Hanukkah Books

The photos and stories are excellent. The chicken lasagna was great, my dad said it was the best ever! It had kind of a Tex Mex flair. I even left out a few of her ingredients like substituting evaporated milk for the heavy cream and roasting my own chicken instead of buying a rotisserie chicken. The ingredient list looks long but the ingredients were already in my cabinet. She also gives alternative options to make the same dish. I'm a beginning cook and it was easy.

This cookbook is both a visual feast and an interesting read....I'm so glad Amazon made it more affordable than many of the retail stores at which I've seen it for sale. I can't wait to try some of the recipes, particularly the Apple-Spice Layer Cake with Caramel Swirl Icing and the Cranberry Walnut Scones.

I am an avid collector of cookbooks and this one is definitely one of my favorites! The recipes offered are labor intensive but well worth the effort. I made the green olive beef tenderloin for Christmas Eve, and it was a big hit. I also own Rebecca Rather's first Pastry Queen book and this book is a nice follow-up to her first book.

This cookbook is Awesome! I have tried many of the recipes and a must have for every get-together is the Focaccia Bruschetta. Everyone wants the recipe. The cowboy cookies are my favorite, I make them all the time. Her other book is great as well, I did all my holiday baking from that one book and it was all Fabulous! I strongly recommend this Christmas cookbook.

I like this "rather" unique Christmas resource because: it has excellent recipes which are organized by the varying holiday events (Eve, Day, open house, brunch, tree trimming, NY) and it has wide variety of recipes for appetizer, salad, soup, desserts, etc. and not least, it features great color photos with fun-to-read text and it has some great shots of a Great Pyrenees named Beau (I'm a former owner of 2 and love this Gentle Giant breed)

Rather won me over in her first cookbook as being a passionate baker who ventured out into other foods in her biz and offered some in this first offering. She and her community have a great time at the Christmas Holidays and so she shares some of her favorites as well as some that others offered her, as well as some other's she invited to contribute, such as LBJ's former chef.

The excitement and passion she has (even as a busy chef) for these Holidays exhibits themselves in this fine array of recipes, illustrated by these examples: Warm Pear Ginger Upside Down Cake with Amaretto Whipped Cream; Creamy Chicken Lasagna; Wild Mushroom and Goat Cheese Quesadillas with Cranberry-Pecan Salsa; Glazed Chocolate Pave; Chocolate Cookie Crusted Eggnog Cheesecake; Texas Spice Rubbed Roast Pork.

These are not overfully difficult recipes with either ingredients or techniques, but will certainly test the uninitiated baker or cook. They definitely are delicious and creative and will bring smiles as gifts and servings at this festive time of the year.

Maybe she will do her third on Easter?

My parents had a copy of this when I was growing up, and now I'm finally getting a copy of my own. (My brother has the old one.) I kept telling my husband about this book, and it's about time we bought it. It's a great story of a clever person outwitting the bad guys, and it's about Hanukkah. There are plenty of stories about How Someone Saved Christmas, but this is the only one I know of with Jewish characters. It is a particularly good book for non-Jewish kids to read, since it's educational in an appealing way. And the art is fantastic. What more could you ask for?

I am currently a student rabbi, and I have read this story to my congregation every year. I also read it at the Jewish Day School where I worked, which was K-8th grade. It was almost universally loved. I read it to my children...and my 4-year old daughter had nightmares about goblins that night.

Kimmel seems to be making a career out of telling stories of Herschel, who is a mythical wise-acre Jew from Europe. There are lots of these books, and most of them are wonderful. This one is my favorite, but I also recommend Gershon's Monster: A Story For The Jewish New Year (Gershon's Monster).

Hershel and the Hanukkah Goblins is a Christmas Classic at our house. I recently purchased additional copies for all my grown children and for my grandchild. It is a fun tale that I have read to my own children since they were in elementary school. Lots of action by the brave wanderer Hershel who outwits goblins to save Hanukkah in a Russian town. We celebrate Christmas in our home but the celebration wouldn't be complete without a Christmas Eve reading of Hershel and the Hanukkah Goblins along with the traditional Christmas stories. I highly recommend it!

I've read this story to elementary age children for years. First graders to fifth graders,they are captured from the very first word and sit spell bound till the last. I guess the secret is that I love reading it as much
as they love listening.

