Nathan Blows Out the Hanukkah Candles

by Tami Lehman-Wilzig, Nicole Katzman (With), Jeremy Tugeau (Illustrator)

Overview

Jacob loves his autistic brother, Nathan, but when Hanukkah comes, Jacob worries that Nathan might embarrass him in front of his new friend. What if Nathan blows out the Hanukkah candles?!

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780761366584
Publisher:	Kar-Ben Publishing
Publication date:	09/28/2011
Series:	Kar-Ben Hanukkah Series
Pages:	32
Product dimensions:	9.30(w) x 9.50(h) x 0.10(d)
Lexile:	460L (what's this?)
Age Range:	5 - 8 Years

About the Author

Born in the United States, Tami Lehman-Wilzig now lives in Israel. She has a Bachelor’s Degree in English Literature and an M.A. in Communications from Boston University. She is one of Israel's leading English language copywriters. Her children's books include Tasty Bible Stories, Keeping the Promise, Passover Around the World, Hanukkah Around the World and Zvuvi’s Israel. She lives in Kfar Saba, Israel.

Jeremy Tugeau graduated from Syracuse university with a degree in Illustration. He has illustrated many children's books including Always an Olivia and Nathan Blows Out the Hanukkah Candles. He lives in Ohio with his wife and children.

Read an Excerpt

Nathan Blows Out the Hanukkah Candles

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By Tami Lehman-Wilzig, Nicole Katzman, Jeremy Tugeau

Kar-Ben Publishing

Copyright © 2011 Tami Lehman-Wilzig with Nicole Katzman
All rights reserved.
ISBN: 978-0-7613-6657-7

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CHAPTER 1

"Is it Hanukkah? Is it Hanukkah?"

All my big brother does is say the same thing over and over again.

"Is it Hanukkah? Is it Hanukkah?" he keeps repeating. As usual, Nathan is lost in his own world. Then he announces, "Tonight is Hanukkah, tonight is Hanukkah."

"I know, I know," I answer.

Mom gives me a look.

"Ohh-kay ... Nathan's mind is wired differently."

"I'm glad you understand that, Jacob."

"Hanukkah has eight days. Hanukkah has eight days."

I think I'm going to burst.

"And the United States has fifty states," continues Nathan. "Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas—"

Mom cuts in. "I have a good idea, Nathan. Turn on your computer and see if you can find a blank map of the United States where you can put in the state names."

Nathan goes to his room.

Mom asks me, "Would you like to help set up the Hanukkah menorah?"

"Sure," I answer. "I like pretending I'm Judah Maccabee, lighting the menorah in the Temple."

"Tonight's the first night of Hanukkah, so only one candle," Mom says. "Plus the shamash, the helper candle, for lighting it."

I'm Judah Maccabee, winning the war against King Antiochus! We recapture our holy Temple! There's a small jug of oil to light the menorah. It's enough for one day but—a miracle!—the oil lasts eight days.

Tonight I'm going to pray for a new miracle. That Nathan stops repeating himself.

I put the menorah on the table next to the window. A big truck pulls in next door, with a car behind it. A new family is moving in. Yes! It looks like there's a boy my age. I wonder if he plays basketball.

"Mom!" I yell. "I'll be outside shooting hoops."

I bounce the ball really hard. It works. My new neighbor walks over.

"Can I play?" he asks. "My name's Steven. What's yours?"

"Jacob."

(Continues...)

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Excerpted from Nathan Blows Out the Hanukkah Candles by Tami Lehman-Wilzig, Nicole Katzman, Jeremy Tugeau. Copyright © 2011 Tami Lehman-Wilzig with Nicole Katzman. Excerpted by permission of Kar-Ben Publishing.
All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.
Excerpts are provided by Dial-A-Book Inc. solely for the personal use of visitors to this web site.

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Editorial Reviews

Jacob has an autistic brother, Nathan, whose repetitive and unusual behaviors get on Jacob’s nerves. They also embarrass him in front of his new friend, Steven. But when Steven makes fun of Nathan, Jacob comes to his brother’s defense. In the end, both Steven’s and Jacob’s families learn to enjoy a new way of celebrating Hanukkah. This is a commendable attempt to reflect what is a reality for many families today. Tugeau’s illustrations help lighten the story. Ages 5–9. (Sept.)

