The Trees of the Dancing Goats

by Patricia Polacco, Patricia Polacco (Illustrator)

Overview

Trisha loves the eight days of Hanukkah, when her mother stays home from work, her Babushka makes delicious potato latkes, and her Grampa carves wonderful animals out of wood as gifts for Trisha and her brother. In the middle of her family's preparation for the festival of lights, Trisha visits her closest neighbors, expecting to find them decorating their house for Christmas. Instead they are all bedridden with scarlet fever. Trisha's family is one of the few who has been spared from the epidemic. It is difficult for them to enjoy their Hanukkah feast when they know that their neighbors won't be able to celebrate their holiday. Then Grampa has an inspiration: they will cut down trees, decorate them, and secretly deliver them to the neighbors, "But what can we decorate them with?" Babushka asks. Although it is a sacrifice, Trisha realizes that Grampa's carved animals are the perfect answer. Soon her living room is filled with trees — but that is only the first miracle of many during an incredible holiday season.
Based on a long cherished childhood memory, this story celebrates the miracle of true friendship.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780689808623
Publisher:	Simon & Schuster/Paula Wiseman Books
Publication date:	11/01/1996
Pages:	32
Sales rank:	280,477
Product dimensions:	8.50(w) x 11.00(h) x 0.40(d)
Lexile:	AD630L (what's this?)
Age Range:	5 - 8 Years

About the Author

Patricia Polacco belongs to a family of storytellers, poets, farmers, teachers, and artists. They came from many parts of the world, but mainly Russia. She grew up to be an illustrator, a designer, and creator of many beloved children’s books, including The Keeping Quilt, The Blessing Cup, Fiona’s Lace, The Trees of the Dancing Goats, Babushka’s Doll, and My Rotten Redheaded Older Brother. She lives in Union City, Michigan. Visit her at PatriciaPolacco.com and follow her on Facebook.

Patricia Polacco belongs to a family of storytellers, poets, farmers, teachers, and artists. They came from many parts of the world, but mainly Russia. She grew up to be an illustrator, a designer, and creator of many beloved children’s books, including The Keeping Quilt, The Blessing Cup, Fiona’s Lace, The Trees of the Dancing Goats, Babushka’s Doll, and My Rotten Redheaded Older Brother. She lives in Union City, Michigan. Visit her at PatriciaPolacco.com and follow her on Facebook.

Editorial Reviews

Polacco's (Babushka's Doll) warmhearted memoir can easily be pressed into double duty for both Hanukkah and Christmas reading. On the family farm in Michigan, Trisha and Richard watch as Babushka and Grampa prepare for Hanukkah in their native Russian way, hand-dipping the candles, carving the children gifts of little wooden animals, cooking the latkes. When scarlet fever debilitates their neighbors, Trisha's whole family pitches in to make and deliver holiday dinners and Christmas trees (decorated with the children's wooden animals). Polacco's characteristically buoyant illustrations embody the joy of holiday traditions even as her robust storytelling locates the essence of that joy in sharing and friendship. While this work should have broad appeal, it is in particular an excellent choice for families seeking to mingle Jewish and Christian traditions. Ages 5-10. (Nov.)

Publishers Weekly - Publisher's Weekly

In the season that celebrates miracles, a Jewish family in Michigan is preparing for the Hanukkah feast when they learn that most of their neighbors are ill with scarlet fever. Their festivities take a turn toward charity and they are blessed by the best holiday ever. Award-winning author Polacco spices her story with heartwarming values and memories of her own Russian grandparents. 1996, Simon & Schuster, Ages 5 to 10, $16.00 and $22.00 (CD edition,

Children's Literature - Deborah Zink Roffino

In another story about her family, Polacco relates a story of friendship that takes place during the Hanukkah and Christmas holidays. Their friends and neighbors are stricken with scarlet fever, and are too ill to prepare for Christmas. Trisha and her family decide to create Christmas trees and decorate then with the beautiful carved animals Grandpa makes for Hanukkah. They cook food, decorate each tree with a little dancing goat and other homemade decorations and deliver their gifts to the neighbors. Their kindness begets other acts of giving and sharing. A warm and wonderful message in the true spirit of the holidays. The book is also available with a CD in which Polacco reads the story accompanied by music. 1996, Simon & Schuster, Ages 5 to 10, $16.00 and $22.00 (CD edition,

Children's Literature - Marilyn Courtot

Two farming families, living half a mile apart in rural Michigan, celebrate very different traditions with their winter holidays, but their friendship is rock solid in a time of crisis. In another of her marvelous autobiographical stories, the author, Trish in the book, remembers her Ukrainian Babushka (grandmother) hand-dipping the candles for the Hanukkah menorah while her Georgian/Russian grandfather carves wondrous wooden animals and figures, brightly painted and the most wonderful gifts in the world. This year an epidemic of the contagious disease, scarlet fever, prevents most of their neighbors from preparing for Christmas. In a practical but kindly way, the family goes from house to house bringing roast chicken, latkes (potato pancakes) and also tiny trees decorated with dancing goats and other painted figures; leaving presents and at every house a candle "So they will have the light of God in their hearts...and so that God will protect them and make them well again." Their unselfishness is returned in a lovely way when the neighbors recover and come visiting them. Polacco's storytelling is faultless, as are her marking pen and pencil illustrations 2000 (orig. 1996), Aladdin, $6.99. Ages 5 to 10. Reviewer: Judy Chernak

Children's Literature

K-Gr 3-Another lovely autobiographical snippet from Polacco. The story centers around Trisha and her family as they make loving preparations for Hanukkah, especially her Grampa, who carves wooden toys for the children for each day of the Festival of Lights. When several families in their farm community come down with scarlet fever, Grampa and Babushka realize that their neighbors won't be able to celebrate their holiday properly and take Christmas trees and baskets of food to them. The blending of the two holidays is touching and heartfelt. Polacco's warmly detailed illustrations enrich this tender tale about the true nature of giving, of being good neighbors, and of celebration.-Ann Cook, Winter Park Public Library, FL

School Library Journal

A generous act in a time of need is the highlight of this unforced Hanukkah/Christmas tale from Polacco (Babushka's Mother Goose, 1995, etc.). The narrator recalls the bustle of her family's Michigan farmhouse years ago as Hanukkah approached, with women and children clustering in the kitchen and Grampa, in his workshop, busily carving and painting small animals as gifts. Their non-Jewish neighbors celebrate a different December holiday with different customs but the same spirit—until one year when all are bedridden with scarlet fever. It seems only right to make a Christmas tree for each—but what can they use for decorations? Grampa's animals, of course. Polacco's familiar medley of bright striped and floral print clothing surrounding friendly pink faces creates a perfect visual counterpart to her well-told, sentimental story. Make sure readers have their hankies ready.

Kirkus Reviews