I recently read this to a spellbound group of second graders. They so obviously enjoyed it and hung on the plot and dialogue, page after page. The teacher smiled a broad smile throughout and I have to say, it was a pleasure for me to reread it while I read it to them. So add about 20 more high marks to this WINNER from Eric Kimmel. I'm about to check out his other Hershel story as well.

I've had this book for years and used it every holiday. Wonder recipes the family loves. Great ideas for you home. I like the art work in the book also. A must have for the family and a book to pass along.

I am slowly forming a collection of Susan Branch books. The time and artistic beauty that are shown throughout are worthy of keeping out every season. This one is in my kitchen next to a little tree , her recipes are also wonderful.

I've had this book for years and I have purchased this book many times over for the perfect gift at Christmas for the person who has everything. I leave it out all during the holidays and people will pick it up and then want it. It's just a great book to read through with lots of great ideas to make your holidays enjoyable. Beautiful illustrations too. You simply can't go wrong wih this book. The perfect gift!

I bought this book when I first discovered Susan Branch books. I loved it so much I gave it to all my sisters and sisters-in-law. They have all used it as a reference during the holidays and even through out the year.I have given this book to so many others as well and they all love the book. I can only state that this book stands up with all the Susan Branch products and is wonderful and so useful.

As with Susan Branch's other seasonal books, I use this Christmas treasure to kick off the season! Serioualy, I've dog-earred some of the recipes that have become family traditions since I first got this book. I've learned how special it is to replace all sheets with fun holiday flannel sheets. I do much more than simply put up a tree these days. In short, I must attribute my refreshed zest for holiday living to re-reading this book every year before do anything else. (It's also a nice gift!)

Para esta NAVIDAD este libro te enseña a preparar maravillosos platillos para festajar la NAVIDAD. Aún estas recetas se puedan preparar para cualquier epoca del año disfrutalas.

QUE VIENE...
Y haremos una cena tan IMPECABLE COMO LA DEL AÑO PASADO CON ESTAS RECETAS... !
ESTE RECETARIO ES UN TESORO DE FAMILIA !!!
Y TODA UNA TRADICION

con los ojos cerrados y poner el dedo en el papel ... CUALQUIER RECETA QUE HAYA SALIDO, te va a hacer agua la boca !

de Acapulco...y estas recetas, junto con las lo mejor de la cocina francesa, son las que nos han hecho famosos...

familia practicar la COCINA COMO UN ARTE, UN ARTE SIN TIEMPO NI TEMPORADA...Y eso son estas recetas

..because he's my first cousin once removed. :) It's great to read how much other people who do not know him love his illustrations just as much as his family does. I have purchased one of these (as has my mother) for obvious reasons, but even if we were not relatives of the illustrator we would still love this book as it is everything everyone else has described; a wonderful story complemented by engaging pictures. My son is a big fan of this book.

I am a pediatrician and have copies of this book in my exam rooms. It is the book most commonly commented on by parents as being a wonderful children's book.

THE ONLY ONE CLUB by, Jane Naliboff
Reviewed by, Joshua


The Only One Club by, Jane Naliboff is an exciting children's book. I liked this book because its about a little girl name Jennifer who is Jewish and everybody isn't. So she goes home and makes The Only One Club because she feels left out. In addition she made the club badge and I liked that.


The plot is interesting. Then Jennifer was happy now that she made a club but nobody was in it. So, everyone asked to be in it and she said, "no." I really didn't like that part.


The setting is at her house and classroom. That's not really exciting but the classroom is a little.
This book doesn't have any slang so that's why it's a good children's book.


The best part was at the end when Jennifer gave everyone a club badge. She then at the very end gave her teacher a badge too. So now, nobody was left out. Now everybody was happy even though they were different.


This was a great book overall but I didn't like the theme of the book. But I liked the very end when the teacher got the badge. This book is fun for kids 5-8. This story is good for kids who are left out in school. This story teaches kids a lesson not to leave other kids out.

The Only One Club explores our innate desires to be part of a group, all while we wish to celebrate our individuality.

Jennifer is in first grade and all the children are making Christmas decorations. When Jennifer wants to make Hanukah decorations her teacher encourages her in her project and allows her to proudly display her art. When she goes home that night she decides to start the "Only One Club" of which she is the only member.

"I want to be in it, too," Steven whined. "I must be the only one of something."

