Favorite Hanukkah Picture Books

We added this new book to our Hanukkah collection this year. It's a really heartwarming story about a family that just moved to a new apartment. The kids are excited to light the menorah on the first night of Hanukkah, but they can't find their box of Hanukkah supplies. All week long they have to ask for help from their neighbors, which results in a very special Ninth Night of Haunukkah.

This new book is fantastic! Clever and fun story with phenomenal illustrations.

It's the eighth night of Hanukkah in the kingdom, but while all the villagers are trying to get ready for the big feast, a dastardly dragon is ruining everything. Lady Sadie calls upon the "Eight Knights of Hanukkah" (her eight children - 3 girls and 5 boys) to save the day.

Hanukkah is not a Jewish version of Christmas, so this imaginative story helps explain why American Jewish children receive presents for the holiday. Nate Gadol is a mythic figure with the talent to make anything last as long as it is needed. His big heart and love of gift giving is a wonderful addition to the Hanukkah story without changing the religious observance and true meaning of the Jewish holiday.

This is a great board book for the little ones to enjoy. It's a spin-off from the very popular, very hungry caterpillar story, but in this version the caterpillar takes the reader through the traditions of the 8 nights of Chanukah. Simple, but very well done.

If your kids are as obsessed with llamas as mine are, then this will be a big hit. Celebrate all of the Hanukkah traditions (lighting the menorah, spinning the dreidel, frying latkes, etc.) with the Llama Family. Very kid friendly!

This is a darling version of the Hanukkah story told brilliantly for the preschool/early elementary age crowd. It takes you through the holiday traditions as well as the story of the Maccabees and why the holiday is celebrated at all. The illustrations are so charming.

Did you ever read the All-of-a-Kind Family books by Sydney Taylor from the 1950’s? They are the sweetest chapter books about a Jewish family with five little girls (all-of-a-kind) living in New York City. We love them! But even if you haven’t read the original books, you’ll still appreciate this wonderful Hanukkah picture book. 

Set in the Lower East Side in 1912, the family is preparing for Hanukkah. The story is sweet, simple, and so realistic (just like the original books it’s drawn from) and it captures an ordinary day of Hanukkah preparations that result in a big tantrum from Gertie, the youngest, when she isn’t allowed to help prepare the latkes. Luckily, gentle Papa knows just how to make everything right.

When Sara notices a man taking bruised fruit from a discard box in the alley near a local market, she can’t stop thinking about him. As she eats her own lunch that day, she thinks about being hungry and decides she wants to help. As Hanukkah approaches, Sara decides to focus on tzedakah (acts of charity) which ends with a stranger becoming a friend and member of the community. 

This is a beautiful, heartwarming story about what it means to give and the joy that comes from helping those less fortunate, especially during the holidays. 

This book is ridiculous, but in the best possible way, and so much fun to read aloud! The Latkes are a normal family, just like you and me . . . except they are potato pancakes! 

In this one, Grandpa pancake tries to tell the Hanukkah story, but he doesn’t get it quite right. There are Mega Bees (instead of Maccabees), laser shooting alien potatoes, and a giant dreidel weapon. Luckily the family dog, Applesauce, knows the real story and he sets the record straight! 

This is a really simple, but adorable, introduction to Hanukkah for babies and toddlers! And the best part is these books are "indestructable," which means your little one can chew on it to their heart's content!

This is another good one for little readers. The board book format is perfect! Introduce your little ones to Hanukkah with this fun alphabet book and bright, old fashioned illustrations.

Trisha loves the eight days of Hanukkah and she’s so excited as they begin preparing for the holiday. Her Babushka is making latkes, her Grandpa is making gifts, and everything is coming along nicely. However, when Trisha stops by to visit her Christian neighbors and realizes that they are all terribly sick, the Hanukkah plans change. It’s hard to enjoy a feast when you know that your neighbors are struggling. Luckily, it’s a season for miracles. 

This is a beautiful story based on a real event from the author’s own childhood. 

Misha is a very good artist. However, he lives in a village where no one has enough money to buy his art, so he gets by on the milk from his old cow and the few potatoes he can grow in his yard. One day a cat shows up. Misha doesn’t have much, but he decides he can share a little milk with the cat and keep her warm by the fire. The cat, who Misha names Mazel, gives Misha a reason to celebrate Hanukkah. 

It’s a sweet story of kindness and I love how Misha’s creativity and kindness bring more light and luck into his life. 

This is the actual story of Hanukkah – the brave Maccabees, the hard won battle, the temple in Jerusalem, and the miracles of the oil that burned for eight nights. The bold, colorful illustrations really add to the story. It’s an excellent book to explain the holiday to young listeners. 

This is a fun retelling of the Little Red Riding Hood story, but with a Hanukkah twist. In this one, Ruthie is heading through the forest to visit her grandmother for Hanukkah when she encounters a wolf. Will she able to convince him to eat latkes instead of eating her? 

I love Ruthie, the smart, capable heroine of this story. And I really love how smoothly the author was able to incorporate the Hanukkah story into the tale. Well done! 

This book has everything you need to introduce Hanukkah. It includes that history of Hanukkah, as well as songs, activities, and rituals to celebrate the holiday. There are eight reflections to read before lighting the candle each night, as well as the candle blessings. There are even recipes in the book to get you started! It’s very informative, but filled with illustrations too for the youngest readers. 

While traveling, Hershel comes upon a village on the first night of Hanukkah and is surprised that it is dark. No candles, no latkes, and no celebrations! The villagers tell Hershel that a band of wicked goblins have taken over the village’s synagogue and they won’t let the people celebrate. But Hershel is too clever and too brave to let a bunch of goblins spoil Hanukkah! 

This Caldecott Honor book is a must read story! 

Bubba Brayna is an old woman and she doesn’t hear or see very well anymore. She’s expecting the rabbi on the first night of Hanukkah though so she starts making a delicious batch of latkes. The smell of the cooking latkes wakes a hungry bear who follows his nose right to her cottage. Thinking that he’s the rabbi, Bubba Brayna let’s the bear right into the house! 

This is a fun little story and I always want to make latkes when we’re done reading it. 

Oskar, a refugee escaping the horrors of Kristallnacht, arrives in New York City on the seventh day of Hanukkah (Christmas Eve) in 1938. He has only a photograph and address for an aunt he’s never met and he has to walk through New York City to reach her. As he journeys through this new city, he receives eight small acts of kindness that make his arrival so much sweeter. 

This is a beautiful historical fiction picture book with excellent illustrations by Mark Siegel. This is a book of hope and resilience and it’s wonderful to watch Oskar look for blessings even during such a difficult time. 

Rachel’s family is Jewish, but she’s decided nothing is going to stop her from celebrating Christmas this year. She writes a letter to Santa explaining everything. Then, she sets about secretly preparing for Christmas. So when Santa doesn’t come on Christmas, Rachel is very disappointed. However, when she joins her family for their traditional dinner at a Chinese Restaurant (the only place open on Christmas) Rachel realizes that she’s not the only kid who doesn’t celebrate Christmas and she comes away with a new understanding and appreciation for her own culture. 

The author wrote this one for her own kids who struggled with Santa. But this is also a good one for Christian kids who feel sorry for their peers who don’t celebrate Christmas – it can help bring a new understanding. 

We have several of these informative holiday books from National Geographic, and they are fantastic! This one gives children lot’s of easy to understand information about Hanukkah, accompanied by wonderful photographs of everything. An excellent non-fiction Hanukkah picture book!