Latkes for Santa Claus

Author: Janie Emaus
Illustrator: Bryan Langdo
Publisher:‎ Sky Pony, 2020

ISBN: 978-1510759886
Reading Level: 3 to 6 years

Main Characters: Anna, Michael, & Santa Claus

Plot: Anna's new stepbrother Michael leaves sugar cookies for Santa each year. Anna looks for something she can leave for Santa. She decides that latkes are just the thing. Santa enjoys them so much, he asks Anna for her latke recipe.

Settings: A blended family home.

Genre/Theme/Style: Holidays, Children's Jewish Holiday Books, Children's Stepfamilies Books, Children's Christmas Books, Blended families.

I Gave This Book 5 Roars! 🦁🦁🦁🦁🦁

Why 5 Roars? This is a great book for children in blended families that celebrate both Hanukkah and Christmas.

Critical Analysis: The book is respectful to both holidays and offers a way to celebrate cultural differences through the love of food and family.

“Sometimes me think, ‘What is Friend?’ and then me say, ‘Friend is someone to share the last cookie with.’” ~~Cookie Monster

"Ideal for blended families, but definitely delightful for anyone to read, Latkes for Santa Claus is a clever Hanukkah meets Christmas spin on leaving cookies out for Santa on Christmas Eve. Even if it’s not Chrismukkah (when Christmas and Hanukkah overlap), this picture book still shows a way for Jewish children living with a non-Jewish stepsibling and/or step-parent how fun it is to share a bit of their Jewish holiday traditions during Christmas time. . . . I enjoyed every page of this charming new picture book because it showed how there is not only room for compromise in every family, but how easily a new tradition can be created bringing everyone closer."~~Good Reads with Ronna

"If you really want to make a friend, go to someone's house and eat with him - the people who give you their food give you their heart." ~~Cesar Chavez

Connections: Latkes for Santa Clause Read-A-Loud