By
– March 14, 2012
Sixteen pairs of nearly identical photographs offer a series of Chanukah-themed visual challenges. In each pair, there are eight differences between the two photos. While some changes will be spotted quickly, many are quite subtle and can only be found upon close examination. Some are perhaps overly subtle, as in the close-up latke montage where the changes consist of tiny differences in potato scrapings. The style of the photos ranges from festive (hanukkiot and gelt) to historical (an elephant statue) to abstract (a dreidel montage). The rather weak rhyming couplets that invite readers to seek the eight changes on each page give no hints, but an answer key is included at the back of the book, along with a page of basic Chanukah facts. Readers with keen eyesight and much patience will find this an entertaining addition to the Chanukah bookshelf. Ages 5 – 10.
Heidi Estrin is librarian for the Feldman Children’s Library at Congregation B’nai Israel in Boca Raton, FL. She is a past chair of the Sydney Taylor Book Award Committee for the Association of Jewish Libraries.
