"My daughter loves reading; she’s entertained by reading her favorite book five times in a row. As much as I love seeing her enjoy her favorite book over and over again, by the fourth read, I’m a little over it. And that’s why I like to really take advantage of holidays and special occasions to buy her new books on new topics. With Hanukkah quickly approaching (FYI, it begins on December 7!), it’s time to update our bookshelves with new Hanukkah books with stories to teaching my daughter about this holiday’s special traditions. We’ve discovered a wide range of Hanukkah-focused stories, from educational to humorous. Not only do these books give us a break from our favorite classics, but they also add some excitement to the holiday season.
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With a lot of focus on Christmas, those of us who celebrate Hanukkah can sometimes feel a little left out (to be honest, I’ve always wanted a tree!). But when I read books about our own celebration, it makes it more exciting and fun for our family.
Even if you don’t celebrate Hanukkah, remember it’s important for all kids to learn about and celebrate other cultures and traditions. So no matter your religious background, consider including some Hanukkah books in your home collection or next library pick-up to add a touch of Festival of Lights magic to your family’s shared storytime. Here are 20+ Hanukkah books to check out with your little one(s) this season.
Hanukkah Books for Babies & Toddlers
If you’ve treasured Goodnight Moon with your little one, they will adore this spin on the classic bedtime tale. Here, a little Jewish bunny is visited by his spirited family as they share their beloved holiday traditions. Learn some colorful Yiddish words together while celebrating a new goodnight routine of giggles and closeness.
In this tabbed board book, Curious George learns all about the traditions of Hanukkah, from lighting the candles to spinning the dreidel and more. This book even comes with a recipe for latkes.
A delightful finger puppet story that lets your little one engage with every page as you read together. Not only will they enjoy playing with the plush dreidel, but they will learn the Hebrew letters on this symbolic spinning top essential to any Hanukkah celebration. If you want to raise a champion dreidel player, you can start here!
For the Paw Patrol-loving kid in your life, share the nights of Hanukkah with Chase, Marshall, and the rest of the crew. Best for children ages 0-3.
Welcome your baby with all of the precious elements of Hanukkah–fragrant latkes, shiny gelt, tasty jelly donuts, glittering menorahs, and more in this adorable and festive board book. With cut-outs and raised graphics, they’ll be able to interact with the story and appreciate what makes them your lovable little latke.
Teach your little one the history of Hanukkah with this board book, from the story of the miracle of the oil to traditions like chocolate gelt.
Share in the silliness of the Llama family gathering with this rhyming story of favorite Hanukkah traditions. It’s a charming way to introduce your child to what this holiday is all about so they’ll hopefully start to recognize what makes it special for years to come.
Biscuit wants to make his own menorah for Hanukkah and, once he does, he’s ready to celebrate the rest of the holiday’s traditions with family and friends.
Grover has invited all his Sesame Street friends to celebrate Hanukkah with him. Follow along as the characters discover the whys and hows of celebrating Hanukkah together.
Practice counting skills while engaging your little reader with the festivities that bring Hanukkah to life. From filling the menorah with candles to singing holiday songs, they will enjoy accompanying The Very Hungry Caterpillar on its journey to kindle the Festival of Lights.
Lucky Latke was rescued from an animal shelter on the very first night of Hanukkah. Although he might have some trouble learning the house rules, he celebrates the holiday all the same.
If you think dinos wouldn’t celebrate Hanukkah, think again! This is a fun one for toddlers and is part of a series.
Hanukkah Books for Kids
A lovely story that offers kids an imaginative way to envision Hanukkah’s significance right alongside Christmas. Schmelf discovers that the missing children from Santa’s list weren’t naughty, they were off celebrating Hanukkah with their families. And he wants to be a part of it! Will Shmelf be able to find a way to celebrate the Festival of Lights, even though he’s technically a Christmas elf?
The Latkes are a family of potato pancakes who seem to think they have the story of Hanukkah memorized, but are actually missing a few important details. The Latke family dog tries to set the story straight for them.
Get excited for Hanukkah to begin by exploring some of the most celebrated traditions of the holiday with this book. The Night Before Hanukkah captures the love and joy of the holiday season.
Hanukkah is about more than just family, friends, and chocolate coins—it’s also a celebration of an important story that’s fun to recount through this beautifully illustrated book.
The smell of Bubba Brayna’s delicious latkes attracts all kinds of visitors, including a hungry bear. When Bubba Brayna accidentally mistakes the bear for her rabbi, the latkes for her guests quickly disappear.
For the nostalgia factor, grab a copy of this Rugrats book that you may enjoy even more than your kids.
If you’d asked me if my 3-year-old would like this book, I’d have thought it would be too scary. But nope, it turned out to be one of her favorites that we read countless times last year. Go ahead and add it to your list (recommended for ages 4-8 years)!
For dragon-loving littles, check out this book with knights and a dragon called Dreadful.
Sammy Spider books cover a range of Jewish holidays, so if your child is a fan, this is a great one to add to your collection.
