Product Description

"Once in a far-off village, there nearly was a year without Chanukah." So begins LETTER ON THE WIND, a retelling of a Jewish folktale that reminds readers of the first Chanukah and of Mattathias's bravery in protecting his faith.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #178613 in Books
• Published on: 2007-09
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Hardcover
• 32 pages

Review
In this well-written folktale retelling, a village is suffering from a drought, and there is no oil with which to light the Chanukah menorahs. Nicely formatted spreads feature the illustrator's signature palette of blues, purples, and black, with splashes of color. -- School Library Journal, October 2007

Lamstein (Annie's Shabbat) polishes up timeless motifs about the mysterious ways of God in this dexterous retelling of a folktale from the Middle East. -- Publishers Weekly, October 29, 2007

Sarah Marwil Lamstein's beautiful retelling of a Jewish folktale is a story about faith. This small gem will be an excellent addition to holiday collections. -- Library Media Connection

The book will be a fine choice for a holiday read-aloud for young children; it will also be welcomed by older readers, who may recognize some of the other Jewish themes Lamstein skillfully weaves into the story. -- Booklist, September 15, 2007

The spiritual message in the romantic text is wonderfully portrayed with Waldman's full double-paged spread. More than a holiday folktale, this one brings out the significance of graceful benevolence and humble appreciation. -- Kirkus Reviews, starred review, November 1, 2007

Customer Reviews

An excellent addition for any Jewish library.
Ages 4-8 will find here a compelling folk story of a year without Chanukah, and a poor man who decides to light the menorahs in search of remembering the miracle of the season. He asks a local scribe to write a letter to god and prays for oil to light the poor town's menorahs - and an unexpected result lends to suspicion Hayim might be a thief. This fine retelling of a Jewish folk story is an excellent addition for any Jewish library.

Peaceful and provocative words and pictures
I can imagine a child examining the calm cover - moon, birds, a silhouette of old stone buildings, but where is the letter in the dark sky? She or he would open the book and find suspense that's both on-the-edge-of-your-seat and soothingly quiet. By the end of the first line we know the story's problem, which quickly develops. The imagery is gorgeous; I love how we see, in words and pictures, the olive trees at the beginning, then changed at the end. This is an assured retelling of a folktale that will add to a child's understanding of Chanukah and the meaning of love and faith.

Hear from the Book's Creators
Hear an interview with Letter on the Wind author Sarah Lamstein and illustrator Neil Waldman! Listen to The Book of Life podcast's December 2007 episode at www.bookoflifepodcast.com.