loving phrase “this light fills my heart with joy”. However, the text is well suited to a lullaby book and is detailed enough to be both soothing and effectively describe the festive celebration. The book profiles various the events and traditions of this Jewish holiday. An added bonus to the book are the end pages providing more detail about Hanukkah traditions. The further details are both informative for the adult reader (giving context and a brief history) and are effective as a launching pad for further study for toddlers and pre-kindergarten children (in a guided fashion). The end pages add a layer of richness that help this title stand out from the crowd.
Bonus: They have created a WONDERFUL video to accompany [each] book in the series and have posted them to YouTube. See the Hanukkah one below and find the rest here. The videos utilize the text and images from the books, and the melodies are stunning and reflect the culture of the topic profiled in the books. Listenting/watching adds rich depth to the reading/learning experience. Highly recommended!
My Experience:
All three of my toddler children love these books and have asked for them to be read many times. We have used the Hanukkah title as a way to learn about traditions of a different faith as we seek to know and respect the culture of others.
Likes:
- informative end pages providing further context for each page within the book
- light and soothing text that describes the scene without being bogged down with details (perfectly fits the intent of a lullaby book)
- lyrical text that can be sung (listen to the video song, or make up your own)
Dislikes:
- none
Why/How Use the Books with Kids:
- view the accompanying YouTube video to hear/see the words set to music in a style that represents the culture of the holiday – and learning about the musical style of the faith/culture
- research some other music that is specific to Hanukkah and the Jewish faith
- identify the specific scenes/traditions within the illustrations. What makes each one unique or special to the Hanukkah celebration (e.g. the Menorah)? Find out more about any with which you are unfamiliar
- read or sing the book to your child before naps or bedtime in a soothing, gentle tone to help ease into sleep
About Baby Lullaby:
Established in 2013 by writer and book designer Lynn McCarron, Baby Lullaby makes gorgeous baby books that combine beautiful paintings with soothing and culturally authentic lullabies. The business grew out of Lynn’s desire to make the books she had always wanted for her own babies, honouring their native surroundings through art and music. With an extensive background in the publishing business, she decided to start her own company so that she could be in charge of all the elements of design, from choosing the subjects to hiring the writers and illustrators. Her husband, singer-songwriter Keith Andrews, made the perfect partner for the business as writer and producer of the accompanying music…These days, the whole family gets involved in one way or another. “Our children play some of the instruments and sing on some of the lullabies. Our oldest son turns the books into videos for the Facebook pages. It’s definitely become the family business!” (from website)
~Erin
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