Don't Invite A Bear Inside for Hanukkah - Perfect Picture Book Friday #PPBF

Using a fun second-person narration, this delightful meta-fiction picture book uses an adorable pair of characters to explore Hanukkah, inclusion, compassion, and friendship. This is a not to miss gorgeous picture book that celebrates flexibility and creativity.

Book cover - Bear, standing upright & wearing a hat and scarf, pushes open a door on a snowy day.

Don't Invite A Bear Inside for Hanukkah

Author: Karen Rostoker-Gruber

Illustrator: Carles Arbat

Publisher: Apples & Honey Press (2024)

Ages: 3-6

Meta-Fiction

Themes:

Friendship, Hanukkah, humor, and creativity.

Synopsis:

A rollicking Hanukkah romp about including friends, accommodating differences, and having FUN!

Don’t invite a bear inside for Hanukkah! While he might try to be helpful with decorating and putting candles in the menorah, he will start to cause a mess soon enough, especially when latkes, gelt and other holiday food is served.

But maybe if you think creatively, you can still celebrate the holiday together.

In this energetic, lighthearted story readers will learn about the preparations and traditions of Hanukkah. It's a Hanukkah tale about meeting new friends where they are, accommodating differences, being flexible and learning to celebrate even if things don’t go exactly as planned. Leave your creature comforts behind and go outside into nature for a rollicking good time.

Opening Lines:

Don't - I repeat - don't invite a

bear inside for Hanukkah!

Uh-oh!

Now, you've gone and done it.

What I Loved about this book:

Written in the vein of If You Give A .... (series), the initial wordless spread features a child decorating the house for Hanukkah and a bear in a vest, scarf, and hat strolling by on the sidewalk. And just as the narrator advises the reader not to invite a bear to Hanukkah, the child waves at the bear - who waves back and heads for the door. Oops! I love Carles Arbat's bright, colorful illustrations! Especially Bear's Hanukkah themed blue and gold colored vest and scarf. And the choice to leave the child undefined by gender or name, allowing any child to see themselves in the main character.

Internal spread - a child, kneeling on a window seat with a hand on a box of Hanukkah decorations, waves at a passing bear dressed in a vest, scarf, and hat. The bear waves back.

Text © Karen Rostoker-Gruber, 2024. Image © Carles Arbat, 2024.

Things don't go t00 badly at first. After all, even if he's very, very careful, human houses, china, and furniture aren't built with a big bear visitor in mind. But his height and helpfulness can make up for a few bobbles and wobbles. And Bear does play a mean harmonica and makes a great cozy companion "as Mom reads a story for Hanukkah." Be sure to note the book she's reading. Carles Arbat leaves readers a fun little treasure.

Internal spread - on the left, a bear, trying to help decorate, bumps into a coffee table, and dislodges a picture and a schild stands nearby trying to direct. On the right, bear lifts a child to the highest shelf to retrieve a very special menorah.

Unlike some of the other meta-fiction books, the parents are seen in the story (they did the cooking), but the authority and decisions come from the child. Unfortunately, messier than the messiest baby or sloppiest sibling, "once he smells food . . .it's beary big trouble." All semblance of manners evaporate and the bear devours everything, especially sweets, creating a world class disaster. And causing the child to order him out of the house. Even though he creates a disaster, I dare you to not fall in love with Bear. The succinct text is creative and fun, weaving lots of Jewish words and tradition into this fun tale. And the illustrations gorgeously play with and expand the text.

Internal spread - on the left, bear has demolished the table,dinner, and all the Hanukkah presents. On the right, the child orders the disheveled, messy bear to leave.

Seeing Bear slump and a tear roll down his cheek, the child feels empathy and remorse. As perhaps the reader might, as the narrator notes, "now you've done it. You've made the bear sad." So, of course, the child follows Bear back to his den and makes the amazing discovery that results in a brilliant idea and a "beary big smile." Kids are going to love these two characters and the relationship they begin. An author's note explains the Jewish tradition of welcoming guests and is accompanied by a glossary. This is such a gorgeous, unique, humorous, and inventive way to introduce Hanukkah, friendship, and compassion.

Resources:

make your own fun menorah or a wooden stick menorah (like bear's).
check out these fun Hanukkah crafts.

if you could imagine anyone (human or animal) coming to a celebration at your house (such as Hanukkah, Christmas, Diwali, New Year's, etc.), who would it be and what might happen if they came? Write a short story, or draw a picture, about your special guest.

If you missed my interview with Karen Rostoker-Gruber on Monday, find it (here).

This post is part of a series of blog posts by authors and KidLit bloggers called Perfect Picture Book Fridays. For more picture book suggestions and resources see Susanna Leonard Hill's Perfect Picture Books.