The Mexican Dreidel (English With Some Spanish)

by Linda Elovitz Marshall (Author) Maria Mola (Illustrator)

The Mexican Dreidel (English With Some Spanish)
Reading Level: 2nd − 3rd Grade
Danielito loves Janucá, especially playing dreidel. This year, he is old enough to visit Bobe by himself. Piñatas hang from the trees, and the kids in Bobe's neighborhood play with Mexican tops called trompos. Danielito does not have a trompo, but he has a dreidel. "What is that?" "¿Qué es eso?" the other kids ask, as they invite him to join their game. The trompos follow the dreidel as it spins through the neighborhood. And Danielito invited his new friends, nuevos amigos, to Bobe's house to celebrate Janucá.
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Kirkus

A heartwarming story celebrating friendship across cultural lines.

Publishers Weekly

Visiting his grandmother, Bobe, solo for Janucá, Danielito notices the other kids in the neighborhood playing with trompos--traditional Mexican tops. Bobe only has a dreidel on hand, but after Danielito joins the other kids and gives it an initial spin, the dreidel becomes a perpetual motion machine that revives and rallies the fallen trompos. With the rosy-cheeked children in merry pursuit, the dreidel leads the trompos "through the park, around the neighborhood, in and out of stores, under pushcarts filled with food, and across blankets spread with wares," Marshall and Stavans write, incorporating italicized Spanish phrases. The adventure ends back at Bobe's house, where Daniel introduces the children to buñuelos, latkes, and a dreidel-shaped piñata. Mola's chalky, bright-hued images, which portray characters with brown skin, evoke a sunny, cozy town and the fun of sharing with "nuevos amigos." An afterword provides details on Mexico's Jewish community. Ages 4-8. (Oct.)

Copyright 2023 Publishers Weekly, LLC Used with permission.

School Library Journal

PreS-Gr 2--This Mexican Janucá (Hanukkah) book, imbued with magical realism, tells a sweet story while introducing Mexican Jewish and non-Jewish holiday traditions, as well as Spanish words. Danelito is visiting Bobe (his grandmother) for Janucá, but he doesn't know any of the neighborhood kids and has no trompo (spinning top). Bobe provides him with a dreidel, and he spins with the other children. The trompos fall, but his dreidel keeps spinning, and when it touches the fallen trompos, they straighten and follow it. The children follow the runaway tops until one of them, hearing Danielito's distress, offers to help catch the dreidel. The tops slow and finally fall, and Danelito invites his new friends to celebrate the first night of Janucá with him. The text is concise without feeling stilted and includes Spanish terms organically within the story. The magical realism fits naturally. The art has the feel of being painted on wood, with visible brush strokes. Most of the children have brown skin and dark hair; Danielito is slightly paler, with medium brown hair. The town has cobblestone streets and brightly painted, flat-topped, stucco buildings all attached to one another. Children have large eyes, brightly colored clothes, and simple noses and mouths. An author's note tells the story of Hanukkah, as well as the history of Jews in Mexico. VERDICT This lovely friendship story does an excellent job portraying a lesser-known Jewish community and their traditions. An excellent choice for libraries wanting to expand their Hanukkah collections.--Amy Lilien-Harper

Copyright 2023 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

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Classification
Fiction
ISBN-13
9781728449289
Lexile Measure
-
Guided Reading Level
-
Publisher
Kar-Ben Publishing (R)
Publication date
October 03, 2023
Series
-
BISAC categories
JUV040000 - Juvenile Fiction | Toys, Dolls & Puppets
JUV017110 - Juvenile Fiction | Holidays & Celebrations | Hanukkah
JUV030100 - Juvenile Fiction | People & Places | Mexico
Library of Congress categories
Friendship
Picture books
Hanukkah
Dreidel (Game)
Jews, Mexican

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