Soon all the children want to be in the club and start wearing badges to proclaim their individuality.

The Only One Club is a lovely book to teach children about diversity in a school setting. The art creates a multicultural setting and the true-to-life dialogue is creative and comforting.

~The Rebecca Review

Differences in race, religion, politics, ideas and lifestyles have given birth to such an enormous amount of negative media these days. In the newspapers we read and the news programs we watch, we are suffocated by it all. What an absolute pleasure to read such a positive expression of being different. Jane Naliboff creates a beautiful story wonderfully written which should be required reading for all!

As a mom of two, this book is so very helpful to navigate the parenting obstacles we encounter every day. Sharon Duke Estroff brillantly guides parents with humor and passion. Once you pick up this book you won't be able to put it down. LOVE IT! Thank you to the author.

There are so many reasons why I loved this book, but one of my top five is the Lego analogy. Parenting is like Legos, the author explains. "When you first dump the contents of the package on the playroom floor you feel overwhelmed and perplexed. You don't know if you're trying to build a spaceship or a castle. It's not until you see the big picture on the front of the Lego box that all those disconnected plastic bricks take on new meaning as a totally cool medieval fortress. That glimpse at the final goal - while admittedly a bit daunting at first - ultimately gives us the faith, inspiration and direction we need to begin building our Camelot." This book helps parents take a good hard look at the big picture and shows them how they can use it to their family's benefit.

My mother gave me this book for Chanukah and I read the first three chapters before the candles burnt out. (Really!) Can I Have a Cell Phone for Hanukkah isn't just great because it's a fun and easy read, it's also packed with helpful advice. The author is a professional educator but she's also a mom who totally gets what it's like to raise kids today. One of my favorite chapters was "Countdown to Kindergarten" since I have a child who will be starting kindergarten next year. I also love the social chapters called "Pladate Protocol" and "Surviving the Schoolyard Social Jungle". I know that as my son gets older the chapters on school, homework and the internet will be invaluable to me. As a Jewish mom I also enjoyed the holiday by holiday guide. A fun read packed with tons of practical, useful information. What more could you ask for in a parenting book?!

This is the first book of our generation that puts parenting into a realistic, sane perspective. It acknowledges all the challenges and noise that we have to deal with as we raise kids. It puts into very simple and funny terms how ridiculous the standards are that we are foisting upon our children. Its like a cup of coffee with a good friend that sets you straight when you're feeling down on yourself for not having the family you see in advertisements. Uniquely refreshing and easy to read, this book is a great gift to new moms and struggling moms as a place to turn when they need a positive attitude adjustment.

I read Can I Have a Cell Phone for Hanukkah in one afternoon. I could not put it down! Sharon Duke Estroff really helps parents navigate "parenthood." I highly recommend this book for all parents!

I enjoyed this little book!! Some really neat ideas to spice up the holiday season. From decorating to party hosting you'll find something new, interesting and fun to do. Its a great little book for finding new traditions and visiting old ones. Its worth a read.

This book has it all and is delightful. I bought this as a gift for my sister-in- law and am I ever glad I also got one for myself. Itis beautifully illustrated and is filled with recipes, decorating ideas and special thoughts. Its one of those books that you get out each year at Christmas time and you read it again and again.

I purchased the autumn book and really enjoyed it, so I ordered Christmas Joy. I was tad disappointed to see this was such a small and slender volume. It has the same cute recipes and suggestions but fewer of them. It is also fairly short- only 46 pages. I read it in about 15 minutes.

Overalll, a cute book, but I was expecting more.

Susan Branch is a wonderful author. Not only does this book allow the reader to cook but also to become part of the wimsy and the fun that is a book from Susan Branch

Purchased this as a Christmas gift for my nephew's wife. She loved it!

This is another book I purchased to use with my elementary students. What an absolutely delightful story! Any book that so wonderfully illustrates respect of many different beliefs gets high marks from me.....and this book does just that. Through this delightful story the reader learns of Christmas and Hanukkah traditions AND that they can compliment each other very nicely. I also think the story is a great example of service and being a great neighbor.

My teacher does an "author study" program and our first featured author was Patricia Polacco. My teacher read some of her books to my class and during reading I would read them to myself. I read this book and it was one of my favorites. We bought it and I love it. I recommend this book for anyone who loves to read! The author writes about the time when she was a young child and a lot of her neighbors got scarlet fever. The girl and her family is Jewish, and since they are not sick, the girl, her older brother, her mom, her babushka, and her grandpa go out and chop down trees and decorate them with colorful animal figures. I won't tell you the surprise ending, but this book is awesome! I recommend this book highly.

