My First Dino-Hanukkah

PreS–The nights are growing colder, which means that it is almost time for the Dinos to celebrate Hanukkah. Colorful characters come together from all over town to enjoy latkes and applesauce, a rousing game of spin the dreidel, and stories that commemorate this annual event. Through it all, the joy of friendship and unity brightens the darkest days of winter. This delightful board book is an entertaining introduction to the Hanukkah holiday for the youngest readers. Fans of Wheeler’s canon of “Dino” stories will appreciate this addition to the collection for the fact that it combines familiar imagery and writing with Hanukkah traditions in to make Hanukkah accessible to all. The spare text has a simple and straightforward rhythm and rhyming pattern that will especially appeal to babies and toddlers. The book incorporates an appropriate amount of relevant vocabulary for its target audience, and the design of the story also offers the opportunity for caregivers to expand on the text with older readers. Friendly, anthropomorphic dinosaurs are the protagonists of this story, and as they interact with familiar Hanukkah elements, young readers will want to as well.