Publishers Weekly

Gr 1–3—Jacob narrates the story of his family's holiday celebration as his autistic older brother blows out the candles on the menorah. Nathan displays other behaviors associated with autism such as repeating himself and staring intently at a spinning dreidel. Jacob finds him annoying, and happily escapes into a friendship with the new boy next door, yet when Steven makes fun of Nathan's penchant for blowing out candles, both families come together to craft a satisfying solution. The well-constructed text rings true, particularly when describing the parents' efforts to help their son focus on the festivities. Watercolor and charcoal illustrations nicely convey both Jacob's mixed emotions and his family's obvious love. Shining a light on an experience shared by many contemporary families, this book is a worthy addition for all collections.—Teri Markson, Los Angeles Public Library

School Library Journal

"Jacob’s brother, Nathan, is autistic. Sometimes his repetition of phrases drives Jacob crazy, but Jacob’s mother explains that Nathan’s brain is just wired differently. A new boy moves in next door, and Jacob is happy to have a friend to play basketball with him. Jacob’s mother invites his new friend, Steven, for the first night of Hanukkah, but Jacob is mortified when Nathan blows out the Hanukkah candles. Every day, when Steven sees Jacob, Steven teases Jacob by pretending to blow out candles. On the last night of Hanukkah, Jacob’s mother invites Steven and his family to celebrate Hanukkah Nathan’s way. After lighting the menorah in the window, everyone is given a jelly doughnut with a candle in it and they all blow out their candles.

The story is based on a real 'Nathan,' a high-functioning autistic child. The book is designed to introduce young children and families to autism and other developmental disorders. It helps reinforce the Jewish teaching of acceptance of every person as having been created in God’s image. The illustrations are colorful and portray the characters’ feelings in a sensitive manner."--Jewish Book World

From the Publisher

Jacob loves Hanukkah, but is frustrated with the way it's celebrated at his house. His brother Nathan, a boy on the autism spectrum, obsesses about the holiday and ruins the night by blowing out the candles as if they were on a birthday cake. When a new friend, Steven, moves into the neighborhood, Jacob is happy to have someone to play with but Steven is not tolerant of Nathan's differences. When Steven and Jacob try to spin dreidls, Nathan fixates on the whirling motion and Steven proclaims Nathan "weird," and Jacob must deal with the conflicts and embarrassment felt by many siblings of kids with special needs. This is an important book on many levels. Not only does it address how family's deal with a child's differences in the home, but it validates Jacob's exasperation of making allowances for Nathan. Jacob is not chastised or told that his emotions are wrong, but his parents do expect him to be understanding which is hard for any youngster. When Jacob prays for a Hanukkah miracle that Nathan could be like other kids, we learn how deeply sensitive he is to the situation. Jacob tries to explain Nathan's "faulty wiring" to Steven, but Steven isn't an automatic convert. Only Jacob's construction of an edible menorah, "Nathan-style," convinces Steven that different is sometimes okay. This Hanukkah book has heart and an important message, both for families that share the experience of raising a child with autism and those who wish they could make their children kinder to children with disabilities. Reviewer: Lois Rubin Gross

Children's Literature - Lois Rubin Gross

The traditional family Hanukkah celebration is here adjusted to include an autistic boy's interpretation.

Jacob's brother, Nathan, can be quite vexing, especially when he repeats himself constantly. Jacob's mother has explained that Nathan's "mind is wired differently" and that he "just looks at things in his own way." On the first two nights of Hanukkah, Jacob is excited to welcome new neighbors Steven and parents to their candle-lighting ceremony. He quickly regrets it when, to his acute embarrassment, Nathan blows out the candles despite being told they are not like birthday ones. Playing dreidel also proves to be less than enjoyable when Nathan fixates on the spinning and ignores the rest of the game. Yet when confronted by Steven—"your brother is weird" —Jacob counters with the defiant response that Nathan's autistic (not, as Steven mishears, "artistic") behavior helps his family see the world just a bit differently. Softly outlined illustrations offer snapshot views of family gatherings while also capturing emotional expressions of surprise, chagrin and enjoyment, as reflected in the arc of the story line. A creative final scene encompasses both the traditional menorah lighting as well as a birthdaylike candle celebration atop a tray of jelly doughnuts.

This inclusive holiday story offers a realistic perspective on one family's ability to embrace an autistic individual with respect and compassion. (author's note)(Picture book. 6-8)

Kirkus Reviews