Trees of the Dancing Goats is a beautiful, poignant story and one of my all time favorites. Grown-ups love it as much as the kids. If you don't have this one on your bookshelf, you should get it! If you've been good, maybe Santa Claus will drop a copy in your stocking this year!

A few years ago I was lucky enough to overhear our school librarian recommend this book to another parent at the school book fair. There was only one copy left so I took it.

Now, each December I get out our family's box of holiday books and this is the first one we read. My youngest child handed me a tissue before I started reading it last December! She knows how this book touches my heart and warms my soul.

I have given this book to family and friends ... young and old. Great book to spread the message of what is really important -- at the holidays especially.

Drawing upon her own family's experience, Patricia Polacco shares a story of true holiday giving. Her Russian grandparents teach the meaning of friendship and miracles as they relate the story of Hanukkah and as they reach out to their Christian neighbors who are suffering from a deadly epidemic of scarlet fever. They adapt the symbols of their Jewish celebration to bring Christmas to those who are too ill to create their own festivities. Polacco's colorful illustrations capture the warmth and spirit of the characters and do much to enhance this wonderful story.

Great photos, amazing decorations. Not for beginners though, most things described require quite a bit of time and skill.

when will i have the time to make these cakes. some look so outdated. duh i should have known. but i love Collete Peters and am glad to have one of her books.

If you're a Christmas junkie like me you'll *love* this book. The author manages to make breathtaking edibles that capture the season and will have you trying them out regardless of the time of year. Truly inspirational!!

I treated myself to "Colette's Christmas" by baker extraordinaire Colette Peters while on vacation. It seemed a strange thing to read while at the beach, but I was absolutely captivated. What a fevered imagination Ms. Peters has! The showstoppingly gorgeous desserts and projects she shows within include a layer cake covered with fondant that has been pieced and quilted to resemble and antique quilt (and it surely does); a chocolate bowl filled to overflowing with spectacular chocolate spheres (the cover photograph); hinged, jointed cookies which really move and make splendid Christmas ornaments (all in human forms, like Santa, Raggedy Ann, and so on); gift boxes made entirely of decorated cookie dough; a shimmering "stained glass" cake; and a three-dimensional Christmas gazebo constructed around a towering decorated Christmas tree made of piped icing.

Even if the projects herein appear way too complicated or time-consuming for most people--as they do for me, I'll admit--Ms. Peters gives splendidly clear, concise directions in a conversational tone that make starting your own gingerbread house seem, somehow, not as daunting as it really should be.

I'd definately give this book six stars if they had the option!!! The descriptions on each item are incredibly detailed making it so ANYONE can follow the directions and have it turn out as nice as the pictures. The book takes what looks INCREDIBLY complicated and makes it so even the novice could recreate it. Definately a must have in any Christmas or baker's collection!!

'A Christmas Dinner' is full of unique illustrations that bring the Christmas season of another time to life again. The recipes are wonderful and can once again become 'new'. I have a dear friend whose mission is to search recipes from the past and this book will, without a doubt be a perfect Christmas gift.

I just loved the look of the book-- You could practically "taste" the yummie recipes-- mouth watering good. This is a great book for a Christmas gift-- you are giving more than a cookbook -- it is a piece of art-- fabulous illustrations.

Since Charles Dickens really invented Christmas as we know it, I can't believe these recipes and things have just been unearthed! What a delicious find for all of us who want a uniquely beautiful and memorable holiday gift. It reads as good as it looks, yummy!

I had never heard of this work by Charles Dickens. It says that he was really young when he wrote it (23 years old), and I think that's pretty neat. The book itself is very attractive and the illustrations are great. I found it to be a solid book and a good Christmas gift for pretty much anyone.

I think this is a really cool book. I don't think I've ever seen anything quite like it. I came acrossed it when I was looking for Dickens Christmas stories for a project, but what struck me was all the extras. It has food essays, cultural analysis and a bunch of recipes, for really good sounding holiday dishes that I've never heard of before. I can't really cook to save my life but, I have some friends that can and love to throw themed dinner parties. I am definatly gifting them this book this year.