Emanuel and the Hanukkah Rescue

Set in eighteenth-century New Bedford, Massachusetts, this Hanukkah story centers around a family of crypto-Jews - Jews who were forced to convert to Christianity (usually Catholicism), but who secretly maintained their own traditions - and how they came to publicly profess their true faith. The epo......more

Oh my goodness, this beautiful and understated story. Why haven't I been reading it all my life? (Okay, since it was published in 2012.) I'm now off to seek out Heidi Smith Hyde's other books (some of which I've already read; and I just realized that she is local to where I live) and the same for ill......more

Emanuel and the Hanukkah Rescue is a cute work of historical fiction with great themes of family, pride, fear, and celebrating religious traditions. It makes for a great Hanukkah story, especially for children who prefer their picture books with a bit more adventure than most holiday books have to o......more

Wonderful story about not letting fear control you. It’s a great story with multiple discussion topics. Fear, immigration, religious tolerance, family communication and more. Parents do not have to pre-read it, it is fine to read it together as a family.......more