This sweet rhyming book goes through the eight days of chanukah. A very lilting and enjoyable read that would be excellent for an inclusive winter holiday story time.
Jewish Protagonist
Holidays Around the World – Hanukkah
Books:
Hanukkah Bear by Erick A Kimmel – Our guest was a natural story teller and had the kids in stitches. This is a book that is a favorite in her house and is read every year at Hanukkah. A little old lady thinks that the Rabbi has come for a Hanukkah visit, but in actuality it’s a bear who has wandered in!! Our library doesn’t have a copy so I am ordering it!
The Story of Hanukkah by David A. Adler – This is a little board book that tells the origins of Hanukkah in an easy way for the littles to understand.

Menorah VS. Hannukiah:

Hannah explained the menorah to us, which she said is actually called a hanukkiah. The menorah doesn’t have the ninth candle, the shamash (which means servant, because it lights the other candles) and is more ceremonial. She also showed us the correct way to add the candles and to light them. She and her children sang the blessing to us in English and Hebrew.
Flannel Rhyme:

One menorah candle
burning oh so bright.
Now we’ll add another one –
it’s Hanukkah’s second night!
(Repeat, counting up to eight candles.)
Eight menorah candles
burning oh so bright.
We’re celebrating Hanukkah –
the festival of lights!
Flannel Rhyme:

5 Little dreidels spinning in a row.
The first one said, “Spin me slow.”
The second one went round and round.
The third one fell down on the ground.
The fourth one spun like a happy top.
The fifth one said, “I’ll never stop!”
5 Little dreidels, look and see—
Spinning on Hanukkah for you & me.
–Marjorie Debowy
Credit: mclskids
Game:
Dreidel

My guest brought dreidels and geld for each child to play with at the library and take home with them! It was very easy to learn and I found this excellent set of rules to refresh myself when my niece and I were playing at home.
As my niece put it, she “crushed” me when we got home and played!

Craft:
My guest also had a simple hanukkiah craft idea that I used.
I always have Christmas stickers at this time of year, so I made sure that I made ( since I couldn’t find any to buy) some Hanukkah stickers as well.

This was a wonderful story time! We had a mixture of Jewish and non-Jewish families attend. The non-Jewish families were respectful and asked intelligent questions. I’m planning on making this an annual event.
My guests very kindly gave me a small Hanukkiah and candles as well. At night I’ll burn the candles at home in honor of my new friends, and display it in the library with the correct amount of candles during the day.

Inclusive Story Time – Winter Holidays II
Books:
Zen and Bodhi’s Snowy Day by Gina Bates Brown
I got the Christmas Spirit by Connie Schofield-Morrison
Snow by Uri Shulevitz
Inclusion:
I’m reading Zen and Bodhi’s Snowy Day by Gina Bates Brown as a nod to Bodhi Day, which was actually last week while I was doing Hanukkah stories (I’ve got ahead enough, that I post these story times a week before I actually do them now).
I got the Christmas Spirit by Connie Schofield-Morrison – This holiday follow up to “I Got the Rhythm” is adorable! It has super easy text and expressive illustrations. It’s about all the fun of the season, but also the real meaning. In a gentle way it deals with poverty and homelessness.
Song:
Jingle Bells
Jingle all the way!
Oh what fun it is to ride in a one-horse open sleigh
Jingle all the way!
Oh what fun it is to ride in a one-horse open sleigh
In a one-horse open sleigh
Over the fields we go
Laughing all the way
Bells on bob-tail ring
Making spirits bright
What fun it is to ride and sing a sleighing song tonight
Jingle all the way!
O’ what fun it is to ride in a one-horse open sleigh
Jingle all the way!
O’ what a lot fun, what a lot fun to ride and sing in a one-horse open sleigh

With frosting galore
One was eaten and then there were four.
Four little Christmas cookies
Two and two you see
One was eaten and then there were three.
Three little Christmas cookies
But before I knew
One was eaten and then there were two.
Two little Christmas cookies ,
Oh what fun!
One was eaten and then there was one.
One little Christmas cookie
Watch me run!
I ate the last one
And then there were none!

Inclusive Story Time – Winter Holidays I
Books:
Is It Hanukkah Yet? by Nancy Krulik
Can you Say Peace? By Karen Katz
Daddy Christmas and Hanukkah Mama by Selina Alko
Inclusion:
Is It Hanukkah Yet? by Nancy Krulik is told in the first person by a young Jewish girl as she waits for the sun to set and Hanukkah to begin. A very simple introduction to the basics of Hanukkah.
Can you Say Peace? By Karen Katz isn’t a Christmas book — it is actually meant to be read on World Peace Day (Sept. 21, 2019). I think that its vision of peace will works nicely as a transition to the holiday story times. Each page has a child from a different country and what the word “peace” is in their language.
Daddy Christmas and Hanukkah Mama by Selina Alko centers around a young girl from a family of mixed faith. Daddy is a Christian and Mommy is Jewish. The story explores the way the family incorporates traditions from both holidays into their season.
Flannel Rhyme:

5 Little dreidels spinning in a row.
The first one said, “Spin me slow.”
The second one went round and round.
The third one fell down on the ground.
The fourth one spun like a happy top.
The fifth one said, “I’ll never stop!”
5 Little dreidels, look and see—
Spinning on Hanukkah for you & me.
–Marjorie Debowy
Credit: mclskids
Flannel Rhyme:
One menorah candle
burning oh so bright.
Now we’ll add another one –
it’s Hanukkah’s second night!
(Repeat, counting up to eight candles.)
Eight menorah candles
burning oh so bright.
We’re celebrating Hanukkah –
the festival of lights!
Continue to count down until there are none.
Credit: Story Time Secrets

With frosting galore
One was eaten and then there were four.
Four little Christmas cookies
Two and two you see
One was eaten and then there were three.
Three little Christmas cookies
But before I knew
One was eaten and then there were two.
Two little Christmas cookies ,
Oh what fun!
One was eaten and then there was one.
One little Christmas cookie
Watch me run!
I ate the last one
And then there were none!
Daddy Christmas and Hanukkah Mama by Selina Alko
This picture book centers around a young girl from a family of mixed faith. Daddy is a Christian and Mommy is Jewish. The story explores the way the family incorporates traditions from both holidays into their celebrations.