Hershel and the Hanukkah Goblins

Written by Eric Kimmel

Illustrated by Trina Schart Hyman

Holiday House, 1989

Genre: Children's fiction picture book; holiday

Reading Level: Ages 4-8

30 pages

Hershel and the Hanukkah Goblins is a Hanukkah story about a man named Hershel who is travelling and he reaches a village, and finds that the people are scared to celebrate Hanukkah because of the wicked goblins that terrorize the people and don't like Hanukkah. Hershel says that he will get rid of the goblins by spending eight nights in the old synagogue and lighting each Hanukkah candle each night, and on the last night he will make the king of the goblins light the candles himself. The story goes through each of the eight nights and the successful lighting that Hershel gets for each night by outwitting the goblins, who get bigger and scarier each night. Hershel outwits them by faking his strength, getting one's hand caught in a pickle jar, beating one at a dreidel game, and several other witty trickeries. The final goblin, the king of the goblins, Hershel tricks by saying that he can't see the goblin and thus the king can't prove he's so big and great and scary. The goblin being so obsessed with frightening Hershel he lights the candles not knowing they are the menorah candles and as he lights the last one the spell is broken and the spirit of Hanukkah triumphs and the goblins leave the town and its people alone, and they all celebrate Hanukkah.

I would recommend this book to any young child wanting to read about a brave man and a holiday season. The illustrations are delightful for young children and parents alike.

I think the only problem that could come from this book would be the focus on Hanukkah only being an issue, or the scariness of the goblins frightening the children, but they're both a little far fetched issues.

I really really enjoyed this book as a child and almost even more now that i'm an adult. I love the story, and the pictures are just amazing. The details of the people's faces, and the creativity of the different goblins is just remarkable.

My rating: 5 out of 5