A community, inspired by a friend's show of support, acts in solidarity after a hate crime targets a Hanukkah celebration in this vibrant and compassionate picture book from Lee Wind and Paul O. Zelinsky.
Best friends and neighbors Isaac and Teresa have much in common, including their love of decorating for winter holidays. A birds-eye view of their night-darkened neighborhood, though, shows Isaac's house standing out: "On a block dressed up in Red and Green, one house shone Blue and White." Isaac helps his parents place a decorative menorah at their picture window in anticipation of Hanukkah. Later that night, a stranger shatters Isaac's window with a rock, ostensibly targeting his family for their religion. After the police visit and the damage is repaired, Isaac bravely rekindles the menorah: "If they didn't, Isaac knew it would be like hiding they were Jewish."
Teresa is relieved to see Isaac's candles glowing again. As snow falls, Teresa draws a menorah of her own, writing "For Isaac" above it, and mounts the artwork in her front window. Isaac is delighted, and Teresa's gesture resonates. "Their friends joined in. Then their school. And their library." Word spreads and within weeks more than 10,000 windows across town feature menorahs in solidarity. A merger of the friends' poetry and artwork tidily concludes the story: "Christmas tree and menorah light; red and green and blue and white. Stronger together... shining bright!"
Inspired by true events, Wind (No Way, They Were Gay?) uses clear language and concise sentences to impart real-life and relatable examples of courage, upstanders and allyship. Minimal text amplifies the innocent tone at the beginning of the story while the prose both quickens and lengthens after the attack. An ominous shift in the palette during that event underscores its severity and the "shards of glass falling" evokes Kristallnacht. A brief author's note radiates hope.
Caldecott Medal and multiple Honor recipient Zelinsky (Rapunzel; Z Is for Moose) draws in readers through illustrations that shift perspective and scale across a mix of single- and double-page spreads. The indigo night suffusing most pages allows the seasonal decor to glow and particularly emphasizes Isaac's snowy and cerulean window. Zelinsky's digital illustrations daringly merge dueling holiday palettes and incorporate the children's rhymes and pictures directly into his art.
As much a how-to as a holiday tale, Wind and Zelinsky's offering gives young readers an inspirational, empathy-building story about honoring your identity and standing up against hate. Stronger together, indeed. --Kit Ballenger, youth librarian, Help Your Shelf
Shelf Talker: Two friends heal themselves and rally their community after an antisemitic attack in this warm, spirited picture book that models allyship.